Perfect North Carolina winter morning in my neighborhood. It was about 37 degrees, which was BALMY, let me tell you. Sun through the trees in the ravine, tree-shadows on the road.
We walked for about half an hour, then came home to sniff in the back yard (well, not me) and sit in the sun (yes, that was me). Now contemplating the day. Younger kids are going out for a day with friends. Older son is going to the gym, then packing to leave. The husband and I are planning for our usual Thursday evening at the pub.
After the excesses of the holidays --- let's just say I got on the scale today for the first time in weeks --- I'm interested in having at least a dry-ER, if not an absolutely dry, January. I don't know whether ordering my husband a bunch of non-alcoholic drink items (NA wine, an NA stout, a pack of NA gin-and-tonic cocktails) for his birthday was quite the move, but on the other hand, it would be interesting to sample them, and I think he might find it interesting, too. I keep trying, periodically, to sell him on the idea of not coming home with a four-pack of beer or a bottle of wine every night, but let's face it: we both like wine and beer before and with dinner. If we could substitute something a little more festive than sparkling water (of which, admittedly, we drink a lot more than we do alcohol), maybe that would help. It is the ritual more than the alcohol itself, feeling that we're treating ourselves at the end of the day. Anyway, I did order these items for him, and we'll see whether we find them palatable or not.
I'm realizing that my birthday gifts for him all fall into the good-for-you category: two merino undershirts to go with the two Wool&Prince button-down shirts he now owns, thanks to two Christmases, plus I think a merino long-sleeve tee, which I was going to give one son, but then had to reconfigure all the presents when I realized that a book package had gotten lost somehow . . . good thing he likes merino, and it's the kind of thing he won't buy for himself.
Wearing today:
Wool& Audrey, thrifted gray bamboo-fiber tunic knotted over, (unseen) leggings, purple Xero Oswegos.
With jacket and scarf, for dog-walking:
Plus wet hair. Fortunately it's not that cold out. The scarf is a viscose faux pashmina --- I didn't read the tag very carefully in Goodwill. I wish it were actual pashmina, but it is soft and nice, and I want to wear it more often. I like the layered grays. A lighter shoe would be nice with this outfit, or a brighter one. I could have worn my red Cassies, now that I think about it. But the Oswegos are comfortable for walking and will do.
And onward . . . got some Holinshed to read before the day grows much older.
LATER:
Unknotted the tunic. It's a lot of fabric, but comfortable this way.
I oiled my Tari boots this morning and am waiting for the oil to soak in more before I wear them again, but I think they would make this more of an outfit. I might keep things this way and just switch to boots to go out tonight.