Hi to all my Gal Pals,

As I get older I get more and more conflicted as to how to handle my future as I age. My explanation is going to be like one of those dark comedies. I hope I don’t offend anyone by what I am going to say but these are my feelings. The best way to help you understand is through an analogy of algebra. When I was a freshman I was told that I needed to take algebra, so I took algebra. I don’t know about you but, while I did well in algebra I hated it! I hated it because I really didn’t understand how this was relevant to my future. I was told because I really didn’t know what my future would look like I “might “ need it so that all bases for my future were covered. So fast forward to the present. I have really been interested in the mind-body connection as we get older. I found a good essay from the DASH program at DASH.HARVARD.EDU that I thought was interesting. I am going to put some excerpts from the essay into this paragraph that I think “might” help me with making decisions about my future. “The ability to sense bodily states declines in older age as does one’s activation of physiological systems, both of which may contribute to an impairment in the mind-body connections”. “…there are obviously some serious downsides of not having strong mind-body connections.” “…the lack of association between the mind and body “might” impair the ability to make good decisions.” That tells me I need to start making some serious decisions right now! Let’s face it, Crabby Maxine totally understands where I am coming from when she says “At my age, a “party favor” means somebody helping me out of a low slung chair.”

Here is my dilemma. I have been told that keeping my mind active will help it to function better as I get older. I do crossword puzzles and read at least two books a week to help stimulate the verbal part of my brain. I always have a jigsaw puzzle going on my dinette table to help with the visual-spatial part of my brain. However, my body is breaking down due to a very serious car accident that had me laying flat on my back in a hospital bed for two months and I have already had quadruple by-pass surgery. Once again, I am having to make a decision on what “might” be in store for me regarding my future. It is like algebra all over! I “might” have a fairly healthy old age with a good mind-body connection. However, I could be like my dad who had a fairly good body but had dementia or like my grandfather who ended up in bed in a nursing home (my mother and grandmother died in their 60’s from heart problems). Do I want to be one of those old timers who is laying in a nursing home bed and visitors say “It is a shame because her mind is so sharp?” If that is the case I would rather have a dull mind and be in “LALA Land”. If I end up with dementia does it really matter that I engaged in all those mind sharpening techniques? Maybe my time would be better spent writing a journal and writing on the back of photos in my many photos albums identifying the people in the picture and their relationship to me. Once again I am in a quandary about my future because I don’t know what I “might” need. Do I let my mind go to “LALA Land” in case I end up in a bed in a nursing home? Does it really matter if my mind is sharp only to lose it to dementia? Do I keep doing those mind building techniques in case I do have a decent mind-body connection? Isn’t it crazy the things we think of when we are in the last part of our lives! It is like Crabby Maxine says, “Eating, napping, no teeth, toilet troubles, being a baby is just a practiced run for old age.”

Before we get into today’s fashion topic I want to remind everyone about one of the reasons I started this blog. It was to highlight that even though we develop belly bumps over 55 we don’t have to be uncomfortable by using tight body shapers if we want to look good in our clothes. We can put together outfits that allow us to breathe without having to resort to the crushing of our bodies. I subscribe to the Aunty Acid way of thinking about it. According to her there are “The Five Stages of a Woman’s Life: To grow up. To fill out. To slim down. To hold it in. TO HELL WITH IT! I have the body I have, bumps and all, and I am tired of trying to hold it in. Todays fashion blog is about leggings and how to properly wear them as part of an outfit. Let’s face it, leggings tend to highlight every bump on your body. But when worn with the correct top, they can look fashionable and be comfortable at the same time. But before I start the fashion show I wanted to understand the difference between leggings and jeggings. I was under the impression that jeggings were leggings that looked like blue jeans but there are a differences between the two. Jeggings are slightly less stretchy, they have a rougher feel than leggings, and the fabric is slightly heavier because many have a small denim blend in the material. Apparently, jeggings now come in different patterns and colors which was exclusive to leggings. The reason I bring this up is because the form fitting bottoms I will be wearing are apparently both leggings and jeggings.

It is so hard to believe it is still winter! My neighbors early daffodils are 7 inches tall already! Chicago weather! You gotta love it! Anyway, I decided to show another picture from my last house because it kind of goes along with todays blog of things that go well together.

When I put my planters together I always think of color, form and texture. I also consider how well it goes with the environment it will be placed into. In this picture, you can see that I took into consideration the red chairs and decorations and asked myself what could I do to accentuate this grouping using color, form and texture. I think that these things go together like peanut butter and jelly.

So let the fashion show begin.!

If you have been following my blog from the beginning you may recognize this sweater from one of the first posts. You never want your pants to be the focal point of your outfit. They should be more of an accent piece. When you are trying to figure out how to design a room, you first have to figure out the focal area. Same concept when putting together an outfit. The leopard pattern in these jeggings are very busy so I bring the eye up by creating a focal point around the fur of the sweater. The brown and black colors of the sweater look great with the same colors in the jeggings. When I wear a long open front sweater I will always choose a long top to wear underneath. In this outfit I chose a short sleeved brown top that could easily be worn as a mini swing dress. I have it belted with a leather looking belt to go along with the animal fashion theme that you will also notice in the jewelry. I think jeggings look great with black pumps.

I love this grouping. They really accentuate the outfit. The jungle animals of the necklace set up the scene for the rest of the accessories. They really go well with the pants and I chose both black and brown rings and stayed with the gold metals because of the gold in the belt. The earrings and bracelet have that African flair. I got the necklace, earrings and bracelet (which came in a group of 3 bangles) for $1 each at the library resale event.

This is one of my favorite sweaters. I love the flair of the scalloped hemline at the bottom that matches the end of the sleeves. I also love the color because winter clothing can be so drab. I have told you before that I have no problem wearing white in the winter. These are white jeggings and they have back pockets. I paired the outfit with champagne colored pumps which have a peachy tint that matches the sweater.

Once I layered my butterfly and flower necklace with white pearls the rest of the accessories fell into place. The metal in the necklace is gold so all the rest of the metals were gold and white. The grouping of bangles contain gold, gold and white, and white pearl. There is a little bit of bling in the center of the flowers of the necklace so I wore the faux diamond earring jackets around the pearl earrings. Wearing more than one ring on a hand is a trend that I have adopted. I wore my tri-colored gold and my white flower rings on one hand and my pearl ring on the other. The coppery rose gold watch looks peach with this outfit.

It might be hard to see in this picture but this is a black and taupe cap sleeve sweater and because I tend to get cold in the winter I put a black, long sleeved shirt underneath. It looks like it could be a sweater dress but the wind could easily blow open the front of it. The high neck collar looks great with my long neck and it has two cute buttons on it. I have on black leggings and black pumps.

I wanted to pull out the taupe colors in the sweater so I paired the outfit with mostly taupe colored jewelry. The feather pin is the star of this grouping and I worked off of it in my decision for the rest of the pieces. Once again, I decided to wear multiple rings, two on each hand because I love the look. One of the rings has a little bit of bling to match the center of the feather pin. The other rings I chose contain both black and taupe colored stones to compliment the colors of the sweater and the feather pin.

Well, good news! I lost all my holiday weight! By going back on my strict allergy diet and having a colonoscopy I was able to shed the 5 or 6 pounds I gained over the holidays. Therefore, I did not have to join the gym but I am going to physical therapy which provides me with the stretching exercises I need. It is funny how we can rationalize our weight. I prefer to think of my body the way Aunty Acid thinks of hers “I have a Rock Hard body well protected by a cushion of fat”. I don”t celebrate Mardi Gras but I am a partaker of Fanny Mae chocolate Easter eggs. Doesn’t it always seem like there is something to celebrate requiring the eating of delicious but fattening foods? I am going to combine my topic of aging with my eating of fattening foods with a quote from Aunty Acid, “My brain cells are dying. My skin cells are dying. My hair cells are dying. Yet my stubborn fat cells continue to lead strong , healthy lives.” Go figure!

Well this is where today’s blog ends. I hope you enjoy St. Pat’s Day and have a happy Easter. Always remember, God loves you and so do I.

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

I do not make New Year’s resolutions but when the new year starts I like to declutter. I get the “urge to purge” items of which I have multiples, things that are too old or that I think aren’t essential. For example, how in heaven’s name did I accumulate so many dish towels? I can’t even close the dish towel drawer because they are so crammed in. Half of them don’t even get used! Then there is all the makeup items that I think should be thrown away because I can’t even remember how old they are. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, in fact there are days I don’t wear any makeup, so I don’t remember when they were purchased. Currently, I am trying to declutter my clothes closet. I am just going through my winter clothes for the very reason Aunty Acid puts forth “My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone currently trying on summer clothes”. I know I am still carrying around holiday weight. Why is it that I don’t have any problem donating the towels or pitching my makeup but when it comes to parting with my clothes I become very emotional? As you know I have a lot of clothes but there are days I still feel like Aunty Acid who says “I feel like such a ‘failure’. I’ve been shopping for over 20 years and still don’t have a thing to wear!” I do not know why I have such a visceral response to getting rid of my articles of clothing so I decided to see if there are others out there who have the same emotional reaction I have when trying to decide whether to keep or donate those items in my closet.

Well, apparently I am not alone. It seems there are many articles about people like me. One article explains that for some people getting rid of items can be a very exhausting mental process. Blogger Julie Hage (Filling the Jars) says there are 5 emotional excuses for not decluttering; Guilt (I spent a lot on that so I should wear it), Hope (I know if I just lose 15 pounds I can get into that again), Feeling Overwhelmed (I can’t possibly ever start on this mess – it’s too devastating to think about), Fear (I might need that some day), and Stubbornness (No one is going to tell me I shouldn’t keep this). Four out of five of these apply to me when it comes to cleaning out my clothes closet especially the emotion of Hope. It’s like Aunty Acid says “Every woman has at least 1 pair of ‘I’ll fit into them one day’ jeans in her closet.” Another article states, “Because our clothes are an extension of who we are, a link to our past and future, parting with even the most unwearable piece can feel uncomfortable.” I can relate to this. For me it’s like getting rid of an appendage!

The most difficult articles of clothing for me to part with are in the box marked “Not Sure”. These are usually clothes that fit just fine but I haven’t worn them for one reason or another. One of the reasons is because they seem too dressy for the places I go to. Another reason is because it was part of an outfit I bought but I got rid of the rest of the outfit so I wasn’t sure what to pair it with. Sometimes it was because I bought something on impulse, not thinking about what I had to wear with it. Each of the outfits I am wearing in this blog were put together with one of the pieces I pulled from the “Not Sure” box because I found a solution to the corresponding reasons I’ve listed above. I will explain further under each of the following fashion pictures.

I think I have written this before but before I move on I want to leave you with this profound statement by Aunty Acid “You know what outfit looks best on everybody? ‘SELF-CONFIDENCE’ Rock it and own it, Ladies.

This is where I usually talk about landscape design but to go along with today’s blog I am going to talk about my issues of throwing away plants. I am one of those people that if I really love a plant I will do whatever I can to save it. I cannot throw away living summer plants just to replace them with fall plants. If they start to go to seed like some petunias I have no problem throwing them away but if they still look good I count on Mother Nature’s cold weather to kill them off. One type of plant I loved this year was the diplodenia. It is an annual in our zone but a perennial in warmer zones. I loved them so much that I brought them indoors to try to save them. I brought them in a little too late so the cold got to them therefore they defoliated. However, they are still alive so I am going to see if I can get them to bloom this summer.

I cut them way back and as long as they continue to produce green growth I will take care of them. Also, they cost me $25 apiece so I think financially it is a smart move.

OK, let the fashion show begin. My eyes probably look terrible because I was suffering with insomnia the night before the pictures were taken. I think many of you can relate.

I think many of you have a formal jacket from an outfit you might have worn to a wedding. I wore this very shimmery jacket to my daughters wedding with a floor length black dress (it was a black and white themed wedding in 2008). I put it in the “Not Sure” box because I probably would not wear a floor length formal dress to another wedding. I tried to think of a way to dress it down so I paired it with a pair of black brushed corduroy pants. I wore a loose, simple black top long enough to cover my belly. Wearing a long top under a short jacket is currently trending. I am wearing a patent leather shoe with a 1 inch wedge heel to help keep it less formal. This would be a great outfit to wear to a party, a play or dinner at a nice restaurant.

The jewelry I am wearing is a combination of casual and dressy just like the outfit. The bangles are light and dark metals with the lighter silver color bangles having cuts in the metal that makes them shimmer. The earrings are simple hoops of black and silver and a basic silver watch. The rings and the necklace contain more of the bling that looks great with the jacket. It is a great marriage of formal and casual.

This gorgeous swing jacket was in the “Not Sure” box because it was part of a three piece outfit but the pants and top were just too big for me after I lost weight but the jacket still looks great so I couldn’t get rid of it. The outfit was a little bit too dressy for me but I was able to pair the jacket with my cream brushed corduroy pants to give it a more casual look. Underneath the jacket I am wearing a cream colored turtleneck top and a purple colored belt with a heart covered clasp. Remember I only wear a belt if I am wearing a jacket or sweater overtop so you don’t see the fat rolls that are obvious above or below the belt. The shoes are cream color and are a little more than casual because of the pointed toe and the two inch heels. This is a great outfit for February because of the heart in the belt and the colors of Mardi Gras especially in the accessories.

The most expensive piece of jewelry here is the feather pin which was around $20. The earrings, bracelet, necklace, and watch were all $1 each at the library used jewelry sale. The feather pin, earrings and flower ring are purple and different shades of green. The other ring has a blue stone which matches the blue stone in the center of the feather pin. The bracelet is made of multiple colors but comes across as purple.

This sweater was my impulse buy. I bought it at Von Maur off the sale rack. It was originally over $100 and I bought it for $21. It has been in my closet for over a year but I was not sure if it was too dressy for lunch with friends or too casual for a dinner party so I put it in my “Not Sure” box. I pulled it out because I decided to pair it with casual gray pants and what I consider casual accessories so I feel I can wear this outfit out for lunch. I paired the outfit with suede dark gray shoes with a one inch wedge heel which gives the outfit a more casual look.

I love this watch! It has a gray leather band but a touch of bling around the face. It cost me $1 at the library used jewelry sale. The necklace is made of dark gray and silver color metals with matching earrings that pull together the light gray of the sweater and the darker gray pants. The rings have thin silver bands, one containing a small pearl and the other a small clear glass stone. The bracelet matches the necklace beautifully.

OK, let’s discuss my weight. I haven’t lost my holiday weight and I haven’t been able to take my 2 mile walks in the mornings because of the weather. I rarely left my house so I became a couch potato for two weeks. I don’t know about you but when I get bored I eat. And eat. And eat. My clothes seem to be a little tighter and I was thinking I should get to the gym (UGH!). That reminds me of something Aunty Acid once said “I signed up for aerobics at the gym. They said to wear loose clothing. If I had any loose fitting clothing I wouldn’t have signed up for the freakin’ aerobics class.” Fortunately, the weather has improved so I am back to walking and I no longer have to dwell on having to work out at a gym. The thought of going to the gym causes me to stress out. Of course a little stress is a good thing. Just ask Aunty Acid who explains “According to the doctors, the symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying and napping a lot. Are they freakin’ kidding me? That’s my idea of a perfect day!” Sounds good to me.

Well, that is it for this month. Happy Valentine’s Day and a very happy Fat Tuesday! Until next time, remember God loves you and so do I.

To all my Gal Pals,

Happy New Year! It is hard to believe we are entering 2024 and I have written 50 blogs! Starting a new year is a mixed bag. Life is a balance and there are pros and cons to everything so I thought I would voice my thoughts on celebrating the ringing in of the new year. On the positive side we celebrate New Years Eve as a “Good Riddance Day” because we are glad to get rid of all the stressors of 2023. We celebrate because we survived the last 365 days and we see the new year as getting a fresh start. We tend to be optimistic that our lives will be better in 2024 and we make resolutions because of our desire to have some control over our lives for the next 365 days. Our resolutions are an anticipation of possibilities and typically focus on self-improvement. However, let’s be honest (now the Debbie Downer side of me emerges) our stressors tend to follow us right into the new year. For example, how many of you haven’t looked at your charge card statement from Christmas because you want to wait until after the holidays? I can relate to Aunty Acid who says when the holidays are over “I look forward to paying off all my debts and finally getting back to just being broke”. The stressors of 2023 don’t magically disappear. And as for those resolutions, they are rarely kept by the second Friday of January which is appropriately referred to as “Quitters Day”. There was a British study conducted of 3,000 people over one year. Of those subjects, 88% failed to achieve the goals of their resolutions although 52% had been confident when they made them. As far as self improvement how many of us can relate to Aunty Acid who says “I can’t believe it has been a whole year since I didn’t become a better person”. While we all know the resolution statistics are real, there is still something glorious about the 36 hours we celebrate. It is during these hours that hope springs eternal and anything is possible. Well let’s hope that 2024 is a good year for all of us. I will leave you with the profound wisdom of Aunty Acid “Happy New Year! Try not to screw it up.”

I have highlighted the word “New” in the title of this blog because there is something about wearing new clothes that reminds me of the feeling we have on New Year’s Eve. According to Behavioral Psychologist Professor Carolyn Nair, a person may associate a new outfit with feeling of self-esteem, self-worth, superiority and/or success. When we try on new clothing we can see ourselves as a different person and take on a new identity and mood. It is a phenomenon called “enclothed cognition”, the ideas that our clothing choices can impact our mood, self image and even our performance. Psychologist Dr. Audrey Tang says it is possible that donning new clothes help to give a person a new perspective. In today’s world where people are always looking for ways to improve themselves, wearing new clothes every now and then can give them the boost they need. According to Harpers Bazaar magazine the idea of instilling joy through what we wear has a name – “dopamine dressing” and has long been the subject of psychological research. In theory, when we buy or wear new clothes, dopamine in our brains is released in large amounts creating feelings of pleasure and reward. It is funny how my taste in clothing has changed over the years. I wouldn’t dare wear some of the clothes I wore in my 20’s and 30’s but I still think I look fashionable in what I wear today. I have not yet reached the fashion sense of Aunty Acid who says “At my age ‘strappy shoes’ means sandals with Velcro fasteners” but I assume I will one day be able to relate. In the mean time I love to wear what I think are fashionable clothes and I was lucky enough to get some adorable new clothes as gifts for Christmas that not only look good but also hide my fat pads.

I typically insert something here about landscape design as it relates to the topic of my blog but I got such beautiful gifts for Christmas that I decided to use the space for another outfit instead.

So let the fashion show begin….

What I love about this top is the way it sparkles! I am not sure you can see all the gold metallic threading that is throughout this top but you can really see it in the next picture. It is a mesh of black and reds with dark pink flowers. The overlay is quite sheer so there is an attached red sleeveless top underneath. I am pairing it with black pants that has a little bit of a sheen which makes them a little dressier as well as a pair of dressy black heels.

In this picture you can really see the gold threading in the top. I wanted to highlight the gold so all the jewelry complements the top. The cuts in the gold bracelet make it sparkle. The earrings and the watch go beautifully with the choker as they are all a little heavier in the gold metal. Both of the gold band rings add a little sparkle. One is ruby and diamonds white the other is a red toned firefly whose body is is made up of faux diamonds.

This caramel gold and black top flairs a little at the hem so I paired it with my black palazzo pants. The picture is deceiving but the legs are very wide and flow when I walk. I love all the little fashionable cuts in the hem and sleeves and the high neckline. The square buttons and the vertical black trim add that little bit of pizzazz. I am wearing l inch wedge heel shoes. I don’t like wearing dressy, spiky heels with palazzo pants.

I really wanted to highlight the black lines in the top so I am wearing a simple black bracelet and gold watch with a black band. I have worn the black wooden ring and the 3 tone metallic ring with outfits in previous blogs but that is because they are very versatile pieces. The metallic black and gold earrings hang perfectly above the collar. You don’t want to wear earrings that fall too close to a collar or necklace.

This outfit was a Christmas gift to myself. It is hard to tell from the picture but the top looks like a shiny leather and pairs beautifully with the shiny gold coated, alligator patterned jeans. I love it when Chico’s has a good sale. Between the sale, my coupons and my membership discount I got the pants for less than $50 instead of the original price of $109 (never would I pay that amount for a pair of pants!) and I got the top for $25 (worth every penny!). I paired the outfit with gold toned flats.

Because of the shiny leather look of the outfit I thought my accessories should all be heavy on the metals. I started by layering my necklaces with both silver and gold. The multiple chains of the long necklace just seemed an appropriate look for the leather looking outfit. The bracelet and earrings have long metal gold bead with silver tips. The watch is a simple gold accessory which allows the other pieces to shine. One ring is a very simple silver piece with cuts that make it sparkle and the other has a very intricate gold pattern which also sparkles. I think the accessories are as bold as the outfit.

I love the claret red sweater and sleeveless matching shell. The sleeves of the sweater are made of a beautiful old-time lace looking pattern. I paired the top with my snakeskin looking skinny pants and a leather black belt. Again, I never wear a belt unless I am wearing an article of clothing over it and I always wear a wide belt because if I wear a thin belt you would not be able to see it because of my fat pads. I am wearing glossy patent leather black flats.

Because of the sleeves, I dress up the outfit with my accessories. I start with the lotus looking necklace which allows me to wear both silver and gold metals in my other accessories. My watch has gold metal around the face and a silver band. The necklace is somewhat showy so I paired it with a bold silver bracelet and hoop earrings. One of my rings is a sparkly silver flower and the other has beautiful cuts in the gold and silver metals that make it sparkle. Both rings look like a great match to the center of the lotus flower.

Now for the paragraph I dreaded to write. As you recall from the previous blog the dosage of my thyroid meds has been lowered which means I can no longer eat anything I want without gaining weight. However, I ate as if my medicine dosage had never been changed. I filled my Christmas candy dishes the week after Thanksgiving but the candy never made it to Christmas. After 2 pounds of candy, 3 dozen Christmas cookies, cakes and creamy dips I gained 4 pounds since my last blog at which time I had already gained 2 pounds for a grand total of 6 pounds. I guess I should make a New Year’s resolution about exercising and dieting but I know myself well and I don’t want to be both frustrated and fat. I suppose I should go on a diet but I know I won’t stick to it. I am sure I would tackle it like Aunty Acid who approaches dieting this way “Not to brag but I finished my 14 day diet in 3 hours and 29 minutes”. As for exercising I would like to present to you Aunty Acids reasoning for not attempting it. “Some things to ponder before you go to the gym:”

1). If walking were good for you, a postman would live forever.

2) A rabbit eats nothing but vegetables and hops around all day but only lives for 5 years.

3). A blue whale never stops swimming all of its life. It only eats fish and drinks water and yet manages to put on 20 tons of blubber.

4). A giant tortoise never runs and moves very little all day long, yet it lives for 450 years.

And you say I should exercise…I DON’T THINK SO!”

Well, that is it for this month. On New Years Eve I will be curled up on my couch with a good book and an old movie. It is like Aunty Acid said “I’m going to use what little energy I have today to breathe and maybe blink. That’s About It!”. I used to be able to go to parties on New Years Eve and celebrate with others but now I celebrate at midnight with my dog in my powder room with the fan on because he has a panic attack when he hears the midnight fireworks. If I don’t sit with him in the powder room he will literally try to climb my kitchen cabinets scratching the finish.

So until the next blog remember God loves you and so do I.

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.

Happy Halloween to all my Gal Pals!

I am dressing up as an angel and I am showing my little devil the way to Heaven. Halloween reminds me of something Aunty Acid once said that I can relate to “I’m thinking of calling in GhostBusters coz I’m convinced I live in a Haunted House. Every time I look in the freakin mirror, this old lady comes and stands in front of me and blocks out my reflection”. It happens to me all the time! I realized this blog is not only my Halloween blog but also my Thanksgiving blog. Therefore I want to talk about the greatest blessings God has given me which are family and friends. As I get older and people around me are passing away I realize the saying “You don’t know what you got until it’s gone” is so true. When I was younger I was so busy that I did not spend as much time with loved ones as I should have. I didn’t take the time to realize how much my family and friends enriched my life. So I am making up for lost time. I can’t change the past, I can only hope that those I loved knew how much I loved them before they passed on and hope that those that are still alive know how much I appreciate them. But I also realized that there are others in the world that may not be as blessed as I am and could use a helping hand. They need people in their lives who can help them survive and thrive. I made a commitment to myself that when I retired I would somehow give back to society by finding a charitable organization to join. I feel guilty about not having followed through on this commitment. I was invited to join the Lockport Women’s Club which is involved in fundraising, volunteerism and charitable giving. It sounds like a good fit for me. The reason I am putting this commitment in my blog is because I know my friends and family will keep me honest and help me to follow through. When I needed to lose weight I put the commitment to do so into my blog because I knew once I put it out there for all to see I would need to follow through. So once again I am putting my commitment to help others into this blog so I will follow through on my promise to myself. Thank you for listening and keeping me honest. I want to leave this paragraph with something Aunty Acid says “If you have the power to make someone happy DO IT! The world needs more of that”.

The title of this blog is “Short In’vest’ments” because it is about how women’s vests are a good investment. This blog will be highlighting short vests and next month I will be highlighting long vests. According to Fashion Magazine, the short vest lineage can be traced back to the 17th century when King Charles II of England introduced the garment as part of “correct dress” for men. Originally resembling a floor-length coat, later versions of vests were cut short and the attire became known as waistcoats. For much of history, the vest was made exclusively for men until it was used to subvert gender norms. Women first adopted waistcoats as a form of revolt against the French government in the late 18th century. Vests designed for women was more commonplace in the late 19th century at which time the garment became a symbol of gender non-conformity. It was during the 1920’s that women dubbed “modernists” would opt for an androgynous look by donning pieces made to be worn by wealthy men, including high collars, tailored jackets, short haircuts and vests or waistcoats. A century later, our modern fashion landscape is once again embracing the vest. A sign of prestige and class throughout history, the vest now represents the new age of gender-fluid fashion.

In the vein of Thanksgiving, my picture for this month is the harvest decorations in front of my townhouse. Every year the scene I create looks a little different. I added some new pieces and rearranged the fall items in a different way.

One of the reasons I love fall is because of the earthy colors. New this year is the scarecrow sitting on the bale of hay that I bought at the South Haven, Michigan craft show. Also, the “Hello” sign I got from a second-hand shop for $4. Such a bargain! I am not a lover of chrysanthemums so I choose to use the purple and green kale, pumpkins and gourds. However, this year I love my one chrysanthemum container that has 5 different color plants in it.

OK, let the fashion show begin!

I love animal print and it is always trending! This vest is a mixture of animal prints and plant prints. It is reversible so the quilted eggshell color of the collar is the color of the vest on the reverse side and the collar then is the animal print. It zips up the front and is fairly fitted to the torso. I paired it with a black turtleneck top and black skinny pants with a snakeskin pattern. I am wearing dark brown, lace-up boots which match the brown in the vest.

I chose an eggshell colored scarf that paired beautifully with the eggshell in the vest. The bracelet is made of metallic looking browns and silver with animal prints intermixed into it. The band of the watch is silver with a cheetah print piece around the face of the watch. I got this watch for $2 at the White Oak Library District’s fundraiser. They sold used and vintage jewelry as well as evening bags. I bought several pieces and will highlight them in all my blogs. The rings are in silver settings with one having a tiger eye stone and the other a brown topaz stone. The earrings have a very African feel and looks great with the animal print.

You know you have too many clothes when you pull something out of the closet that you bought at Chico’s over two years ago and it still has the price tags on it. According to the tags the blouse was originally $99 but was marked down to $39. I never go into Chico’s without a coupon or gift card so if you add in my Chico’s member discount I probably got this beautiful blouse for less than $30. I am glad I found it in my closet because it looks so good with this black vest with silver buttons. I paired the vest and blouse with black leggings and black heels. I will describe the pattern on the blouse with the accessories I chose to go with this outfit.

I wanted you to see an up-close picture of the blouse because it totally affected my choice of accessories for this outfit. The pattern on the blouse consists of black stripes with gold chains on which tassels are attached. I chose a short tasseled necklace and a chain necklace made of different metals of varying colors including silver, gold, rose gold, black and copper. Both the leather bracelet and watch are black and gold and the gold hoop earrings look great with this outfit. One of the rings is a simple thin band while the other is black and gold with an Asian pattern.

This sweater vest is one of my favorites. I especially like the large, olive green and black square buttons. The sweater is a black and olive green weave with a high neck collar. Because of the high neck collar I wore a simple black top with a scoop neckline. It is hard to tell from the picture but I have on black skinny jeans with over-the-knee black boots.

I paired this outfit with olive green and gold earrings and olive green and silver watch. I don’t typically like to mix my metals but if I am wearing a piece of jewelry that contains both metals I don’t mind mixing. In this case the bracelet fits the bill. The saying on the silver metal plate of the bracelet “Keep Calm and Carry On” was a motivational slogan in the UK in preparation for World War II. I think it is a good reminder for me. The chain and charm links are gold. One of the gold rings has a jade stone and the other contains a pearl which matches one of the charms of the bracelet. I got the earrings and the bracelet for $1.00 each at the library event I described earlier.

Well it is time to talk about my weight. I don’t know about you but the thing I dread the most when I go to the doctor’s office is getting on the scale. Well, that is how I felt today getting on the scale this morning. I went to Michigan for 5 days last week and acted like I could eat anything without gaining weight. Then I binged all this past week. You see, I am having lower back pain because of my sciatic nerve. When I am in pain I tend to eat comfort food all day. Now that my thyroid meds are adjusted I can no longer eat anything I want without gaining weight soI have gained 4 pounds. Because of the pain in my back I can’t exercise (You know how sad I feel about that, NOT!). I have to find a way to lose the pounds before the holidays because I love Christmas cookies. It must be my pain that is causing my defeatist attitude because I am resigned to thinking like Crabby Maxine who says “My hair is the only thing I can count on getting thinner”.

Well, until next month, remember God loves you and so do I. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

I am sorry to say this is going be one of those blogs where I complain about something related to aging since that is my life these days. As I got older I expected to have to get glasses in order to read, I expected to have to get a mammogram every year, I expected I would be able to access Medicare and I expected that I would probably feel achy throughout my joints when I got out of bed. Much to my surprise and quite unexpected are some of the perks of being a senior citizen like senior discount Wednesdays at Von Maur, senior discount passes to ride the Metra, senior travel deals including hotel and car rental, and senior exemption on property taxes. However, one of the things I did not expect and really pisses me off because I hate to be stereotyped is the increase in car insurance premiums. Like Aunty Acid says, “I have no words to describe this day. I do, however, have a lot of hand gestures”. Apparently, it is known to all (but me) that in your 60s and 70s the car insurance rates are likely to start climbing uphill because we are more accident-prone than those in their middle age. Furthermore, regardless of the degree of the accident, older drivers have suffered greater juries and perish at a higher rate than younger individuals. I feel like the insurance companies have already put me in my grave. It is very much like comedian George Burns once said, “I get up in the morning and read the obituary column. If my name’s not there, I eat breakfast.” Heaven forbid that I should perish and could no longer contribute to the wealth of the insurance companies! I guess it is like Aunty Acid so wisely said “It’s never too late to be what you want to be. Unless you want to be younger…then you’re screwed”. Well, I have said what I had to say and thank you for listening.

When I go to Michigan, I typically shop in South Haven, Saugatuck and Holland. We now have added Grand Haven to that list where the main hub for “Marushka” apparel is located. You might have seen some of their tops in the mail catalogues that come to your homes. Marushka was founded in 1971 by Richard Sweet who left teaching high school art to follow his dreams of designing and hand printing framed fabric wall art. Richard’s classic designs depicted the landscape, plants, and wildlife found along waterways and shorelines. The hand silk screened designs quickly drew a national and international following. The company currently maintains an archive of over 3000 original designs. In 1985, using the same techniques, the company began producing apparel and accessories under the name Michigan Rag Company and appeals to a broad range of ages. The 40+ year old company still continues Marushka’s commitment to designing and hand printing all the clothing and accessories it produces. They include long and short sleeved t-shirts, hooded and non-hooded sweatshirts, tunics and more. Not only are they beautiful but they are very affordable. I have noticed that if you buy Marushka from other outlets it is more expensive than buying directly from their store.

I always like to show you an aspect of landscape design that relates to the fashion design highlighted in the blog. Below is the cluster of Shasta daisies outside my dinning room window. I think it really highlights the repetition of a single plant in the Marushka designs.

This cluster of daisies measures approximately 4 feet by 4 feet and each stem measures approximately 3 feet in height. I see roses outside one of my dining room windows and these beauties outside another. There is something special about mass plantings.

OK, let the Marushka fashion show begin!

This is probably the most famous Marushka design. The top is a hemless, crewneck, drop sleeved, very light weight sweatshirt. This is my favorite Marushka top because it reminds me of the poppy garden my dad planted in our back yard when I was a kid. It is so light weight you can’t believe it is a sweatshirt. The hem of the sweatshirt is loose and falls at what I call the “sweet spot” because it hides the belly. What I love about these designs is that you can dress them up or dress them down. Here I have chosen to dress it up by wearing wide leg black pants (really trending right now) and patent leather shoes with slightly elevated heels.

I think these accessories are perfect with this outfit. The leather flower bracelet and clay earrings are not a set but they really help to highlight the poppy pattern in the top. With a crew neckline I typically don’t wear a necklace unless it falls at the base of my neck. Here I am wearing a silver chain with a tiny pearl and silver beads. I kept with the black-white-red theme going with the watch and rings.

You can see that I am drawn to the designs with repetition of a single stemmed flower. This is the same type of sweatshirt seen above except I am dressing it down. I paired it with my leather looking skinny pants and black leather shoes.

I love to mix patterns but it has to be done in a subtle way. Here I am wearing a polka dot watch because it reminds me of the seeds in the sunflowers but I am wearing yellow and white checks in my earrings which match the colors of the sunflower petals. I took the slide off the leather necklace and just wore the leather necklace to match the leather looking pants. A simple black bracelet and ring completes the outfit.

This is a great fall outfit. You can tell by now that I am drawn to this style of sweatshirt and I love the repetitive pattern of pumpkins. This green color is trending as is white for the fall. I really dressed it down with the sneakers but then dressed it up a little with a little bling in the jewelry.

I paired the outfit with mostly gold and white jewelry. I love the adjustable necklaces. The adjustable necklace here I wore as a choker and the little gold bar says “believe”. I layered it with my “chic” necklace that contains small rhinestone chips. My earring are white leaves with gold hoops and my bracelet it made of gold and white beads. Continuing the gold and white is my watch and one of my rings looks like gold and rhinestone leaves. The other ring looks like a flower and leaves containing small diamond and emerald gems.

OK, lets talk about my weight. The good news is that even though the doctor lowered the dosage of my thyroid meds, my metabolism is still running on the hyper level so I am still able to eat pretty much what I want without gaining weight. This is good because I am one of those people who order too much food for get-togethers and I just had a small birthday party for my daughter and son-in-law (Jessica and Jessie). I love comfort food so I served fried chicken, Mac-n-cheese, potato wedges, sour cream cucumber salad and bread -and-butter. I served 4 different types of ice cream and way too many cupcakes. So you know what I have been eating for the last 5 days. This is not exactly dietetic food but I only gained 2 pounds. The bad news is that once again my doctor is lowering my meds which will slow down my metabolism. I am hoping the trade-off is that I might be able to sleep for more than 5 hours a night. This means that exercise might be in my future because the holidays are right around the corner. You know by now how I feel about going to the gym. It’s like Aunty Acid says “My favorite exercise in the gym is lateral neck turns. I will walk on, shake my head, think ‘No way’ and walk out”. Amen to that!

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

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

Do any of you remember the day when we would visit a doctor of general practice (Not sure I ever liked the word “practice” like I was a guinea pig) for whatever ailed us or the emergency room if we needed to see a doctor right away? We only went to see a specialist if something drastic was wrong with us. Now a days, I see a specialist for everything. I see a lung specialist, a heart specialist, an allergy specialist, a liver/gastro specialist, a hand specialist, a shoulder specialist, and a hip specialist. It reminds me of a joke I heard “How many doctors does it take to screw in a light bulb? One to find a bulb specialist, one to find a bulb installation specialist and one to bill it all to Medicare.” These days I have developed a pat answer to their question “What seems to be the problem?” to which I respond “Well, Doc, I am old and getting older by the minute.” I think Aunty Acid described it best when she put it like this “CHILDHOOD INJURIES: Fell off my bike, fell out of a tree, twisted my ankle. ADULT INJURIES: Slept wrong, sat too long, sneezed too hard”. I am at physical therapy so often I am beginning to think my PT therapists think I am addicted to therapy. I tell them that it is like a Tee shirt I once read that said, “I used to be able to do cartwheels. Now I tip over putting on my underwear.” That says it all.

My blog today is about the evolution of jeans and how we went from strictly blue to jeans of many colors. The history I researched (Lifestyle article) was like reminiscing about my past because I lived through many of the fashion changes of jeans (because I am old). Between 1800 and 1839 blue jeans were first developed as work clothes, durable and practical but not stylish. From 1930 to 1953 they were western inspired, mostly associated with cowboys. The “50s” also saw jeans as boxy and cuffed. In the “60s” we saw jeans tight at the waist and wide at the bottom. In the “70s” jeans were more ragged and embellished. Bell bottoms (my favorite) became all the rage but also popular were slim straight leg jeans with a punk vibe. In the 80s, with the rise of hip-hop, jeans became baggy and oversized (not my favorite). However, at the same time others were drawn to a more sexy, tight, straight legged jean. I remember trying to squeeze myself into those tight jeans. It was like Aunty Acid said “I’m really into crossfit – I cross my fingers and hope I can fit my ass in those jeans”. Also, jeans with the high waist, acid washed, ripped and stonewashed jeans also became popular. So many choices in the “80s”, something for all of us. In the “90s” button fly jeans were more popular than zip jeans and low rise jeans took hold. In the “2000s” embellished jeans became popular again as did bigger belt loops and super low flared jeans were in. It wasn’t until 2008 that designers moved from “blue jeans” to anything but blue jeans. Color was slowly moving into the jean fashion world. Also we saw the beginnings of boyfriend jeans and jeggins. In 2013, skinny jeans were introduced and jeans became bright and colorful. You could get a pair of skinny jeans in just about any color. I am especially drawn to pastel colored jeans for the summertime which is the focus of this blog.

When putting together my container plants I also consider “pretty cute bottoms”. Containers should also be decorative to make one cohesive piece of beauty. Not all my containers are as decorative as the one below but they all have a decorative element.

I have filled this beautiful container with coleus as a “spiller”, Begonias, hot pink Pentas , and Dusty Millers as “fillers” and Heliotrope as a “thriller”. This container typically sits near my front door because Heliotrope flowers have a beautiful vanilla odor and when I walk out in the morning I bend down to smell it. It is truly a fragrant delight. What a glorious way to start the day!

Ok, let the pretty cute pastel bottoms fashion show begin.

This pair of creamy, buttery pastel yellow jeans go with just about any color. The top contains a pattern of flowers of many colors. Each color looks great with these jeans. I got this top for $22 at this years sidewalk sale in Holland Michigan. I love the flutter sleeves which are trending. It is a great top to hide my two tier belly (fat pads above and below my belly button). It is loose fitting and the hem hits at my hips. The busy pattern minimizes my tummy because it takes the eye away from my shape and onto the beautiful pattern. I am wearing my favorite Clark brand of sandals. They are so comfortable that I wear my old pairs when I water my plants and walk the dog.

When you have a top with so many colors you have such a vast selection of accessories. The necklace is made of a pale green piece of beach glass with a little feather falling down the center reminding me of the feathers I find on the beach. The top is very lightweight and feminine which is perfect for a simple piece of jewelry. The watch and sunglasses are a peachy gold to match the peach color in the flowers of the top. Smooth glass pieces making up the double layers of the dark green bracelet are the same color as the leaves in the top. The bright yellow flower earrings look perfect with the yellow flowers of the top. One of the rings contains green peridot stones and the other contains morganite peach stones. What I love about the rings are the settings. You can wear a ring with a lovely setting and no one will know if it is an expensive stone or a piece of glass.

These pastel green jeans look great with a simple white blouse but are highlighted through the necklace and sunglasses. This is another top that hides the belly by its length and double layering. I paired it with white sandals with a stacked, 1 inch heal.

I have already written about my love for pearls. Because of the pearls in the necklace, I was able to pair the outfit with pearl earrings, bracelet and ring. The other rings has flower petals of Mother of Pearl. The watch goes perfectly with the green around the face and the white band that pulls together the jeans and the top. I don’t know how many of you saw the Hallmark movie called “The Blessing Bracelet” but this bracelet is the one highlighted in the movie. I got it at a Christmas store in St. Joseph, Michigan where the woman who makes the bracelets and who was depicted in the movie made a visit. Each day you touch each pearl while thinking about a blessings in your life.

These boyfriend jeans are a pale pastel pink which means they can be worn with many shades of pink. The top has a gorgeous flower pattern of many shades of pink colors. The loose fitting top perfectly hides my belly and again your eye goes right to the bold pattern and less on the bumps underneath. I also like the loose fitting sleeves and the top is so light weight. I paired it with another of my favorite Clark sandals which are a metallic pink.

I paired the outfit with different shades of pink accessories. The matching necklace and bracelet are made of fleshy pink colored glass pieces, the earrings are a very pale pink, the band of the watch and the rose gold metal of the watch are a little darker pink while the glasses are a very bright pink. One of the rings is a dark green which matches the stem of one of the flowers in the top. The other ring is my buy of the summer. You can’t really see it well but it is made of a rose gold with diamonds in the center of tiny hearts. We were in Kohl’s up in Holland, Michigan. I did not know that Kohl’s was getting rid of their jewelry department and were having a great sale. I got this beautiful ring for $90 marked down from $300. It was my big splurge of the summer.

Enough of the fashion show, let’s talk about my weight. I am happy to say that I only gained 2 pounds over my two week vacation. I thought for sure the adjustment in my thyroid medication would cause me to gain weight but surprisingly it did not. I lost those two pounds my first week home. I can only surmise my limited weight gain was due to all the walking I did at sidewalk sales, craft shows, farmer’s markets and the 73 steps up the cliff stairs from the beach . I am also happy that going to the gym is off the table since I don’t have to lose those pounds. I have already told you my feeling about exercising beyond my morning walk with my dog. It’s like Aunty Acid says “A part of me wants to go to the gym and the other part of me isn’t a liar”. That says it all!

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

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

In November of 2018 I started a blog with the expectation that I would stop after 12 postings. Well, it is now 2023 and I am writing blog #45. I have yet to run out of clothes in my closet and thoughts to write about. I realized that in almost 5 years all of you literally are watching my age progression. As we age our skill sets change. In my case usually not for the better or maybe they are just different. I recently saw a tee shirt that described my current skills perfectly, “It takes real skills to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills”. For those of you who know me you know that I rarely am at a loss for words. I do have my moments especially when other’s (typically those younger than myself) are trying to be kind when referring to my age. Let me give you a few examples. I am not sure how to respond when someone says “You look good for your age”. I am sure they mean it as a compliment. I usually respond with a smile but in my head I am saying “Thanks, I think” and “Yep, I’m old”. My cleaning lady told me I didn’t look a day over 66. Yikes! Again, I am sure she was just being complimentary but internally I felt deflated. The last time I went shopping I asked the retail person about a senior discount. She says, “Oh yes, I already gave it to you”. NOOOOOO! Is it that obvious? I don’t know why I get so flabbergasted when I hear these statements but I become speechless! It reminds me of something Aunty Acid said “You’re still a ROCK STAR I whisper to myself as I take my multivitamins and get into bed at 8:45”. I guess I will just have to grin and bear it. Can you hear me sighing?

I think the title of this blog gave you a hint as to the fashions of the day. I wear casual dresses during the summer because I tend to feel cooler but I rarely “dress up” except for church or special occasions. I still dress up to go to church because when I was growing up dressing up was expected of me by my parents. So to this day I continue to dress up to go to church because I am sure if I didn’t I would hear my father shouting from heaven “Pamela Jean, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?!” I couldn’t handle the guilt so I continue to wear my Sunday best. As far as the history of dresses, experts believe that dresses date back to the beginning of humanity and the style of the dress helped to distinguish which tribe the women belonged to. The more elaborate dresses that evolved into what we wear today were first seen during the Mesopotamia Era (5000 – 4100 BC). The evolution of the dress since then is drastic. For example, early century women wore dresses that covered most of their skin to help them find a suitable husband because they were seen as more pure and innocent. Today it seems that just the opposite is true with the “mini’ skirt and sexy dresses. If you have been following my blog since its inception you know my goal is to show fashions from my closets that hide the dreaded BELLY that shows up after 55 so we don’t need to wear those stifling shapers. This bodes the question that Aunty Acid asks “Dear Science, When I suck in my tummy, where does the fat go and why doesn’t it stay there?”. Ponder that for a few minutes. Anyway, this will be my first and last blog on my favorite dressy dresses (not after 5:00 dresses) that hide the belly.

I always like to throw in a picture of some sort of element of landscape design. Well it is the middle of the summer so I like to show you a picture of the front of my townhouse. I loved the botanical garden in the back of my previous house. You have seen many of the pictures from that time in my life. But I have to admit it is so nice to be able to fully enjoy my summers. It was nice to have the summer off when I worked but I spent most days working in the gardens.

This is how I “dress up” the front of my townhouse. It changes from year to year. You probably can’t see all the yard decorations (what I consider the jewelry of a garden)) but there are 12 different items spread around these containers. When I make up my summer containers I make sure in each one I have the 3 tiers, the thrillers, the spillers and the fillers. I may not have a half acre of flowers any more but I still have this little area of color.

OK, let the summer dress up fashion show begin.

The panels that hang loose in the front totally cover my belly. The material underneath the panels is plain with the bleeding colors similar to the the colors of the background of the patterned panels. The back of the dress is also beautiful with the undersea pattern that goes from the shoulders to the ankles. This dress reminds me of the beach so I wore my Barbie doll shoes to make it look like I am in my bare feet and ready to walk along the shoreline.

I am pretty sure you have seen this jewelry before in one of my past summer blogs. The bangle bracelet is decorated with green fish and it looks so cute with the fish necklace. The watch has a yellowish-green band and one of the rings has a yellowish-green stone while the other ring has a blue stone that matches the color of the fish. The earrings have blue and yellowish-green beads.

This draping of this dress reminds me of fashions of the Victorian Era. The top and bottom of the dress are the same pattern of tiny coral flowers. The bottom part of the dress is sheer while the bodice is lined. Like the previous dress, this one also has two front panels that criss-cross in the front and they have loops that attach to the pearl buttons. The criss-cross panels have the same coral flowers as the top and bottom but on a larger scale. Again, the panels hide the belly. I wear the dress with a simple open-toe sandal. This dress is very feminine so I wear very simple jewelry as seen below.

While I have diamonds, I love wearing pearls. This necklace and earrings are perfect for this dress because they look amazing with the pearl buttons on the dress that hold up the criss-cross panels. I am also wearing a simple gold band pearl ring and a ring band that has these beautiful rose gold flowers . I layered a gold chain coral flower necklace with the pearl necklace. The watch band matches the leaves of the flowers and I wear a simple gold bangle bracelet on my other wrist.

The high waist on this dress helps to hide my belly. The cocoa brown background of the dress is imprinted with dark brown and cream colored polka dots. The dark brown buttons that go down the front of the dress look just like the dark brown polka dots. What you can’t see in the picture is that coming down from the bodice are hundreds of tiny pleats. You would think that pleats would make me look fat but because of the high waist and the fact that they are very tiny pleats it actually makes me look thin. I wore cream colored pumps to match the cream color of the polka dots.

This picture shows you how tiny the pleats are in the dress. I paired the dress with faux off white large pearls, pearl earrings and a gold band pearl ring. I also layered my pearl necklace with a longer gold chain, adjustable necklace with gold beads. The bracelet I bought from a jewelry craftsman at the Holland, Michigan Arts and Crafts show which I will be attending this August 5th. The other ring has been shown in previous blogs and is a beautiful gold band containing a heart shaped brown topaz stone.

Well, that is it for the fashion show this month. In my last blog I told you I could eat just about anything I wanted to eat because I was hyperthyroid. I told you that I had to make a decision about changing the strength of my medicine to bring up my levels so I would fall in the normal range. I decided to keep taking the pill strength I was on till it ran out so I could keep eating what ever I wanted without gaining weight (don’t tell my doctor). Well, even the higher strength med that typically kept me from gaining weight has its limits. I guess eating chocolate covered caramels, a blueberry scone, an eclair, nachos, a blueberry tart and a blueberry hand pie over 4 days was pushing it. I agree with Aunty Acid who says “I think the reason we’re born with 2 hands is so that we an eat 2 candy bars at once”. Unfortunately, I gained 3 pounds. It was worth every calorie but I start my adjusted meds in 3 days because my current ones run out then. Right before my vacation starts! Darn! I guess I will have to go kicking and screaming into a weight loss program which I am sure will include exercise. UGH! Does going to physical therapy 2 days a week count as an exercise program? As Aunty Acid would say “Don’t make me exercise, I’m in the fitness protection program”. I tend to follow the lead of Crabby Maxine who says “Whenever I feel the need to exercise, I lie down until it goes away”.

So, until next month after my vacation, which means I will be a few pounds heavier, remember God loves you and so do I.

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

I agree that getting old is not for sissies or as Aunty Acid would say “I spent my entire childhood wishing to be older……and now I’m here? Well, this crap sucks!”. I am really beginning to realize that it is not for tightly budgeted seniors either. The longer I live the more expensive my body gets. It is kind of like deciding between investing more money into an aging car or can you afford to buy a new one. Since I can’t buy a new body, I find I am dumping more and more money into the aging model I got. How much money are we putting into beauty products to get wrinkle free skin that don’t really work? When I asked my dermatologist if there was a cream to help with my wrinkles she just chuckled (not a good sign) then told me she could recommend a good plastic surgeon because the only thing that will help me is a little snip here and a little snip there. Well, those LITTLE snips will cost BIG money. Like $15,000 in big money. I told her I couldn’t afford that kind of money because I am trying to figure out how to pay $15,000 for teeth implants. It seems that those root canals that I got in my 20’s are as decrepit as the rest of my body parts. Like I have this kind of money! Aunty Acid and I have the same financial situation which can be described as “If burglars broke into my house and searched for money, I’d just laugh and search with them”. To top it all off my body is shrinking. My height was 5’9” so I always had to buy “tall” pants which now need to go to the seamstress because I have lost one and a half inches. It cost me $14 each time I have the seamstress raise the hem of my pants. Let me add this up. All together it would cost me over $1000 to hem all my pants. I could start a Go Fund Me page but even I wouldn’t contribute to my vanity. I could pray that I win the lottery but my luck is best explained by Aunty Acid who says “I have the luck of a person who gets hit by a car, sees a bright light, only to be hit by another car”. Oh, well, thank you for giving me this platform to complain. I always try to find the positive and I have adopted a mantra that I saw on a T- shirt, “No matter how bad it gets, I’m always rich at the dollar store”.

The focus of my fashion in today’s blog is “eyelet”. If you have looked at any of the current retail advertisements you will have noticed that eyelet materials are trending. Eyelet is a fabric type with numerous little embroidered holes woven in for decorative purposes. Most eyelet patterns are typically floral motifs or abstract geometric compositions. Some eyelet fabrics are more hole than fabric, with motif designs that are either enormous and bold or delicate and lacy. Records from the past indicate that the eyelet pattern was originally used in Scotland sometime during the 1700s. It soon became popular across Europe because it was more long-lasting than the traditional “bone lace”.

You know I like to connect some element of garden design with fashion design. Well, the following picture reminds me of the eyelet pattern.

Just as the floral motifs are used to decorate our clothes, the same design is used to decorate our gardens. Even though I live in a townhouse I have several metallic yard decorations surrounding the perimeter of my place. This one looks very similar to the fashions I will be wearing in this blog. You have heard me say that yard decorations are the jewelry of the garden. They enhance the plants in the landscape.

OK, let the fashion show begin.

This outfit is perfect for all those cool evenings we have been having in the Chicagoland area. You could wear it for a rooftop dinner, a summer evening boat ride or in one of our freezing movie theaters. The jacket has a beautiful eyelet pattern throughout and it looks lovely with the eyelet patterned blouse. The holes of the eyelet blouse are embroidered with an off white thread. I am wearing my white denim jeans and silver sandals that match my silver jewelry seen below.

The picture makes my silver jewelry look a little tarnished because of the lighting but you can see in the picture above they are really very shiny. I like to wear silver jewelry with white outfits and gold with black outfits. The chain of the necklace can be removed to leave a lovely brooch that is 3 inches in diameter. I like the necklace, butterfly ring and heart earrings with this outfit because the holes in the metal go perfectly with the holes in the material. I just bought this ornate cuff bracelet at Canal Days craft show in Lockport for a very good price.

I don’t have many articles of clothing that are blue because I didn’t think I looked good in blue but I get compliments every time I wear the color so I bought this top. It was on sale at Talbots and because I am on their list of clients I got a $20 off coupon. The eyelet sleeves make it a little fancier so even though I am wearing sneakers I am able to dress it up to go out to dinner with family or I can dress it down to party with friends at a BBQ. By the way, the sneakers are made of eyelet material.

The four strand necklace is made up of tiny silver beads, larger powder blue beads, bluish-gray beads and faux pearls. I matched it with real pearl earrings that I combined with faux diamond jackets. The watch is gold and silver so I was able to wear rings with bands that were gold or silver. The silver ring has a tiny pearl and the other has a tiny piece of cut glass. The gold ring has a beautiful band that has tiny holes in it to go along with the fashion theme. The synthetic pale blue stone in the gold ring looks so real that the jeweler thought it might be blue topaz until he was able to better inspect it.

This top has very large eyelet holes so I am wearing a sleeveless white top underneath. It looks great with my white denim crops and , believe it or not, I happened to be wearing a pair of shoes with holes punched out of the leather to create a beautiful eyelet pattern.

The jewelry I have chosen are all made of materials of light or dark cocoa brown. I hope you can see the beautiful design on the watch with the little faux diamonds. In one of my past blogs I told you I attended a used jewelry sale at our local library. I got this gorgeous watch for a whopping $2. The bracelet and matching ring were hand crafted by a Michigan artisan. The other ring has a beautiful silver band with a Smokey brown topaz. The necklace and matching earrings were bought at a craft show in South Haven, Michigan for $10. How could I pass up such a deal!

Well, as far as my weight, here is the story morning glory. I just went for another thyroid test and I am still hyperthyroid. Because of this, I managed to lose 2 pounds during the month of June even though I am indulging in desserts.`Once again my doctor is adjusting my meds but I am wondering, do I want to adjust my meds or do I want to keep taking the dosage I’m currently on until after my vacation in August? I don’t feel great while being hyperthyroid but I don’t feel terrible either. If I go ahead and take the new adjusted dosage I will have to cut back on all those wonderful summer indulgences and increase my exercise so I maintain this weight until weigh-in in November in order to make my liver doctor happy. Other than my one to two mile walk in the morning I am not highly motivated to exercise. I can relate to my friend Aunty Acid who said “I did a couple of laps around the gym today. Next time I’m thinking about parking my car and actually going in”.

I will let you know my med decision next month. Until then, remember, God loves you and so do I.

Hi to all my Gal Pals,

I am going to start this blog with an Aunty Acid quote, “Embarrassing my children: Just one more service I offer”. I do not consider myself a vengeful person but revenge is sometimes sweet. I’m talking about the type of revenge that is more humorous than hurtful. My last few posts have revolved around aging and trying to figure out when I hit old age. I think I mentioned that I was in my 40’s when my daughter felt it necessary to remind me that I was “over the hill”. Well, guess who is “in” her 40’s this year. I was kind last year when she turned 40. I was sensitive to the fact that this might be a traumatic event for her but all consideration is out the window this year! I gleefully peruse through Hallmark shops looking for the perfect “old lady” cards. While I am getting a kick out of planning my revenge I am also shaking my head asking “How can my daughter be in her 40’s?”. It is like Aunty Acid says, “No matter how old my daughter gets, she will always be my baby girl”. It is something I can’t wrap my head around. It is inconceivable to me that as an old lady I am a mother to an old lady. Regardless, what goes around comes around and I am glad I am still around to witness it!

The title of the blog refers to Snow White because I want to talk about the classic white shirt and its place in fashion history but first I want to share with you a profound statement made by Aunty Acid in regards to Snow White, “If I was Snow White you’d never be able to kill me with an apple. You’d have to poison a doughnut”. So true, so true! Anyway, according to a Harpers Bazaar article the white shirt was popularized by Marie Antoinette in a portrait depicting the royal in a loose, billowing white blouse which was essentially nothing more than her underwear. This portrait caused quite an uproar because her white top was made of inexpensive cotton compared with the finest silks befitting of a royal. However, this portrait encouraged the cotton industry which in-turn promoted slave labor to keep up with demand. Up until the 20th century, cotton shirts were mostly worn by wealthy men because they could afford to have them washed frequently. In the 1920’s Coco Chanel broke down gendered and class boundaries with a more relaxed and contemporary take on women’s wear. Women were swapping skirts for trousers which helped to bring the white shirt into the realm of women fashion. The white shirt is so popular because it can be styled in so many ways, you can dress it up or down, it goes with every color, and it can be worn all year round, season after season. I like it because it is a great backdrop to showcase my jewelry. It is constantly a staple on the fashion runways.

I always like to add a gardening design strategy that goes along with the theme of my blog. In this instance, I am not going to talk about using white in the design but rather about “coordinating” in container gardening.

These plants can tolerate a light frost without dying off which is why I plant them in April. They prefer cool, sunny environments so they tend to “melt” out or die when the weather gets hot. In the center of the large middle container is a tall cluster of stock flowers with shorter Martha Washington geraniums around the edges. The medium size containers on each side are coordinated with the center container. One contains only stock flowers and the other contains only Martha Washington geraniums. What I love about stocks is the sweet spicy fragrance they emit which greets anyone who walks up the walkway to my townhouse. In the small containers are pansies that are the staple of any spring planting. All these containers will last until the middle or end of June but with the early hot weather we are having it may be sooner than that.

OK, lets get started with a fashion show of snow white tops.

This outfit makes me look thin. The white top has those trending flutter sleeves and is loose enough and long enough to hide my belly. The gold colored crops and the “Barbie Doll” shoes with the wood and acrylic heels go perfectly with the jewelry shown in the next picture. I had a gift card for Chico’s from my birthday. Chico’s gave me a $25 coupon for my birthday plus I get 5% off as a member. The top and the crops were on sale for $39 each. The most expensive part of the outfit is the necklace which was not on sale at $65. All-in-all the 3 pieces only cost me $20. Such a deal!

The wood and acrylic in my shoes look great with the acrylic bracelet, the wood and acrylic in the necklace, the gold colored plastic surrounding the face of the watch and the frames of the sun glasses. The gold bars in the necklace go well with the gold watch band, the gold earrings, the gold and pearl rings and the color of the crops.

The previous blouse I dressed up but here I decided to create a more casual look. What I love about this white blouse is the frayed hem which goes well with the jewelry I paired with it. I also love the front panel attached at the seam across the bodice because it hides my belly. I paired it with a pair of jeans because a white top looks so good with jeans and white sneakers. Besides I had some jewelry that look great with a pair of jeans and a white top.

The fraying of the denim material of the necklace and watch band go beautiful with the frayed hem of the white top. The silver metal plate across the necklace has been engraved with “Your Greatest Creation Is Always Going To Be Your Life Story” . The silver bracelet is engraved with the Irish Blessing. The rings are both made with silver metal and one has a tiny pearl that goes so well with the navy blue earrings that also contain tiny pearls.

These are my MC Hammer crops. They are so comfortable! They were originally $119 but I got them for 50% off. I like articles of clothing that I think are unique. I paired it with a basic cap sleeve top that I tucked in and bloused at the waist. the black pants and the blousing of the white top minimized my belly bulge. I wear this with my black Nike flip-flops.

I paired the outfit with this cute black, white and silver necklace. The beads in the necklace are similar to those in the earrings. All the rest of the accessories are either black or white or both.

Let’s talk about my weight. Aunty Acid and I agree that our idea of a diet is blowing the sugar off a donut. In my last blog I was concerned about losing those last two pounds before I weighed in at the doctor’s office in November. Well, the good news is that even though I went to the cottage for a week this month and indulged in sugary treats I did not gain weight. The bad news is that I have not been feeling so great. I am not sure if I mentioned that I have Hashimoto’s Disease and have had a thyroidectomy. It turns out my heart meds were interfering with my thyroid meds and I had to change my meds schedule. In a 3 month period my thyroid-stimulating hormone levels went from being “hypo” to being “hyper”. Even though I haven’t felt great during the last few months the upside of being “hyper” is that I have been able to eat a lot of calories and not only have I not gained weight I actually lost another pound. This will eventually get corrected but I am taking advantage of my good fortune and eating like Aunty Acids definition of the dinner: Dinner (din-er), Noun, A continuous snack that goes between 6 pm and bedtime. Life is good!

I got this blog out at the 11th hour but I got it done before June 1st. I think I should be able to get the next one out in June but you can ask most of my family members about my timeliness and they will just laugh at you. I’m like the old saying “I hate being late but I am so good at it!”. So, until next month (hopefully) remember, God loves you and so do I.