Beautiful light patterns on the study closet door yesterday afternoon.
The world is full of marvels.
Anyway. It's another day, and I'm up and dressed and about to take the dog out. Temperatures are right at freezing, but the sun is shining --- I went out a few minutes ago to bring in some towels from the line, and nipping out and in again I didn't think it was bad at all. Just invigorating.
This afternoon is Brother Chrysostom's Solemn Profession of Vows, in which he dedicates himself to monastic life in that Benedictine house at Belmont Abbey. That's the particular vow that Benedictines make: stability, in addition to poverty, chastity, and obedience. Choir warmup starts at 3:30, which means I need to be out of the house by 2:45. Between now and then, I need to make progress on next week's essays, as well as possibly some more development of my plans for the classes I'm teaching at Thomas More College the week of Candlemas.
Spent some time last night updating my author website for the new year.
Wearing today (my outfit for church, essentially):
*Wool& Fiona dress (M) in Marine Blue, bought September 2024, last worn New Year's Day. Wears in 2025: 2
*Old thrifted rayon floral scarf, formerly an infinity scarf until I cut it apart.
*Snag merino tights in Royal Navy, bought spring 2022, third season of wear
*Secondhand Keens Baby Bern boots, bought December 2024, first season of wear
I like this basic, tonal outfit (more or less per my outfit plan for this week), just navy on navy, with a note of pattern in my scarf and the muted contrast of these medium-brown boots. And gosh, I love this dress. So simple, so versatile. I'm so glad I bought it.
Still anticipating the arrival of these secondhand jeans I bought. Part of me hopes they don't fit, because then I wouldn't have to answer the question of who this person is who suddenly thinks she might want to wear jeans again. But then part of me hopes they do, because I think that jeans would give some of my shoes, which aren't working with my dresses in quite the way I had envisioned when I bought them (also secondhand --- we are LOW-STAKES here when it comes to these experiments), a reason to stay in my closet. But I'm having way more of a tiny little existential crisis about a pair of stupid jeans than any reasonable person should . . .
Just-washed hair, diffused about 3/4 dry in these photos. The waves won't hold very well in this cold, dry weather, so I'll be pulling it back later, but this is another glimpse of what my hair does naturally, even when conditions are suboptimal. I shampooed twice today, because it was really feeling pretty gummy, even though I had just washed it Monday. I probably need to get some V05 and clarify soon. Followed shampoo with 3 pumps of LUS 3-in-1 and a good bit of water. Didn't bother with brush styling, just combed the leave-in through and scrunched out excess water before diffusing.
And now I had better do something productive.