Sunday, November 02, 2008

The O.K. Corral.

Well, everything is okay at the O.K. Corral. The critters have been fed and watered and the head critter has been walked and took the opportunity to take a dump three times, which makes my habit of carrying many baggies a very fortunate one. I don't know what he has been eating to cause such an overproduction, or maybe he simply had been saving it up, because I didn't take him out late last night. I find that he doesn't urge me on to go once I've got my pajamas on and that he very happily trudges off to the bedroom with me to go to sleep.

He does, however, wake me up at 7 AM, for no good reason that I know off, because when I let him out back, he really doesn't do anything and if I give him food, he doesn't want to eat. I think that he thinks it is a good time to wake up and it actually is during the week, so I can count on him to waken me on time. I have a radio controlled alarm clock with two alarm times, but they are set for times during the day when I have to remember to take my medicines. So, it's a good thing that he wakes me up when he does, I just wish that he could differentiate between weekdays and weekends. He is not quite that clever.

The weather is gorgeous outside. The sun is shining and it is 8 degrees Celsius, that's 46 degrees Fahrenheit. It's paractically summer. Still, I am dressed in layers as attractively as I can, because it is a little bit cold inside.

Every morning I have the joy of picking out what I am going to wear, but I think about it ahead of time and am full of anticipation. It's like getting into the 'dress up box' and inventing a new costume every day. Actually, it's like I'm reinventing myself every day in a costume play and I participate in a real life movie production. Oh wait, I forgot the soundtrack.

I filled a new MP3 stick with Jazz albums and then transferred all the songs to a map called Jazz under My Music in my PC. From there I was able to transfer the whole map all at once to my iTune Player, which is something I was unable to do with the Real Player. So, yes, I recommend the iTune player from Apple. As I sit behind my PC, I listen to the music and when the PC is shut off, I listen to the MP3 stick that is connected to my sound system. That way I have a soundtrack to my life. It's fun to listen to the new music, as I don't hear all of it when I download it, of course. I think I made good choices this time.

Did I tell you I got a new watch? I had been wearing a very cheap, but functional watch for many years now, but it was very plain and unassuming and the stretch band had become much too big for me when I lost all the weight and I had to push it up practically to my elbow. I decided that I deserved a new watch and I got a very nice one from the brand Elle. It's got a unique shape and I am quite happy with it and keep looking at it. I am so glad that it is I who is spoiling me. That I can do these things for myself, because I'm worth it, as the commercial goes. I got it at a discount store so I only paid a little money for it, but you can't tell by looking at it. It comes with a warranty also, so I am happy.

You know, I never feel guilty when I spend money on myself and that is something new for me, because when my kids were growing up, I spent very little money on myself. I remember having a very small wardrobe and it not being very fashionable. Jeans and T-shirts mostly with the odd sun dress. For some reason, I thought I didn't deserve having money spent on me.

That all changed when I hit my late 30's and I developed a real love for clothes and I started to trust my own instincts about them. When I gained a lot of weight for a while there, due to the medications, I lost my interest in clothes, but now that I've lost so much weight, all the interest is back with a force and I find nothing more satisfying and fun than to shop for an item of clothing and to match it to something I already have in my closet. There is sheer joy in that. I used to love buying new books with the same amount of passion. I also like to buy necklaces and right now I am wearing two of them that click against each other when I move and I like that sound.

My mother loved clothes and used to dress like Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances. She looked very much like her. It wasn't until my mother's death, that I felt the freedom to start dressing like a real female and become more than casually interested in what I wore. It's like I finally had the room and the gumption to do that, now that her critical eye would no longer linger on me and find fault and she could no longer comment on how I dressed, whether that was negatively or not. I just didn't want to be noticed by her physically at all. You can't imagine what liberty I felt, especially when soon after I left my first husband and I could be the complete female I wanted to be. The more skirts and dresses I am wearing, the better things are going with me. Which doesn't mean that I don't want to get a pair of skinny jeans.

I have two pairs of bell bottom pants that are frayed at the edges from dragging over the pavement and I think I am going to get rid of them, because I think they are not at all flattering, but they were the style when I bought them. Sometimes you can make such fashion mistakes. You think you want the latest in jeans, when those are not at all right for you. It's really great when you make the right choice immediately and many times I have bought an item of clothing that I know will be a keeper for more than one season. Sometimes I buy a total dud and take it back. Well, your closet is like an art collection and sometimes you have to take something out and add something else in.

Well, I am sure it's all been very fascinating to you, this talk about clothes. There is more to it than meets the eye. There is the whole psychology of clothes.

Okay, I've got to clean up the kitchen, duty calls me now. Have yourselves a terrific Sunday.

Ciao...

12 comments:

Elaine Denning said...

I stopped wearing a watch as soon as I got myself a mobile phone, which obvioulsy has the time on it.

I've always hated clothes shopping but I spent a bit of money last month on new clothes for my job. Posh stuff - which I think looks really strange on me. I'd much ather wear jeans and long, floaty hippy skirts.

I do like searching the charity shops though. There are some great bargans to be had!

lebanesa said...

I admire your efforts to keep yourself looking good. I have found myself getting sloppier and sloppier since I have stopped regular work. I just want to be dressed for gardening and messy work - but I do miss looking pretty. Practical is not as much fun. So go gal, keep it up for us lazy ones.
hugs

Mean Mom said...

I used to love clothes shopping, when I was younger, but I don't much enjoy it, now. I wear mostly jeans, with a selection of tops. We are a bit short of cash, at the moment, so I don't go on any spending sprees, but I also seem to be 'between sizes' and I'm not very tall, so shopping can be frustrating! I love to see people who've made an effort, though!

Wisewebwoman said...

I love reading about your perception of ordinary things, Irene, like clothes being a form of art.
I have a friend who is a stylist for famous people and she says clothes are art too.

As to me, I shop second hand mainly though I do have a style all my own. Long skirts and long sweaters and lots of scarves that float. But most days, leggings and tshirts as I like to move quickly.
XO
WWW

laurie said...

when i was little, we had clothes, and we had "school clothes." we had very little money, and so the minute we got home from school we had to change out of our school clothes and into ratty stuff that could get dirty or was too small or was falling apart in some way and could come to no harm. and the school clothes got hung up and used again the next morning.

i have never been able to break that habit. i am 52, and i still divide my clothes into work clothes, and everything else, which is fairly slobby. sometimes i worry that doug always sees me at my worst, since he never sees me at work. but i cannot bring myself to wear nice stuff around the house.

Irene said...

Elaine, some people look very good in jeans and long, floaty, hippie skirts. You have to have the right figure for them and I guess you do and then that hair!

Frances, don't you sometimes want to look alluring for your husband, or doesn't he care and what is your definition of sloppy? Holes in your elbows and knees, dirt on your bosoms? Maybe you should get dressed up a bit at the end of the day when you sit down for dinner. Surprise everybody.

Mean Mom, like I said to Elaine, some people can wear jeans splendidly, providing they are clean and dressed up with a very good top. Being short of cash is tough, you can find great bargains at the charity shops, though, if you have the patience to look. A button down shirt makes a great top with rolled up sleeves and a long sleeved stretch T-shirt underneath.

WWW, you already have developed a style of your own that you are comfortable with. I am not going to give you any advice. those skirts and scarves sound just right.So, you wear leggings too. Aren't they comfortable?

Laurie, we didn't have school clothes and play clothes. We did have Sunday clothes. Well, I wear my Sunday clothes every day. I want to look good all day long, even if only the dog sees me. It gives me such pleasure to look good and to not go around in sloppy clothes, as I used to do enough of that way back when. Is there a huge difference between you work clothes and your stay at home clothes? Maybe your stay at home clothes should be a little classier. Doug would like that, I'm sure. You can't just pull on any old rag. You do have to give it some
thought.

Bev said...

It's true what Frances says. I am a sloppy dresser because I don't work. I dress mainly for dog walks and practicality.

You seem to be enjoying yourself with the music and enjoying the clothes so great! You always look very nice on the photos, bright coloured clothes and ethnic jewellrey, well coordinated.

I like this new feature on your blog of the followup comments:)

The Artful Eye said...

I've just now noticed that you moved from Wordpress, maybe you did this while I was on vacation.

Not much of a clothes hound. I used to be in my early 20s but have since become much more practical. As a matter of fact I've decided to make myself a uniform for work. White blouse, black skirt every day. Now I just add the funky jewelry. I don't really want to think about outfits for work. Work is work. I do like relaxed, comfy clothes when I'm home so when I'm digging in the it dirt won't matter.

Hopefully that water heater has revived itself. We had some water heater problems recently, darn thing with parts made in Italy. what?! My engineer husband figured out how to fix it.

Russian River is one of my favorite places up North, CA have spent many days canoeing,camping and swinging from ropes on it's banks.

Glad you're doing well.

Baby Island said...

I love that you used the word "gumption". That is going to be my word for the wekk, I love it!!!

Enjoy dressing up dear Irene!

Muah,

BI

Maggie May said...

Well I hope the Uberhund's bowels are behaving today!
I have almost been put off from my breakfast!

As you are really fashion conscious, its just as well you can't see what I am wearing as I write in my really cold bedroom!
A huge chunky mohair jumper in bright colours! At the moment warmth seems to be more important than fashion.
Have a good day. Hopefully not too many bags of dog poop! LOL X

Grit said...

i love thinking about clothes, but sadly i don't wear them very well, and for that i blame the children. i think they do something to our brains, because i refuse to spend money on myself when i can spend a fortune on a cuddly toy instead. please keep on telling me about your fun and lovely clothes, because it somehow gives me hope!

Maureen said...

I have to agree with you about feelings of guilt when you are a mom... I am / was exactly the same way. I rarely bought myself something new, and when I did, I felt guilty. Now that daughter is nearly 18, I find myself with more freedom to treat myself again.