All Things EARTH... part 2

Laurie, sweet 16 for orange

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Don't I know it! Let's face it, in basketball, all everyone pays attention to are the dunks and 3 pointers. We have an amazing defense that had to overcome less scholarships, a player transferring to be closer to home at last minute, and a grad student leaving. We literally have kept our opponents to their lowest scores. My husband and I were jumping all over the room.

Sally, the foot thing is interesting. The main thing you can do is find shoes that don't bother you.

Anita, I'm happy to hear how ready you are becoming for your Alaska cruise. I know that I am very excited for my cruise. And I have Syracuse basketball and Syracuse Crunch (hockey) making the playoffs to keep me busy in the meantime. I guess it's good that I live in a sports town. [emoji3]

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I've been wondering if i fixed the picture issue from my phone, dI'll here is a random outfit photo.

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Oops, sorry for the typos.

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The recent Chadwicks catalog has a nice color called Red Spice:

https://www.chadwicks.com/product/fringed-hem-crewneck-sweater.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&refType=&from=Search&ecList=6&ecCategory=

and a periwinkle called Coastal Blue:

https://www.chadwicks.com/product/pieced-elbow-sleeve-top.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&refType=&from=Search&ecList=6&ecCategory=

Laurie, I thought of you when I saw this green top, it's asking for one of your necklaces!

https://www.chadwicks.com/product/burnout-cold-shoulder-knit-top.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&refType=&from=Search&ecList=6&ecCategory=

And I like this dress:

https://www.chadwicks.com/product/crochet-trim-paisley-knit-maxi-dress.do?from=Search&cx=0

Sally, do you ever go to Evelyn and Arthur? I never think to go there when I'm in Sarasota, but I was in the one in Palm Beach this weekend and picked up a pretty scarf. Tried on a few things, but wasn't in love.

I was going to photograph my weekend of outfits, but I only have today to do laundry and re-pack to leave for Michigan tomorrow. They weren't terribly exciting so you're not missing much. :)

My solo mini-cruise isn't going to happen. DH will be away 9 days in the middle of the semester when it's hard for me to get away, even more so now with my boss's recent departure. DH played hookie a week ago Friday and we spent the day at the AMNH to see Unseen Oceans and visit the planetarium. We have plans to visit the Bronx Zoo one Friday after he gets back from his trip. I'm trying to enjoy my city while my dad is in a stable period. We have tickets for Rocktopia next week with Pat Monahan from Train. :D

Anita, I took my trail runners with me this weekend and did a one hour fitness walk in them. I was amazed at how differently it worked my leg muscles and glutes, and my knees weren't irritated at all. (The four inch heels I wore for dinner did that!)

Margaret, I’d wondered if you were going to cruise. Glad your Dad is more stable. I like that blue maxi dress. Melody

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Margaret , I have never been to Evelyn and Arthur but I will check it out . We are having weird weather .It will be really warm and then chilly so I have been shopping my closet and wearing things I forgot about . We have a wedding to go to on Saturday and I bought the outfit in December . I hope it still looks good since I lost 7 pounds with the flu .I guess I will try it on tomorrow. I am going to a specialized exercise program twice a week plus doing strength training every day to get back to my pre flu level.

I just got the Talbot's catalog and I am seeing a few things that interest me & I usually find Talbot's too sedate . The JJill offerings so far are pretty bad . They need to up their game.

Sally, I was looking through Talbots & JJill today & felt the exact same way. Hope your outfit fits! I can’t go back to my strength training until the end of April, but I’m back to my water aerobics. Melody

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Margaret, you are right. That is the perfect shirt to put a necklace with!

Chadwicks often has some nice things. I used to order from them all the time, but after I had put on weight, I stopped. I keep saying I need to order from them again. They used to have really nice jackets.

I like that print dress, it's very pretty. I like that red sweater too!

Now with periwinkle...that is a tough color for me. I've worn it before, but not recently. I am wondering where this falls. I don't think it's true earth. Soft, maybe? I have a few purples and blues that I can wear, but those are what I will call my weaker colors. Or maybe I just think they are.

I think like anyone, I have a color I'm drawn to for a while, then it is something else. I have always loved red and orange. I love rust, those great earthy green colors, and gold. Right now, I am trying to bulld some variety of earth colors.

Sally, I was looking through Talbots & JJill today & felt the exact same way. Hope your outfit fits! I can’t go back to my strength training until the end of April, but I’m back to my water aerobics. Melody

 

 

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I hope it fits .Otherwise I will have to shop my closet for an outfit or eat Big Mac's with fries until saturday washed down with a milkshake .

Rocktopia looks like an adventure in music! I want to know all about it! I think DS would really enjoy that a lot! I know I would too...

The concept of playing tourist at home is something that I have dabbled with but never truly put into full effect. Given our track record, I should know that our time in an area is limited and make more plans for checking out local interests, but those thoughts are often derailed by the everyday business of life. I've recently been reading about various NC things to do, thinking about my birthday this weekend...and I'm wondering again how I can include exploring NC into our schedule on a regular basis. The weather though...not looking too promising for any fun outdoor activity this weekend.

Bummer on the solo holiday...

I forgot that I learned that Athleta will hem any Athleta garment...even after you wear it...as a complementary service offered in their stores. Doesn't matter if you purchased online and then bring it in. I learned that when I went into the Ann Arbor store. Athleta is such a great operation. My tights came...and I love the one pair, but as I wore them this morning, it became obvious by the bagging, sagging nature of the fabric that I needed a smaller size...I love that I can still exchange them, even after wearing.

So here's a recommendation from me for cool weather tights...good for outdoor activities:

http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1098758&pcid=50000&vid=1&pid=870940012

They have several panels of different fabric, strategically warmer fabric mixed in with easier movement fabric. The double side pockets are outstanding. I plan on these being a staple of my Alaska wardrobe. They are shinier than I prefer...I like it when the legging fabric is a bit more matte...but the functionality of these has won me over. I returned the other tight that I had ordered to get both colors of this one because I think they are that good for cooler weather outdoor sport.

Also, I don't know if anyone has have ever heard of Altra athletic shoes? Their shtick is "Embrace the Space". They specialize in Zero Drop (balls of your feet and heels are on the same level, so no raised heel) and also a nature foot shaped toe box. They are new to me...but came up in my searches for better shoes with a wider toe box. They have a 30 day guarantee, which I just tested. I tried a pair and while I appreciate the general idea of their shoes, the particular pair I had wasn't working for me, and I think I needed to go up a half size. They had great customer service today, on day 28 of my purchase, and I'm doing an exchange for a different style and size.

Sally, hope your dress fits! Glad you are feeling better... I'm sure you're in an indoor pool, Melody, but the thought of putting on bathing suit right now, sounds so cold...I am SO SICK of winter...

Anita, I love the customer service that Athleta provides. I had the issue last year where I ordered a clearance bathing suit, and had to send the top part back for a different size. I noticed they didn't have their postage paid label in the bag, so I went online to see if they still had free returns. Long story short, and I can't remember if it was chat or email, they told me that they don't include them in the bag to save paper, you just print it from the website. I mentioned what I was returning, and they asked if I had my order number. They told me right off that it was on sale now, and they would credit my account the difference when they made the exchange.

Even though I mumble about the cost, I often think about how hard it is to find good service like that now, and that I should invest in some of their clothing. Good quality and service is worth rewarding with my business.

Sally, I hope your outfit fits! If it doesn't my vote is for the Big Mac, fries and shakes. Go for it. Seriously though, from your photos and what not, you are really tiny.

Melody, I tried on my swimsuits a week or two ago, and I was just freezing, lol. I reminded myself that it will be warmer when I'm wearing them in a few weeks!

Margaret, I received a Chadwicks catalog today. You are right, that red is nice and earthy. It didn't seem that earthy on my monitor, but there are a handful of items in the catalog in that color and it is great. With the floral dress you posted the link to, there is also another print that looks really nice - it has an orangey red or that red spice color in it. The ivory seems to be a bit more of a deeper cream color.

The other dresses on that page and the opposite page also caught my eye. I'm kind of iffy on prints, and I know that I'd have issues with these. Two of the prints were nice and warm though.

Do you ever wish you could just have all your clothes custom made in the exact color, style, print, etc. that is in your head? I do that constantly.

Anita, I saw those sneakers in my research too, and was wondering about them. I do have to look at them more. For reference, I am thinking about the style and color a lot.

Anita. Altra is a pretty new company formed by former Merrill employees. The shoes have more cushion than Merrill’s & are very sturdy

I went to Chicos today & discovered I’ve dropped down to a size 1 Chicos. Very exciting. Melody

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Melody , That is exciting !

I finally tried on my outfit . The pants are loose but not baggy and the Peplum covers most of that so it is a go .The jewelry draws the attention upward so that is good .I am also going to carb load the next few days to try to gain three pounds . First time in my life I ever tried to gain weight .

Sally [emoji23][emoji23]. I’m glad your outfit fits! I’ve lost another couple of pounds. I’m feeling well tho so not thinking about it

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Anita , Congratulations on winning the purse on the recycle thread ! Today is your lucky day !

I know! I'm so excited! Happy Birthday to me!!!

Ooh, congrats to you Anita! I need to look at that recycle thread more often. Happy bday this weekend, isn’t it? Melody

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My vacation countdown is saying 15 days until I leave!! Whoo hooo!!!!

My husband is such a good sport. I mentioned that even though I'm not a big fan of ironing, I iron all my cruise clothes, even the shorts and knit tops, before I pack them. I find that if you fold or roll, and you make sure the item is wrinkle free, it usually stays nice for the trip.. So he got out his shorts that he is bringing so that I can iron them. It's a 6 night cruise, and he got out 9 pairs of shorts. I reminded him of the cruise duration, and he said "okay??"

So I just want you to know that I'm not really the problem packer. I bring one outfit per day, plus one. So I will have 7 outfits. Since I arrive in Florida the day before, I will likely want to change if it is warm . But he is a few outfits ahead of me!

I kind of have everything piled up. I will rearrange this weekend, with shoes, odds and ends and pajamas on the bottom. I will iron shorts first, then work n the tops and steaming the dresses. I will do the same with my husband's stuff. It will take me the full two weeks to iron everything, probably!

So the March Madness continues. We play tomorrow against Duke! I don't know how many of you follow basketball, but SU is well known for playing a 2-3 zone defense. Duke, a few years back, also adopted the zone defense. This is going to be interesting, and perhaps very low scoring...

Margaret, did you leave for Michigan already? I am hoping you got out before the storm. We are missing this one. It's been very cold overnight and early morning, but then it seems to warm up nicely during the day to the low 40s. The most amazing thing is that it has been sunny for 4-5 days now. It's very deceiving, because it is still so cold out.

Sally, I hope you've been eating a lot! Melody, I hope you are feeling well, and that you are able to eat more normally now.

Anita, I will be paying very close attention to how your clothing choices work for you on your Alaska trip. I've been thinking that based on our weather, when I'm ready to travel to Alaska, I should have a lot of what I need. At least, I hope so.

I want to check out those sneakers (athletic shoes) soon. My newer sneakers are much better than my old ones were, but I still get quite a bit of burning by the end of my gym routines. At least it isn't as painful. The burning and numbness is very annoying and bothersome, but the pain can be awful. When I did the 5 mile Corporate Challenge last year, it was about a week to a week and a half after I had a major issue with it for the first time. I was limping across the finish line. (but my time was good, lol) I was thinking about how badly I want to do this again, but I want to be sure I have good foot attire for it and for the gym, and other things. We've been wanting to go back to the gorges in Ithaca so that involves a lot of walking and hiking.

Laurie, I’m one of the strange folks that actually enjoys ironing (I even iron pillowcases). I’d likely finish ironing everything for a 6night cruise in about 2 hours. I too iron everything prior to packing.

I think I’ve decided what to wear for our reunion (nothing like preplanning). I have a black silk jumpsuit that I adore & haven’t been able to get into for about 12 years...I kept it because, a) it’s Michael Kors & b) it’s my favorite dressy outfit. & c) it’s Boston. Well, I tried it on yesterday & it fit just like it used to (happy dance). I’m going to pair it with my white sparkly jacket (after I have it taken in). It’s a good summer look. Now have to figure out shoes, that may turn out to be the hardest part, I used to wear it with high black sparkly heels & those don’t work any more.

I’m still not able to eat breads, rice or potatoes. Pasta doesn’t seem to be an issue as long as it’s in quite a bit of sauce. Still about 6tbsp a meal. Lots of protein (cottage cheese is my go to) & carbs from oatmeal. I actually feel better than I have in years...no more GERD May have something to do with that!

We’re 75 here today & snow forecast for next Tuesday, weird weather. Melody

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We are chilly one day and warm the next . It will be warm tomorrow which is great since the wedding is outside .I go to pulmonary rehab now . I call it boot camp .Every visit they add another thing and up the time and level . Yesterday I came home and collapsed, It is working but man is it hard .

Anita , Happy Birthday !

Sally, have fun at the wedding! Pulmonary rehab is really tough, but it does work.

Anita, happy bday to you! [emoji512][emoji322]🥂

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Laurie, I’m sorry your guys are finished in the madness. They had a great season

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Anita, Happy Birthday! :champagne-toast::D

I did get to Michigan. Even though it makes for a long day to travel after work, I was glad I got out Tuesday night before the storm hit. I've gotten both my dad's cars to the shop and emptied out, and took a bunch of photos. When the weather is warmer my brother will wash them up and we'll sell them.

I hate car trouble. After this experience, I would never, ever own a vintage car. I seriously want to set fire to it some days, it's such a hassle. On the plus side, there are some awesome winter sales here that I've been visiting after I drop my dad off after dinner. I've spent $60 and here's my haul: a Liz Claiborne top, a turquoise fleece, a cute orange sleeveless top for summer, a Lucky tshirt, a pretty tank/shell for work in ivory, coral, and turquoise, a taupe faux suede jacket, and two black workout tees. The fleece was only $3. This all started out with shopping for jeans, which I cannot find because I have a thing against orange stitching. What can I say.

Melody and Sally, so happy to hear you are coming along so well after all your health issues.

Laurie... the countdown continues!!

I had the best Zumba class this morning. The classes here aren't very good generally, but there was a guest teacher from Ann Arbor who did some really fun Afro-Caribbean stuff and was a bit of eye candy too.:cool: