LONG IN’VEST’MENTS

Hi to all my Gal Pals.

It is hard to believe that Christmas is almost here, however, I feel like it has been coming for months. It seems like only six months ago they started playing Christmas music in stores. I have to agree with Aunty Acid who asks, “Remember when Christmas came AFTER Thanksgiving? Those were the days, huh?” I love Christmas! I decorate 7 rooms in my house from top to bottom and have a few get-togethers. Let’s face it, Christmas is the most popular holiday. It is the celebration of the birth of Christ when we go to church services and sing religious songs. It is a time when families get together which might include a dinner with Grandma or a family vacation. Who doesn’t like all the food especially desserts at holiday parties. Sometimes we reconnect with family and friends who we haven’t seen all year. Don’t we all like receiving a gift but seem to really enjoy giving a gift even more? Christmas happens during the winter so it is a bright event during a dreary time of the year. For many the best thing about Christmas is no work or school so they can truly relax and enjoy the holiday. There is something magical about watching children get excited about Santa coming to their homes while they are sleeping. That is unless you are Aunty Acid who says “Santa knows when I’m sleeping. He knows when I’m awake. He knows if I’ve been bad or good….And I find that rather creepy to be honest”. What I wanted to know is why, of all the holidays, are we the most nostalgic at Christmas. I read a few articles to answer this question and I think the article by Kristine Batcho, PhD who is a member of the American Psychological Association has the best answer to my question without getting into all the workings of the brain.

According to Dr. Batcho holidays can have a significant psychological effect on people, both good and bad. She states that we feel more nostalgic during the holidays because many memories are reawakened and relationships renewed. We celebrate together and reconnect. Holidays remind us of special times and help us keep track of what has changed and what has remained the same in our lives – and in ourselves. For many, Christmas brings back memories of simpler times along with the sense of the security of childhood or the carefree feelings of being young, with fewer of the worries and stress that accompany responsibilities. It reminds us of people who played important roles in our lives and the activities we shared with them. Whether secular or religious, by connecting us to a shared tradition, Christmas music can renew our sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves. By reminding us of events, customs, beliefs or rituals, holiday music can help us feel connected to others, even during times of stress or loneliness.

One of the ways I stay connected with some of my friends is through this blog. I want to share my holiday wishes for you with a quote from Aunty Acid “ I don’t want anything for Christmas. I just want the person reading this to be Happy, Healthy and Loved. Wishing you happiness, friendship and winter cheer to you over there from us over here!” MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I already explained in the last blog how women’s vests were introduced into fashion so I will keep this section brief. According to Fashion Magazine the long vest has an unmatched ability to pull together a look. Great for making a statement or changing up your every day silhouette, long vests pair well with jeans or shorts. If the vest is long enough and buttons up, you can even wear it as a dress. No matter how you choose to style it, the long vest is a look that anyone is sure to enjoy.

For those of us up north, it is cold! This week we woke up to temperatures of 19 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrrr! So I decided to show a picture of my labor of love and my long investment (time and money) that warms my heart.

I miss my backyard because I enjoyed looking at the beauty of what I created but at my age I began to think that I couldn’t keep up with the maintenance. It reminds me of something I read by Grumpy Old Grits “My grandson asked me what it’s like to be old, so I said stick bubble wrap on your joints, put pebbles in your shoes, wear rubber gloves 24/7 and smear Vaseline on your glasses and Viola! INSTANT OLD AGE!”

On that note, let the show begin while I still remember my name.

Everyone should have a long black vest. It is one of those pieces of clothing that hide all sins. I put it over a top I bought this summer at The Beach House in Saugatuck, Michigan. I spent a little over $50 for this top but it was made in Italy and is so soft. You know how I love smartly mixing patterns and I love the contrast of polka dots and stripes on this top. The long vests look great with leggings so I paired the black vest with black leggings. Overall it is a comfy outfit.

Since the top is gold and black I went with gold and black jewelry. I love the patterns in these bangle bracelets and again I love the differing designs on them. The earrings match the polka dots and the long necklace is made of round beads. The gold, round face of the watch and the black band also look great with the outfit as does the gold and black rings.

Both the top and long vest are an oatmeal color. The vest is made of a ribbed material and has pockets which I love. As you can tell, I love the comfort of leggings. I paired this vest and top with dark brown leggings and dark brown heels.

Long scarves look great with long vests. Remember I told you about the jewelry resale event held once a year by our library system. Well I got the necklace for $2 while the bracelets and earring were $1 each. The patterns on the bracelet and the beads of the earrings go so well with this necklace with brown tone beads and stone. They give off an African vibe so I paired them with the cheetah watch and the tiger eye ring.

It is not often you are going to find me wearing a form fitting top and a belt but with the vest you don’t see my belly sticking out. The vest is cream, taupe and light rust with fringe. It is a very casual vest so I paired it with a dark rust pair of corduroy pants. The turtle neck top is a sparkly taupe and the shoes are a suede taupe. I am wearing a wide rust colored leather belt because it hides my belly rolls.

I thought this outfit had a a little bit of a southwest Native American vibe. The center of the necklace reminds me of the symbol for the sun and the charms are like eagle feathers on the necklace and earrings. I got the earrings and necklace for $2 at the library jewelry resale. The rust colored stone of one ring is jasper while the other is a taupe topaz. I layered the long gold necklace with a shorter copper necklace. The black, cream and gold bracelet also has an American Indian vibe. The watch has a taupe band with rose gold metal around the face.

It is time to talk about my weight. Well there is good news and bad news all of which happened in the month of November. Let’s talk about the good news first. My cancer doctor thinks the small mass on my abdominal wall is just scar tissue so I don’t need to have him monitor it any more. My liver doctor said my abdominal scan indicated my liver looks healthy so I do not have a starch or sugar restriction and I don’t need to see her for another year. I was feeling good! On the bad news side, my lung doctor said that my first lung scans were fine but the next two indicated a small spot on the lungs. He said it is probably nothing but I need to have it monitored. Ugh! Then I went to see my heart doctor who told me I was doing great but I should have another Echo to monitor the small aneurysm in my aorta. My response was “WHAT ANEURYSM?!!!” Apparently they saw this “small” aneurysm two years ago on my last Echo and I was never told about it. At this point you are probably wondering what this has to do with my weight. Well, when I am stressed I tend to look for comfort food and the knowledge of the small spot on the lung and the small aneurysm in my aorta has me STRESSED! So the really bad new is that I no longer have a starch or sugar restriction which means that most of the Christmas candy I bought as part of my holiday decor has been a real comfort to me. Need I say more? My pants are fitting a little tighter and it is not yet Dec. 1st. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! But as Crabby Maxine says “My doctor said I need to eat better so now I splurge for the really good chocolate”.

Well, until next time, remember God loves you and so do I.