Getting closer . . .
Not that we have a Christmas tree yet.
The tree generally stands where that little settee is at the moment. Once we have the tree, I will move the settee into the dining room, which is about the only place for it, unless I put it in front of the fireplace here in my study, which is a thought that had not occurred to me until just now. That actually could work, especially if nobody is sleeping in the study, and we use it as a gathering space instead.
Today we're going to a funeral in Hickory, and possibly on the way home we'll stop at one of the many lots we passed last night, going through Hickory on the way to our friends' house, that were still crowded with trees --- unusually for this late in the season, we both thought. There have been years when Christmas-tree acquisition has been a real scramble, because in these parts, Christmas starts the weekend after Halloween, and even those people who buy live trees generally buy them at Thanksgiving. But this year? Either many, many more people have gone in for artificial trees, or . . . I really don't know.
Anyway, the main event today is this funeral, of a longtime friend and mother of our former pastor. It's another dreary winter day right now --- slightly warmer, with a high in the mid-50s Farenheit, but damp and misty. I'm going to forego my black linen dress (bought largely for choir dress and funerals) for something else appropriately dark, but a little warmer.
A fun time last night at our friends' house, though through the years the crowd for this party has shifted somewhat. There were a lot of younger people we didn't know and only a handful of old friends, whom we'd especially wanted to see --- though that was wonderful, and we were glad we went. We were home early, though, around 8:30 --- in years past that party went late and got pretty raucous. It's become much more a young-family party with no alcohol --- not a bad move, especially with a house full of unsupervised children and teens, and not that you have to have booze to make a party swing (we are certainly a lot more abstemious than we used to be), but it does make for a different kind of gathering. Anyway, it was fun to go out, fun to see friends, but also nice to come home and drink a tiny little nightcap by the fire.
Wearing today:
*Wool& Fiona dress (M) in Marine Blue, bought October 2024, last worn November 19. Wears this year to date: 8
*Secondhand Ann Taylor cashmere/rabbit-hair blazer cardigan, bought October 2024, last worn yesterday
*Very old thrifted infinity scarf, probably rayon, cut by me last year to make a regular rather than an infinity scarf
*Snag merino tights in Royal Navy, bought spring 2022, I believe, and in their third season of regular wear
*Secondhand Birkenstock Melrose boots, bought summer 2023, in their second season of regular wear
Day 3 hair in a claw-clip updo, which feels appropriate for the outfit and occasion (and also it's just out of my way, which is nice).
This feels like a reasonably sober funeral outfit, warm enough for the committal at the graveside. I will wear a coat over --- it's not supposed to rain, so I might wear my dark-brown suede pea coat.
We should be home, I hope, by mid-afternoon, time enough to do some housework and writing. Now I need to take the dog out.
LATER:
WHEW. A beautiful funeral. I hadn't considered what it means for a priest when his mother or father dies: lots of his brother priests (and today, the Bishop and the Abbot as well) in attendance. It was rather splendid, and we caught up with friends after, which is something funerals are always good for.
Got home around 2:30, took the dog out, and dressed down a little:
I've done dishes and made the bed, and now I'm just sitting, because although I have much to do, I'm a little tired now. Dinner tonight is Parade of Leftovers --- time to clean out edibles from the last several days before I order more groceries. We have chicken thighs, curried pumpkin soup, a little beef chili, and a lot of hummus and crackers, so we shouldn't starve.
Oh, I guess I should sing the praises of my Fiona dress, since I haven't done that (today). Yes, it's a great dress. Dresses up so nicely for a funeral; dresses down for hanging around the house. Marine Blue: beautiful dark neutral. There's a reason why I have two dresses in this style . . . it was never that popular, which I'm sure is why Wool& has discontinued it, but I really think it's a sleeper hit. It's perfect layered up on a winter's day --- I was warm and comfortable at every moment while I was out --- but also lovely with a pair of strappy sandals or Birkenstocks. I would have loved more colors. Alas.
I didn't make an outfit plan this past weekend, so I guess I'm freestyling through another week. I do have my eye on things I haven't worn, or haven't worn much: my brown Leila dress, my teal Fiona, my Caffe Mocha Mama dress (again), my silk April Cornell dress . . . Advent seemed so long when I was trying to amass purple things to wear, but now we're in the last full week, and --- oh well.
I do have a Christmas Eve outfit plan that I'm excited about, making use of items I already own. I had thought about buying a designated Christmas Dress, but then . . . well, again, all I really needed to do was look in my closet and identify the possibilities.