Rummage, Tag, Research

While I wait for the first-ever online vote for the League to conclude, will you share your thoughts with me about rummage sales by any name?  I understand that in the Northeast, you call them tag sales, but what I really want to know is if you’ve ever been to, donated to or otherwise had a good experience with one?

The Fund Development Council prepared a great proposal – two of them, actually – but to my knowledge, the only rummage sale I’ve even been near is the one at my childhood church, and those memories are dark, hazy and … certainly out-dated.

Here are my questions:

• Is a $2-3 admission fee a deal-breaker? 
• Would you pay (significantly more… like $10?) for a preview of a boutique/designer section?
• Would you appreciate food/beverage sales on-site?
• Back to admission fees… if there is a fee, what age and under gets in free?
• What else might I/we need to know if this fundraiser is approved and we muster to host one in the spring? 

They’ve sorted out pricing, donation quotas, what kinds of shifts (day of and before) we’ll need to work, etc., but having no experience at all with such, I’m feeling the potential for being blind-sided is high!

How was your weekend?  I turned my ankle (again) on Saturday, but otherwise, it was a relaxing, lovely weekend.

The Returns

I needed really light reading this week, and basically blogless Susan was kind enough to let me know last weekend when The Returns was free again.

IMPORTANT EDIT!!!!  NO DOGS DIE ANYWHERE IN THIS BOOK!

Look at that cover.  Talk about an angel!!  Swoon…  I’m a sucker for damp baby basset ears and those big ol’ freckled feet, and if you are a basset fan too, click over and click through to the author’s page.   Her basset, also named Bentley – just like the basset in this book – is one handsome dude, with a wild … well, click over and see if you see it!!

Oh, it’s a silly story.   Think All Dogs Go to Heaven with a slightly adult twist, and instead of an animated movie, it’s a book.   And it’s set in New Orleans, so what’s not to love?  Sigh.  I’m a sucker for shrimp and grits and beignets too.  Anyway, if you don’t take yourself or your reading too seriously and like dogs, you might enjoy it.   It does talk a lot about angels, God and heaven as the cover art suggests, so if you prefer to avoid such, consider yourself warned.

Now, I’m doing some rather heavy reading for book club, The Gift of Fear.    It’s yet another book I wouldn’t have sought out on my own, but the woman coordinating this month’s selection is a dear, sweet, AWESOME friend, and she is passionate about this book.  It’s also our way to honor our fellow League member whose niece is still missing.  Life is going on, but Alexis is not forgotten.  I got rather misty at work today when I saw a Facebook post… She was named captain of the volleyball team before her disappearance, and the team they played this week honored her with the sweetest pink roses…

What are you reading?

Dogsbar

Happy Thorsday, little friday, thankful thursday and first Junior League General Membership Meeting of the year!  Needless to say, I’m a little scattered at the moment, but I did want to thank Bridget for the goodies I won in her bloggiversary contest.  As you can tell by the title of the post, we were most excited about the Dogsbars.  Dog for Dog’s Dogsbar is new to us, and the fur-girls have proclaimed it awesome, so now I must find more.   (It operates on what I call the Toms theory; buy one, give one.)

If you want to actually SEE dogs on Thursday, you’ll need to click over and see the blooper-like photo from my attempt at a photo shoot.

Bridget didn’t know that I’ve been thinking maybe I need to reconnect with the sock mojo that had a lot to do with my knitting addiction, so I’m delighted to have a new book and some pretty sock yarn to inspire me.  (There are in fact, two of everything except the book, so much yarn and a bar per dog, not that Sissy thinks that’s fair.  Sissy believes they should share each bar, with her getting the lion’s share, because is both larger and the Queen… and in fact, that’s how we roll in the Woods, because Sissy is the alpha dog and Gretchen is quite a bit smaller… and almost plump.)

So, I’m most grateful for Bridget’s very generous prize, but I’m really very touched that she – that anyone – is aware enough of me, my blog, the furgirls, their blog, and Sissy’s tremendous run of food allergies.   It was a truly special package!

I’m also very thankful for the incredible leadership team in the JLC.  I’m moved beyond words by the dedication so many of these women have to our organization, by their continued above and beyond performances.   It makes the tough jobs a little nicer when you are shoulder to shoulder with women who are willing to give a lot extra and share the same vision for what we are here do to.

Now, back to collecting my thoughts and preparing my remarks for tonight.  What are you thankful for today?

Fall’s favorite color?

I’ve gotten no fewer than three different emails, each proclaiming a different color “fall’s favorite.”  Lilly Pulitzer says it’s navy, I believe it was Talbots that announced palomino (aka: camel or good ol’ tan), and someone else said …

Doesn’t fall’s favorite color depend on your personal tastes?   Mine changes daily, or nearly so. 

What’s YOUR favorite fall color?

 

Wardrobe Decree

(Sorry again for the lack of photos!)

After months of reading fashion blogs and hearing that if I don’t love it, if it doesn’t fit well, it shouldn’t be in my closet…  I get it.  I shouldn’t confess to wearing my Target “cheetah print” ankle pants with one sort of denim/chambray shirt or another three times in less than a week, but it’s true.  And I’d waited all summer to wear my coral capris with a plaid shirt and a dark purple cardigan, so it made great first full day of fall attire.

So, whether the JLC votes in a rummage sale as our new fundraiser or not, I’m going to cull my wardrobe.  That black with gold dress I’ve kept just because it’s a little black dress and every woman needs one?  Gone.  I don’t love it, even though it looks fine on and was wearable off the rack when I needed it.  Instead, I’ll keep my eye – and clothing budget – open for a truly perfect LBD that makes me want to wear it.

And the perk of having a smaller wardrobe to work from?  I get to wear my favorites more often… as in every day.  I’m sure I’ll still bring home duds that need to culled, but once I wear them and realize they don’t make me feel great, don’t make me reach for them even when I have plenty of other clean clothes… they need to go.

I’m even applying this to jeans.  I have two pairs that fit but I glare at them when they’re the only jeans clean, so… buh-bye.  I’ll replace them (eventually) with jeans I can’t stand to leave in the closet.  (Don’t worry; I have three pairs of jeans I do love, so I won’t be jeansless.)

Have you had an epiphany lately?

Summer workout attire report

Over the course of the summer, the dogs and I logged roughly 275 miles of running, hiking and walking.  Some of my workout clothes are a year or more old, but even the newer items had a chance to get broken in and make an impression.  Here’s what I’ve learned:

Taking a break on a dusk walk

On the hottest days, the dogs and I can manage a dusk walk.  I prefer a Skirt Sports dress over 7″ compression shorts, and Sissy needs her cooling vest.   I do have two different running skirts too, but they annoy me; the dresses fit looser and “float” rather than bunching up and/or sticking to the shorts.

All in all, I prefer cropped or capri compression pants.  Yeah, they’re hot, but since we are in the woods on our longest walks, I am uneasy about being too exposed.  I realize bare ankles are a bad idea in  a snake-populated region, but it’s a compromise and it beats overheating.

My favorite crops are Yogasmoga, but at $88, I don’t wear them into the woods.  I’ll wear them on a road run, but one of the other things I learned this summer is that my hydration packs “pick” my wicking fabrics.  Those packs are best over my cheap running crops and a plain tee or a wicking shirt so cheap I don’t get upset if/when it gets damaged. 

Which brings me to another lesson learned…  Save the expensive, no-show pants for the gym, yoga class or the barre class.  For just walking or even running down the road or in the woods, the $12-$15 Danksin Now pants are just fine.  Unless I bend from the waist to pick up Gretchen, my neighbors won’t know whether my pants are a little see-thru or not, and if I have to make a quick grab for the wee one, I don’t care who sees what.

For tops, I definitely prefer nearly full-coverage tanks in a wicking fabric, and whether I paid $70 or $12, they don’t seem to look good much past one season. 

Sports bras.  I wish I had a brand and a style to share, especially for those of us with … plenty of assets.   I have retired all of my uni-boob, narrow strapped models now that we at least walk briskly most days.  Smash and separate with a T-back of some sort seems to work best, but gosh I hate paying $60+ for something I only wear for 30-90 minutes and then it’s so sweaty-nasty it needs a bath.

Socks.  Synthetic, no-show, not compression.  Here again, the investment isn’t worth it.  It’s not unusual for me to wear them once and get home to find them quite muddy/stained.

This spring/summer, I tried Lucy brand capris (not compressing enough, fabric is far too thick/not soft, storage pocket across the back waistband is about 1″ too short for my iPhone), and a pair of Skirt Sports capris.  Skirt Sports makes up most of my workout attire now, and their tops/dresses are awesome.  Their bottoms are not soft and comfy like Lululemon or Yogasmoga, but I was able to add 3 SS bottoms not anywhere near full retail price, thanks to SS’s own specials and the fact they’re offered on Sierra Trading Post.   I have one pair of LLL crops and the Yogasmogas for public workouts, and that will just have to do.

Sorry for the lack of photos.  I can no longer make the “Add Media” button work here at work, and the new Flickr barely operates on this old beast.

What did you learn this summer?

Fall Flowers

Locally, the weather definitely got the memo that fall is moving in officially this weekend.  Here are some shots from last weekend’s walks.

The older I get, the more I appreciate wild flowers, but the fur-girls were more interested in the horses… or something in the pasture.

I’m also developing a leopard print problem.  If animal prints are the new neutrals, is there an overboard point?

Downward Dog

Happy Thorsday, little friday and Thankful Thursday to you.  We’ve had the fur-girls at work with us all week, and we all love it.  Gretchen bounces and gets hyper-alert when the Knight asks her if she wants to go to work, and she’ll begin barking at me if she thinks we’re running late.  (The dog can either tell time or has the most remarkable internal clock ever.) 

I’ve been trying for years – five, to be exact – to get a good photo of Gg’s perfect downward dog pose, which she demonstrates several times daily.  This actually wasn’t the angle I was going for, but it’s the one that “took” so… I’ll take it.

Do note the tiny blob of pink below her nose.  Evidently, her tongue needed to stretch too.

Sissy’s tongue is out on the post on the girls’ blog as well.  This however, is Sissy’s ideal pose.  I don’t believe it has a yoga translation, but we call it “Rub my belly!” and it is a command, not a request.  She’ll sleep like that too.  Modest, the DIVA is not.

I’m quite thankful for the chance to bring my dogs to work from time to time.  In an ideal world, I’d like to be with them 24/7 regularly, but given the DIVA’s high maintenance lifestyle (or medical issues if you prefer), staying at home isn’t an option. 

What are you thankful for today?

Irony

Oh, the irony!  My sweet sister gifted me what has turned out to be my perfect bag, and Coach hasn’t repeated the silhouette.   I don’t know that I can carry it once fall become official this weekend, and I’m a little worked up about it.

Yeah, I know I *COULD* just carry it, and some of you will think I’m silly for not carrying on with a great bag that just happens to be in lighter colors that *I* associate with spring and summer.   Call me old fashioned and a slave to outdated rules, but I don’t feel comfortable carrying this bag year ’round. 

I do have my plaid tote, and I’ll likely return to it, but I’ll miss this bag.  It’s a little taller, a little lighter in weight and it’s just been ideal.  Evidently, I was looking for a modern Mary Poppins bag, that could manage my regular purse gear and not strain when I add an iPad, a bottle of wine and more.

Another thing I love about this bag that the reliable plaid tote lacks is that zipper across the top.  Granted, I rarely zip this bag shut, but when I need to, it’s an option I appreciate.

And those straps are perfect.  I’m really, REALLY  sad that Coach didn’t offer the same bag in maybe a buttery, toffee-colored leather, or something fallish in fabric.

Do let me know if you see something similar, will you?

Lyme’s wide net

But first, Wen cleanse #3 or Wen Day #5.  Again, no need for a photo, but I reached for the Wen this morning, did 6 pumps on cleanse #1, and only one, conditioner style, on round #2.  No leave-in.

So, about the title.  I’ve been treated for Lyme Disease 3 times.  Another friend is going through her second episode and is doing a lot of research.  Ironically, Lyme came up in a Wen/hair discussion with a bloggy friend this morning too. 

What if my hair changes aren’t a result of THE CHANGE, color processing, etc., but instead, are a symptom of my trials and tribulations with ticks – er, Lyme Disease?  What if instead of blaming all kinds of good hair products for failing me, I just need vitamins for my hair to battle the Lyme damage?

Dogs at work, not to be confused with WORKING dogs

And likewise, how many more of you have had Lyme Disease, or have someone close to you who has?

Just as I’m doing a little analysis paralysis with my own issues, so too suffers Sissy.   You can read more about her trip to the vet yesterday (eye’s fine, she’s mostly healthy) here. 

And why can’t humans get a Lyme vaccine, use Frontline to ward off ticks for 30 days at a time, etc?