Saturday morning still-life: pitcher and folded napkins on red-check tablecloth.
The Artgirl's boyfriend arrived late last night. He's a nice young man --- I'd met him once before, on campus, back last winter, but my husband hadn't met him. The Artgirl calls him by kind of a dorky diminutive of his actual name, which he seems happy enough with when she does it. When pressed, however, he admitted that he actually prefers that other people call him by his given name. So, good to have that sorted out.
I also learned, via a text from the Texas Daughter, that my brother is planning to spend the night with us on Tuesday, en route to a woodworking workshop in Maine. This is fine, except that I hadn't known anything about it, beyond a vague idea that he was going to Maine in July for this thing, and now the guest room is occupied. I guess Uncle M will have to sleep on the futon in the Viking Son's room, which probably won't thrill either of them, but I'm not going to ask the Boyfriend to move. My daughter said, "I thought you might not know this," which is precisely correct. We'll be glad to see Uncle M, but when you don't communicate in any direct manner, you get what accommodation you get.
Anyway, sigh. Also, I need to call my mother. I last talked to her last week while we were still in New York.
Not much on for a Saturday. Got up and worked on a poem in tetrameter couplets. Still reading Ngaio Marsh. It's still hot, but then that's not news. I didn't ruck yesterday, and walked just under 4 miles, so today I think I'll hit it again a little harder. I keep reminding myself that I don't want to lose weight, only build muscle --- and resistance exercise is good for the aging bod, though as far as I know, my bones are still pretty tough.
Wearing today:
Sweet Camellia has had a rest since Norway, but now she's back in action. There's nothing like a shot of blue to lift me out of my summer blues. This is my always-and-forever dress, with her simple lines and flow.
Enjoying my hair in a half-updo with my new Invisibobble Wavers (sounds like product placement, but no affiliate link).
I've been missing barrettes, and while these are small and take some getting used to, they do fill that bill. It's nice to have something flat and minimal to pull my hair back with.
Debating whether to go get a trim before Houston, actually. On the one hand, the last time I had a haircut was Lent. On the other hand, I go to Great Clips, and although I usually come out just fine ("tapered shape, long blended layers"), VERY occasionally I don't, and that always gives me pause. Maybe just a deep condition instead? My hair feels dry, not actually damaged --- I don't know what would have damaged it, anyway, since I don't use heat beyond a little diffusing, or bleach, or anything like that. Just sun, and I could do better at wearing a hat.
Welp, I guess I'd better rouse the dog and hit the morning trail.
UPDATE:
We walked 2.25 miles this morning --- it's just too hot to do much more, alas. But I walked it with my 10-lb weight in my pack, and my legs and glutes are feeling the effects, so I think it was a fairly effective workout, 45 minutes all told.
I am glad I'm wearing my Camellia. I got hot and sweaty, but my dress feels cool, and I welcome sleevelessness after yesterday's round in Willow. Honestly, the sleeves aren't bad. Both Willow and Fiona are turning out to be better summer dresses than I ever thought they'd be. But I sure do love the breeziness of a sleeveless dress, and I'm especially appreciating it as I cool down after this very hot walk.
The best thing about the greenway trail in the summer, by the way, is that the Trident Trikes store, right on the trail, has a water fountain that includes fountains for both adults and children, PLUS dogs, plus a place to fill your water bottle. I could never get our old Lance dog to drink from the fountain, but Dora loves it. It's literally a lifesaver on a hot day.
Continuing my product review for these Wavers hair clips. I love them. They stay put. They don't break your hair. I'd love one big enough to put a whole ponytail in, the way I used to make big barrette ponytails, but I dunno . . . I don't have as much hair as I used to, but I still have a lot of hair, and it's too much for many barrettes.
Meanwhile, I really like being able to do a pulled-back/half-updo thing --- which is the closest my hair generally comes to looking done, or professional, or whatever --- in a minimal, flat way that doesn't involve a hair tie. Mind you, I also like Invisibobble spiral/phone-cord hair ties, and all their spin-offs, and use them all the time. I don't like scrunchies because they slide out of my hair, but I love these, which stay put. BUT there's something about doing a half-updo with them that makes me feel vaguely as though I'm still in middle school.
These Wavers will also work as bobby pins in an updo. You have to clip them shut after you slide them in, but they are essentially a glorified, less damaging bobby pin, so have all that same utility as well as functioning like small barrettes.
Again, I just bought these and am not receiving any remuneration for my endorsement --- I'm merely sharing my experience with them, which so far is positive. I can see how they might break easily, so you have to be a little careful with them, but on the whole they're great. I hope this information is useful to somebody.
AFTERNOON:
Experimenting with the porch as a selfie spot, because these endless bathroom shots get boring:
I have a good place to prop my phone, which helps. Then I can just pose away like a total dork, in full view of the entire street.
Yet another friendly reminder to myself that I love this dress.
EVENING UPDATE:
Had leftover smorgasbord for dinner, plus a skillet of kielbasa, peppers from the garden, canned sweet corn, diced sweet potato, and (leftover) cooked quinoa. It was quite yummy, and we still have a good bit of last night's mac and cheese and tonight's skillet for another round tomorrow night ("Welcome to our house, Artgirl's Boyfriend, where we never eat anything new.").
Walked for about half an hour with Dora, bringing our miles up to 4.27 for the day. We'll probably step out for a minute after dark, but that's been so iffy, thanks to neighborhood fireworks, that I've been doing the big walk really early (when it's still hot, yay).
Pondering what fun thing I want to wear to Mass tomorrow . . . stay tuned!