In North Carolina, there are daffodil Easters, and there are dogwood Easters, and there are azalea Easters. And then there are pollen Easters. Exhibit A: my front porch.
Today's agenda:
*walk dog
*order groceries
*work on book chapter
*choir practice
Dinner will happen somehow, on some kind of "I left it in the fridge for you" basis. I go out the door for Charlotte at half-past six, husband gets home around seven, I get home around 10 . . . that's how Monday of Holy Week generally works.
But I'm up and dressed and bathed and ready for it.
Wearing today:
*Secondhand Japanese linen-blend pinafore, bought early 2023, last worn . . . a LONG time ago. Rescued from sales box and mended. I paid less than $20 for this pinafore, so I'm not sure I care about tracking wears --- let's just say that it's in its second year of wear.
*Secondhand Not Perfect Linen Bay tank (M) in Oatmeal, first year of wear
*Very old thrifted Eddie Bauer cotton cardigan, second decade of wear
*Secondhand Birkenstock Mayaris, second year of wear
So . . . an entirely secondhand outfit, the result of shopping my closet (in this case, my own bin of things for the Poshmark closet). I do like this pinafore. I always have. The only reason I outboxed it was that I didn't want to deal with mending it, but I have done a little mend, and here we are. I really could take it to the seamstress, who would do a better job for cheap, and maybe I'll actually do that, now that this dress is back in circulation.
This pinafore scratches several levels of itch:
*I can wear all my tops with it, and I like that effect better, generally speaking, than tops with skirts or trousers (in fact, I've just put up my last pair of wide-leg jeans, the pink ones, for resale, as a nice experiment that I don't want to continue).
*It layers well over dresses, and I've often worn it that way in the past. I'm thinking that this is one way to get my old redyed royal-blue Camellia dress, which is really almost past it otherwise, back into circulation, as a "tank" under this pinafore.
*I wanted some overalls, but really . . . I don't want trousers. This pinafore gives me the "overalls" look I kind of wanted, in a format that I will actually wear.
*It's mostly very casual, but I could wear either my Papillio Mary wedges or my ankle-strap sandals and look a little more elevated --- this would be an okay dress to teach in, if I were teaching a class.
*I prefer it in warm weather, with sandals, but it does layer pretty well. I think it'll look especially good with my Keens Baby Bern boots next winter.
*I have lost some inches since I last worn it, but it is a forgiving silhouette. I really love a loose pinafore over a more fitted top, actually, than the one I'm currently wearing.
*It's another good neutral to pair with this purple cardigan, in my last week of mostly wearing purple/avoiding wearing non-neutral colors that aren't purple.
I'm really happy to have it back in circulation again. The fabric is quite a heavy weave, though it's breathable and pretty cool --- linen, though I'm not sure that's all it is (no fiber-content label). What I almost wore under it today was my Iris Blue Sierra, because that would totally work, but it's going to be warmer than it has been, and I haven't worn this neutral linen tank in quite a while.
Damp hair, triple-lathered today to clarify, with conditioner bar, diluted LUS 3-in-1, and some emulsified gel. I'm hoping this washday will get me through to Thursday before I have to repeat it.
The dog is still asleep, and while she sleeps, I need to look over my grocery list for this week's various special meals, particularly our Holy Thursday and Easter dinners.
It's hard to believe we're actually here, on the threshold of the great drama of the Passion. There is nothing I love so much in all the year as this week with its miraculous culmination, its move from grief to glory, and the joyful fifty-day season that follows it.
So, on with it.
AFTERNOON UPDATE
I've written about 920 words of a revision of my book chapter --- halfway done, or a little more.
Dog and I have been outside soaking up Vitamin D, but are now back inside cooling down. It isn't too hot today (perish the thought), but it does get warm on the bricks in the sun.
Did one load of house laundry, one load of kitchen towels. House laundry is drying on the line, kitchen towels are in the dryer (not enough room on the line for them, and I need them!).
Still very much enjoying today's outfit, and feeling good about things I've put up for sale. Experiments are nice, but sometimes they just aren't any more than experiments. I know what I feel good in, I guess is what I'm saying, and a look back at my photo album confirms what I like. Really excited about making outfits with this pinafore, especially outfits that don't involve purple. Looking forward to that at the moment.
Waiting for my groceries to arrive. It'll be good to have some cottage cheese. That might be what I decide to have for dinner.