Farewell to bear country, hello hot weather. I rolled in last evening around 6:20, went out to dinner with my mother and brother, and coming home, fell into bed.
Not quite sure what the plan is today, but I've eaten breakfast, responded to some emails, done some exercises, taken a shower, and tried to get my brain in gear. I really need to get some work done in the early part of the day if I can make myself think clearly.
Wearing for the time being, because it's 82F already, and going up to 92:
I didn't like this shot initially, because it shows my poochy bloated menopause tummy so clearly. But you know, truth in advertising. This is in fact what I look like. Anyway, Camellia is always a comfort, especially in a very warm house. Put my feet in my trusty Birk Rosemeads, so here we are: feeling undressed, yet dressed.
Trying not to listen too closely to the loud television news in the other room. There's nothing I can do to avert a government shutdown, and on the whole I think I'd rather ride it out in a certain fog of ignorance than know too much. I will have to ask the Fire Son, who is a federal employee, what it's going to mean on his end. Probably a furlough, unless there's some massive fire . . . or maybe they are essential workers? I'm not sure. Must find out. I know that IF this happens --- and there have been plenty of eleventh-hour saves in the past --- it will disrupt life for a lot of people, and the people who will bear the immediate brunt are disproportionally the people with the least financial margin for bearing it, i.e., the people most dependend on federally funded public services like food stamps, WIC, Head Start programs, etc. That is, poor women and their children will experience the most dramatic and immediate effects, and that's a reason not to be sanguine. But I don't know what I gain by mainlining continual talky-talky coverage of the whole affair --- certainly not the power to do anything about it.
On that cheerful note, I guess I'll try to do some work. Meanwhile, Marly and I did hit consignment stores in the mountains, and I have some goodies to share, though some of what I have is stuff I can't wear until I hit some cooler weather. But there's one item she talked me into that I might wear out to the symphony, if we're still going . . . it's kind of dramatic, and I might chicken out of wearing it, but we'll see.
LATER:
OK, I'm wearing it. Marly talked me into buying it, and it is kind of fab.
With my Audrey dress, getting a fourth September wear in at the last minute, I give you: this Thai silk . . . THING. It was marked down to about ten dollars at the chichi consignment shop, and I really couldn't leave it there.
So off I fly, on the retirement-home bus, to the symphony. I was afraid this kimono thing would be too much, but honestly, I feel ready to take flight, or the world by storm, or something.
Kind of makes me wish I had a teal Audrey, but this thing sure does elevate my charcoal-gray one in the most spectacular way.