Hi to all my Gal Pals,
Sorry I missed my September post but I was dealing with a health crisis that seems to be not as bad as I expected. The experience really was a test of my patience. In fact, it reminded me of something Aunty Acid said “The only exercise I have done all month is running…..out of patience”. I am one of those people that when I run into a problem I want to solve it right away. What I realized is that sometimes I need to count on other people to help me solve my problem but their priorities are not always like my priorities. For example, in the past I would start a decorating project at home but there were some parts of it that I couldn’t accomplish because I didn’t have the strength or skill and needed help. I would have been more than willing to spend the money and hire someone but my husband would always volunteer to help so we didn’t need to layout any money. He was an excellent handyman but my projects were typically added to his “honey-do” list and I knew my problem might not get solved in a week, a month or even a year. The longer I waited the more my frustration grew and Aunty Acid always says it best “Lord, Give me patience because if you give me strength, I’m gonna need bail money to go with it”.
As for my health, I was told I had a mass on my abdominal wall and my liver was darker and larger than it should be. The biggest problem for me was why no one could identify what this mass was and the CT scan couldn’t help the doctors identify it. So, I see this as a problem that needs to be solved right away. When my doctor said she was going to get an opinion from a surgeon, I waited a week. Then I had to make an appointment with the surgeon so I had to wait another two weeks (God give me patience…but please hurry!). The surgeon had no idea what the mass was so I had to have an MRI completed. I had to wait another two weeks before I could have the MRI done (In the mean time I did have my patience tested…it was negative!). Apparently their priorities to solve this problem was not the same as my priorities. I wanted this problem to be solved yesterday. To date, they still don’t know what the mass is made of but the good news is that it’s origin does not involve any of my internal organs. The plan of action is to wait for 6 months and reschedule another CT to see if the mass has grown. My first reaction was similar to something Aunty Acid said “The chill pill I took this morning appears to have been a placebo” but then I chose to see it as a positive circumstance. My liver is still functioning normally even if it looks all wrong and no one has used the big “C” word with me so far. I often go to Aunty Acid who usually says it best “I’m in a really good place right now. Not emotionally or spiritually, just on my couch with my dog”.
Wow, that was a lengthy intro so lets move on to design. The topic is “navy blue” but you really don’t find much navy blue in the garden. So, let’s look at sailor white instead.
This is the scene you see as you walk up to my front door. I decided that I was going to decorate with red this year. I used white flowers in my design because a splash of white can dramatically brighten a design and can make dark red and greens look more prominent. The white flowers of the mandevilla vines and the whiteness of the decorative willow tree that lights up make the red of the geraniums and hibiscus pop. The white flowers in the painting keep the red flowers from overpowering the scene and the white flower/purple leaf begonia help to highlight the red flower of the angel wing begonia.
Well, lets get back to the topic. I have to be honest, I do not have a lot of navy blue clothes because I associated the color with an ugly uniform I used to wear with my job at a hospital. However, I really have started to see the benefits of it in my wardrobe. Navy blue is a dark shade of blue that resembles black. The term was used as early as 1813 in reference to the color of the officer uniforms of the British Royal Navy that were dark blue since 1748. A variety of different dark blues are commonly called “navy”. Navy is one of the most widely used shades of blue in history and around the world. The meaning of navy blue resonates with many different cultures as well as a color of strength, reliability, bravery, stability, honor and power. The best thing about navy blue is that everyone looks good in it because it flatters the vast majority of skin tones. It is a color that can be worn year-round. It can be formal or casual and it goes with every other color in your closet. Like black, navy blue can hide flaws and create a slimming illusion. Because it is a classic shade, you can afford to think about navy blue clothes and accessories as an investment that you will keep for years. Every season, designers always opt for some navy blue outfits.
Well, let the show begin!
“Blue navy blue I am blue as I can be ‘cause my steady boy said ‘ship ahoy’ and joined the navy.” As you know from past blogs, I like blocking in fashion. Having the navy blue in strategic places makes for a very slimming look. To go with the ruana I am wearing straight leg navy dress pants, a sleeveless navy top and navy pumps.
The metal of the earrings in this picture is deceiving. They are silver but the lighting makes them look gold. I stayed with the navy and white theme with a white and silver slide necklace, navy blue watch, white bangle and white ring. I don’t have a navy blue ring but the blue star sapphire looks good with the outfit.
Waving goodbye to my steady boy. This poncho is definitely a summer clothing item. It has gold sequins (love anything gold!) and different shades of blue and peach waves running through it. I am wearing it with a pair of navy blue jeans and a sleeveless navy tee underneath. Unfortunately, you can’t see my sandals but I will tell you that they are gold with blue beading.
My favorite accessory is the pair of earrings. They are made of metal and are mostly navy blue with a little bit of peach. They are one of my purchases this year from one of my favorite boutiques in Saugatuck. The navy ring looks perfect with this outfit. This is one of my favorite bracelets with the words “Well-behaved women rarely make history – Eleanor Roosevelt”. That is my mantra!
So sad to see my sailor boy go ship ahoy. This top is the perfect example of how every color goes with navy blue. I love the big pockets and different color “bubbles”. The wide leg navy blue pants have an elastic waist which makes them so comfortable.
I don’t need to wear too much in jewelry with this outfit because the colorful “bubbles” are the real focus of this outfit. There are so many colors on this top that I just chose some jewelry with the same shape and color.
That is it for today. I lost a few pounds not because of stress but because I have cut back on the chocolate and replaced it with apples. Apparently my “fatty” liver is made worse with sugar. The doctor said I could continue to eat chocolate but I know he has no idea how much chocolate I ate each day. I just hate that my liver is called “fatty” and that I can’t camouflage it like I do with the clothes I wear. I am with Aunty Acid who says “I try to avoid things that make me fat…Like scales, mirrors and photographs”. The fact that I know I am carrying around a fatty liver freaks me out!
Until next time, remember God loves you and so do I.
A Peek Into Pam’s Closets 