Oh look. More rain. What fun.
This plant pictured here is a nandina bush, pretty but noxious. Those berries are toxic to birds, and sometimes, late in the winter, when they've eaten everything else, they will eat them and die. So I should really go out and cut the berries off and dispose of them --- but they do look bright in the general gloom.
I think I know why I felt uneasy in my clothes yesterday. It wasn't non-self-love --- it was some kind of stomach virus in its incubation phase. I felt off all day, but okay to go to Blowing Rock (not about to torpedo my chance to go to Blowing Rock), where we drove around some on the mountain roads to look at hurricane damage (still pretty visible, and people are still suffering long-term effects) before going back into town for an early dinner at the Ale House, which I did enjoy. The sun was shining in at the window where we were sitting, and we were warm and happy, chatting to each other. I did feel quite warm and comfortable in my dress, tank, cashmere tights, boots, and cardigan, even though all the rest of the town was in jeans and big puffer coats. We had a nice dinner and drank Scotch ale, and everything was fine . . . until about 3 this morning, when I began to be not so fine.
I'm okay now, and I think I'll be able to shake this off to make it to Mass tonight and drive tomorrow. Going to take the day easy, though. If I don't feel significantly better this afternoon, I can make the early Mass at St. Michael's (though it is in the wrong direction), then leave straight from there. I've figured out a route that will let me mostly take I-40 to Memphis in my usual way, just skirting around the area where the interstate is closed, adding maybe half an hour to the trip, but that's okay. I'm happy to be able to drive through my mountains, and I can time my trip pretty readily to be at my mother's by a reasonable dinnertime.
Rain rain rain. It was raining hard, and now it's raining harder. I sure am glad we got the basement drainage and pump system worked out two years ago.
Wearing at this precise moment, to do nothing and go nowhere (although I will have to put on rain shoes to take the dog out in the yard):
*Secondhand Wool& Sierra dress (S) in Washed Navy, bought November 2024, last worn February 8. Wears in 2025: 6, including several turns as an under-dress with my Dark Blue-Gray NPL Smock dress.
*Secondhand Icebreaker? Smartwool? I can't remember. Base-layer merino tee. Bought fall 2024, first year of wear (tiny hole in arm that I need to mend, but I'm wearing it anyway right now).
*Secondhand cotton-bamboo leggings, bought fall 2021, redyed by me in summer 2023. Third year of wear
*Secondhand Birkenstock Mayaris, bought spring 2024, first year of wear (coming to a close --- this summer will mark the start of their second year).
Obviously I'm not going outside in these sandals, but I generally stick my feet in them when I get up in the morning. I own some very old fleece house slippers, given to me when the Artgirl was born (so, 21 years and counting), but I don't wear them that often, because I don't love the feeling that I'm shuffling around in bedroom slippers. Still, when my feet are cold, they are nice to have.
I am glad I made myself to go Walmart yesterday, even though I didn't really feel like it. We have dog food, and I have some herbal stomach pills, plus a new bottle of rosewater facial spray, which I use because it's moisturizing, but mostly because I love the smell. I also bought myself a pack of silver-plated chain necklaces --- the chain I'd been wearing my medals on broke, and I could find only a 3-pack, so that's what I bought as a replacement. I'm wearing two right now, though you probably can't see the shorter one very well in these photos. They are not fine jewelry, and I really should have taken the time to buy from some artisan maker, but I wanted something fast, so here we are.
Putting earrings in and pulling my hair back makes me feel more dressed, even though what I'm wearing is basically pajamas.
Warmer iteration of this outfit, because it's chilly sitting by the window in my office, and although the dog is sleeping cozily in her crate in the dark hall with the heat vent blowing in on her and the rain falling outside, I will have to step out with her into said rain pretty soon:
Zipped and unzipped:
*Secondhand Aran Crafts hoodie zip cardigan, bought fall 2023, second year of wear.
*Farm to Feet gray merino socks, Christmas gift in 2023, second year of wear.
This is basically my (warmer) version of lounging around in sweats.
Today's agenda:
*take the dog out in the yard and try not to get too cold and wet
*change the sheets on our bed
*order some groceries
*maybe work on an essay
*pack for my trip (travel capsule to come, I guess)
*go to Mass, unless I'm still just really not up to it, in which case I'll plan on 7:30 tomorrow morning at St. Michael's
We'll see what I get done . . .
LATER:
I have made the executive decision to go to early Mass tomorrow and not try to go anywhere today.
I am hungry, though I had better be careful. I have drunk some chicken bone broth with salt, garlic, and ginger (good for the tum), and the husband is bringing home sourdough bread and yogurt.
I have written my Shelley essay for Friday on the Substack, so that's the coming week done, anyway. I have Ben Jonson and somebody else, can't remember who now, for the next week. But this week: C'EST FINI, mes enfants.
Talked to the TXgirl on the phone, looking forward to seeing her Monday night (also the Artgirl and, if I'm lucky, the Viking).
Anyway, now I'm cocooning. Maybe I'll look at my libretto. Been writing a choral prologue. Or maybe I won't do that. Maybe I'll take a nap. And then pack.
EVENING UPDATE:
Feeling somewhat better. Also, all packed, except for toiletries. I'm using my husband's rolling suitcase this time, just to give me more room for boots, for example. And chunky sweaters. It's going to be cold this trip, and since I'm not flying, I wanted to take more things.
Such as:
*Wool& Iris Blue Sierra
*NPL Dark Blue-Gray Smock dress
*NPL Cinnamon Rose Leila dress
*NPL Emerald Green Smock midi
*NPL Oatmeal Bay tank (to wear mostly as an under-layer)
*Wool& Teal Fiona
*Wool& Marine Blue Fiona
*Eileen Fisher big cardigan-coat
*Connemara cardigan
*Pure teal cashmere cardigan
*Banana Republic silk-cotton cardigan
*Banana Republic lavender merino sweater
*pink wide-leg jeans
*a couple of base-layer tees
*blue wool scarf
*lots of wool tights
*underwear
*Melrose boots
*Tari boots
*Keens boots
*Birk Mayaris (which I doubt I'll wear, except in the house)
OK, this is a lot for me. I can't remember the last time I packed so much. But I'm feeling kind of done, for the moment, with minimalist capsules and limited options. That's fine for the airplane and overseas travel, but for a week on the road in lots of different situations, all of them cold . . . yeah, I want choices for a change.
Wearing to Mass tomorrow and for the road:
*NPL Emerald Green Smock midi
*Oatmeal Bay tank under
*Banana Republic silk-cotton cardigan
*Snag merino tights in Sand Dollar
*Keens boots
It's supposed to be not so cold tomorrow, but I'll have my coat out just in case. These light, mostly linen layers should be comfortable to travel in. It will be cold by the time I get to Memphis, where tomorrow's high is 40F, so I'll be glad I have my parka to pop on and wool tights on my legs.
Also, I've decided to aim for a 9 a.m. Mass in Marion, NC, which is on my way. I'll leave about the time I would have had to be at Mass at St. Michael's (30 minutes in the opposite direction to my itinerary), and should (I hope) be fine. It's a Latin Mass --- went to one last week in New Hampshire, too --- so I have a head covering ready to go. Might as well not stand out too much.
About to put this dog to bed and then do the same myself. Not sure how much posting I will do on this trip, so see you . . . sometime.