RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Happy, happy Monday!

Here's what's brewin'...

1.  Have you guys ever heard of Kinesio tape?  It's truly one of the most amazing things ever!  It's been such a huge relief for my back.  Whenever things start to tense up and pinch, I just slap a couple pieces on for a few days and voila!  Relief!  Some days, I think it could even fix the economy!

2.  Went shopping this weekend.  Yay!  Especially "yay" because I had some extra income last week that made it possible.  There were only two things on my list, and I got them both (well, will have them both soon) - trench coat and brogues (finally!).

3.  Anyone else ready for spring?  I'm so sick of being immobilized by my giant, but necessary, winter coat.  I'd even take 40-50 degree weather for another six months if it meant I didn't have to wear a big ass cocoon every day.

4.  So, I'm about 20 minutes late for the party, but I finally listened to some Lady Gaga this morning. Must.  Have. More.

5.  On that note, I'd really like to start listening to Mary J. Blige.  For those of you who are fans, which album should I start with?  Thanks in advance!

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Today has pretty much been a perfect 10, and it went something like this:

1. I went to bed at 9:30 last night!  I wasn't sick or anything, I was just tired and being unproductive and eating to stay awake.  One thought about how nice it would be to feel really well rested, and I couldn't resist dragging my sorry butt to bed.  Eleven hours later, I woke up - and it was glorious!

2.  I went to Goodwill this morning and bought 2 pairs of wool trousers (stay tuned for some awesome DIYing) and a vintage little boy's white Wrangler shirt with snaps and pointy pockets and everything.  My three purchases, plus a $1 donation to Goodwill came to a grand total of $1.87.  Yay for red tags today!

While there, I saw some serious crazy.  I don't know what was going on, but the place was jumpin' with a whole lotta insane folk.  Though, the fact that I was standing outside waiting for the doors to open (new hours = a later opening and I didn't know) may make me just as crazy.  Whatever ... I got deals!

3.  I got to take an awesome run outside in the unseasonably warm 50* weather in January!  It was a little rainy, but enjoyable none the less.

4.  My dad recently got a new job and was in the area today on business.  We got to meet for a lovely chat over tea and butter cookies.  Sounds so proper, doesn't it?  It was a quick visit, but always nice to catch up.

5.  I got mail today!  My little brother sent us a letter from basic training.  It was awesome.

This may not sound like the a perfect 10 to you, but for me, it's just an awesome day when I get to relax, be productive and enjoy some peace and quiet every now and again.

Happy Monday!

BCC'S BEST OF '09

My "best of" series is a little different.  While these are certainly not the best outfits of the year, they are representative of the best moments of the year.

Here we go...

My husband and I took a much needed vacation in April.  We drove to Asheville, NC and just bummed around for a few days in a new city.  It's always so nice to get away.  And, boy, I needed it!

Our vacation also consisted of a quick trip down to Athens, GA for a Wilco concert.  It was by far the best concert moment of my life.  We were among the first people in line and managed to secure a spot in the very front row - a mere 4' from the stage.  It was INCREDIBLE!  While this isn't what I wore, it's the t-shirt I bought as a momento of such an amazing night.

A couple of weeks after our vacation, I went to Baltimore for a 4 day training for what was then my part-time job.  The training was a great experience and that part-time job is now my most-of-the-time job.  I love how life works things out!

For our 5th wedding anniversary, John and I went to New York for the weekend.  It started with a fantastic night of yummy food and a stay in Hotel Giraffe in Manhattan - this shot was taken on the balcony - followed by a day at the MOCCA show.  We then headed to Long Island, where John hails from, to visit some of his oldest friends.  Always a good time.

This may have been the greatest day of the last several years.  The greatest for me on a most personal level, anyway.  This is the day I decided to quit my job.  I had no idea what would happen next, but I just knew it was time to find out.  This was a day filled with tears, anxiety and finally, smiles.  The quitting didn't quite go as planned, but I haven't regretted it for one single second.  Everything works out just as it should.  Life is good.

This one is a pretty obvious high point of the year - the Weardrobe Conference NYC.  I can only hope that I will get to experience something like this again.  If I could only be so lucky.

And, of course, who doesn't love their birthday?  It wasn't anything extraordinary, but it was spent with people I love and great friends.  Each year brings such treasures - I just can't wait to see what happens this year!

The great moments of '09 certainly aren't limited to this list, but these are the ones that have stuck with me.  The holidays are right up there, too.  We had a wonderful time with my family this year.  Christmas Eve was spent visiting, nibbling, listening to music, wrapping presents, decorating the Christmas tree and finishing last minute gifts.  It was almost better than Christmas day!

What was your best moment in '09?

WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXY YEAR?

Anybody else getting all reflective this week?  I've been thinking a lot about the past year and how much I've grown.  It's been full of ups and downs and everything in between.  But, that's history now and I'm turning my focus to the future.

There's soooo much I want to accomplish in the coming year.  So much so that my resolutions are becoming a bit overwhelming!  In order to guarantee the growth and productivity that I'd like to see in 2010, I'm trying to make my goals as specific as possible.

Here's just a few I've got floating around in my head:

1.  Streamline my work schedule and maximize my income.  Duh, right?  Who wouldn't want to do this?  For me, it means going after the things that I want to do and making every hour as efficient as possible.  I anticipate starting 2 new endeavors this year.  Both should allow me the freedom of time to back off of the odd jobs that I do.  I realize this sounds kind of vague, but it's only because I'm not quite ready to put it all on the table yet.  Soon enough.  Soon enough.

2.  Try one new (healthy) recipe every week.

3.  Run a 9 mile race next November.

Hmm ... they don't look like much when they're written down.  I think that helped!  Now, execution is key.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

A day late and a dollar short, but anyway...

1. Christmas is only 3 days away.  Holy.  Crap.  I have not wrapped a single present, yet.

2.  I helped John with his Christmas shopping last night.  And by "helped," I mean I went to the mall and bought a few wardrobe staples for myself, brought them home and told him to wrap them.  Wow, we're lame.

3.  As the year ends, I'm realizing that this was one of the best ones yet.  2009 goes down in history for sure!

4.  2010 is going to be even better!  I just know it!

5.  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays to all of you!  You all play a huge part in the awesomeness that has been 2009.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I realize there' one more Monday this year, so instead of a "ramblings" post, I will be counting down the top 5 moments of 2009.  Stay tuned!

ALMOST VINTAGE

So, about those shoes from the last post...

I've had these babies for a long time.  So long, in fact, that they are almost vintage.  I bought them when I was 12.  That's right ... 12.  That would be 17 years ago now.  How is that even possible?

Anyway, I went through a huge obsession with everything 70's and "hippie" when I was in seventh grade and I don't think I've ever completely grown out of it.  I was dying for a pair of wooden clogs just like my mom had worn in school.  They were in all the magazines and I had to have a pair of my own.

I remember being bummed that my mom hadn't saved hers from the actual 70's and I think that's why I've never gotten rid of these.  I very vividly remember wearing them on the first day of seventh grade with white socks, jean shorts (not cut-offs, either - the cuffed kind) and some t-shirt with a really bad blond joke on it.  Hey, it was the 90's.  Even then, I was standing out and trying new trends with little care of what others thought.

BUT ... these didn't just show up on my doorstep one day, though.
I worked hard for them ...

When I was young, my dad had a job where he traveled all over New England, selling heavy machinery at HUGE auctions.  During the summer, my mom, brother and I would go with him.  To keep me busy and help me earn a little money, my dad would put me to work.  During the auctions, I would follow the auctioneer around (he rode in a small camper from piece to piece) and run the sales sheets back to the main office.  It was a good workout and I got paid pretty good money for a 12 year old.  The other, much less glamorous job was washing the windows in the heavy machinery.

I remember fashioning a belt that would hold the squeegee, paper towels and a garbage bag, as I climbed in and out of dump trucks, cement mixers and backhoes.  It was a dirty job, but kept me busy.  I think I got paid $.50 per truck.  It's so funny to think about now, but it was big bucks to me then.

That particular summer, I saved up all of my hard-earned cash for these bad boys.  I'm pretty sure they cost something like $65 and were purchased at Macy's, which was a big deal (for me) at the time.  Now, I'm glad to still have them after all these years.  They still fit like a glove and they're a really comfortable way to add a little height without the pain of high heels.

I realize this was a long, text-heavy post, but it was a fun little jaunt down memory lane. Hope you enjoyed the ride!

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

It's Monday already!

I've got a lot on my mind today, but these are the only ones I can articulate at the moment:

1. After 2 weeks of "we're going to decorate this weekend" and not actually decorating, we've decided to totally bail on the tree thing this year.  I decided that I'd rather enjoy the holiday season by doing and being instead of decorating and cleaning.  Plus, the money we save on the tree can go towards other good-hearted causes instead.

2.  On Saturday, we went to a Victorian Christmas celebration in a neighboring town.  I found out the the husband hates horses, and so I was declined a horse-drawn carriage ride. Poo! - which incidentally is the reason he dislikes horses... Instead, we ended up getting lost in an enormous antique mall for a couple of hours.  It was way more fun than the horses anyway.  And it smelled much better.

3.  We had an impromptu Thanksgiving meal yesterday with all of my aunts and uncles on my dad's side of the family.  It was last minute, but very much enjoyed, especially since I haven't seen so many of them for far too long.

4.  While I was there, my mom gave me some amazing vintage pieces that were my Nanny's.  I can't wait to share them with you!  Soon enough, my friends.  Soon enough ...

5.  It's finally warming up a bit.  The last couple of days have been a heat wave with temps in the mid-30's (F).  With the exception of yesterday morning, when it iced all over everything.  Now, it's just melty and icky.

What's on your mind today?

TWENTY(TWO) QUESTIONS

 I've been tagged by both Rebekah from Shell and Second Skin Style, two VERY cool bloggin' ladies, with the following questions.  I thought they were pretty fun, so here it goes!

1. Your hair? I was a natural blond until I turned 26, and suddenly, my hair refused to grow blond anymore.  Now, it's the light brown color you see today.

 
2. Your favorite food? Homemade mac and cheese, hands down!

 
3. Your favorite drink? Vodka tonic.  Even better?  Clementine vodka tonic.

4. Your dream/goal? Be happy.  Sounds cheesy, but it can be tricky at times.  So often, we let thinks like money, careers and stuff get in the way of the only thing that really makes life worth living - happiness.

 
5. Your hobby? Blogging, sewing, shopping, photography, etc.  Jack of all trades, master of none.

6. Your fear? Losing someone I love.

7. Where were you last night? Home.  I work early on Saturdays, so Fridays are pretty low key around here.

8. Something you say all the time? "It's better than the alternative."  Because 9 times out of 10, it is.

9. Something that you're not? Quiet :)

10. Wishlist Item? New boots.

11. Last thing you did? Scoured etsy for fur hats for my previous post.

12. What are you wearing? Flannel and lounge pants.

 
13. Your pets? Iggy Pop, the best dog in the world!  He's having a dream right now and doing funny things in his sleep.

14. Friends? Well-loved.

 
15. Missing someone? Marnie. 

16. Something you're not wearing? Shoes.

17. Your favorite store? Right now, I'd say Goodwill.  I love unexpected treasures!

18. Your favorite color? Red.

19. The last time you cried? I honestly don't remember ...

20. When's the last time you laughed? About an hour ago.

 
21. One place that I go to over and over? Does gmail count?

 
22. Where do you eat? At the coffee table 99% of the time

FIND YOUR PERFECT FUR TOPPER

I had a reader request where she could find a fur hat like the vintage sweetie I've been sporting in the cold temps this week.  So, I did a little footwork for you and found a few winners on Etsy.  Happy shopping!

Seven Seas Vintage

BonTon Vintage

Zaama

Wonderful Store

WHY I NEED A SNUGGIE

SNOWFLAKES AND RAINBOWS

This is what it looked like outside when I went to bed at 11 o'clock last night.  It was the purest blanket of white snow that lit up the night.  I LOVE the smell, sound and feel of freshly fallen snow.  It's the icky dirty stuff that I can't stand.

So, we woke up this morning to several inches of crunchy, icy snow.  The roads were slick and all the local schools were canceled.  Then, at about 3 in the afternoon, it started raining and the sun started shining.  I looked outside and was surprised to see this:

That mother nature is one crazy broad!

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Oh, Monday ... you're here so soon.

A few things on my brain for today:

1.  I had a shamefully unproductive weekend.  It's possible that each day involved a nap, a movie (or two or three, but who's counting) and a game.  The only thing that got accomplished from Friday's list was eating Indian food.  Wow ... I suck.

2.  Due to aforementioned sheer laziness, I am currently glued to my laptop and kitchen table until I finish the work that MUST get done today.

3.  The bright side?  I've loaded up the home disc changer with all of my Christmas CD's and lit my favorite cookie-scented candles.  If nothing else, at least my house sounds and smells like the season.

4.  My manager is going to be in town this week, which means I'll be getting reviewed at some point.  I've already put together my outfits for the week, knowing that if I look good and feel good, then I'll do good.  You can quote me on that :)

5.  I'm super stoked to report that I have been easing back into running at least three times a week for the past month and my back is feeling fanfreakintasic!  All of my efforts (i.e. getting out from behind a desk 40 hours/ week, removing heels from my daily rotation, ice and strengthening exercises, etc, etc) are finally paying off.  I'm even LOVING going out in the cold.  Once you get all bundled up, it's pretty fun, even if my butt does get numb.

Hope you are all enjoying your Monday!  Outfit post coming soon ...

THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS WEEKEND

1.  Eat Indian food.

2.  Contemplate Christmas decorations.

3.  Muster up the energy to actually decorate.

4.  Get some Christmas gifting done.

5.  Watch Christmas Vacation!

I may have finally caught the holiday bug.

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Hope you all had a wonderful long weekend!  Or regular weekend if you're an international reader.  I only had off on Thanksgiving day, but it still felt like a weekend nonetheless.

It's all about perspective I guess.

Just a few of today's thoughts:

1.  I feel like dung.  Very sad face.  Consequently, I am working on my couch in my sweats with Spike TV's CSI marathon on in the background.  If I didn't feel so poopy, I might actually be enjoying it.

2.  Saturday night, the husband and I went to my 10 year high school reunion.  I'm really glad I went.  It was great to catch up with a few old friends and I was happy to see others happy.

3.  I have to confess that I have, indeed, tried to wear the most recent installment of the Ugly Sweater Series.  I really do like this one...  Unfortunately, it is way too big.  More sad face.

4.  While I am thoroughly enjoying the mild fall we've been having, I will admit that it's making it a little tricky to get into the holiday spirit.  It looks like things are going to start cooling off, though.

5.  The extent of my Black Friday purchases is a 3-in-1 Dirt Devil I bought at Target for $9.  I can barely contain myself...

BLOGGING IN BED

The husband is out with the boys tonight, so I'm left to my own devices.  Which pretty much means I just spent the last hour and half going through my closet playing dress up.  It was waaaay too much fun!  I've got outfits planned for the next week.  Wait until you guys see the awesomeness that I got at the thrift store yesterday!  I spent $25, which doesn't sound like a lot, but for me, that's a lot at the thrift store.  I try to be really particular, because in the past I've gotten way too much crap just because it was cheap and then I never where it.

I hate that!

Anyway ... among my purchases is a perfectly shrunken Levi's jean jacket
that I got for 29 cents ... holla!

I'm so pumped right now and I don't know why.

I guess I'm just feeling really inspired and just needed to spill!  Thanks for listening.

G'nite!

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Oh, Monday - I can't believe you're here already.

There's way too much on my mind today, but here are the highlights:

1.  I came to work with my husband again today in an attempt to be surperproductive.

2.  So far, I have gone thrifting (where I scored a majorly awesome military inspired jacket from Jones New York and a $.30 Levis jean jacket), taken outfit photos and have gotten my coffee from DD.

3.  My husband is very excited that everyone thinks his first holiday sweater is so cool.

Just wait, kids ... just wait ...

4.  I had lots of delicious and amazing food this weekend.  On Saturday, we went to the best Indian restaurant in the world.  Okay, maybe just the tri-state area, but anyway.  It never disappoints and I was even able to limit myself to one trip to the buffet.  Woohoo!  So, I felt great ... until ...

5.  We went to my mother-in-law's last night to celebrate our niece's birthday.  There was a lot of family there that we hadn't seen for some time, so it was great.  My MIL also cooked -- and the heavens opened and angels came down and touched my tummy.

It.  Was.  Amazing.  Have you ever had a rice ball?  'Nuff said.

Okay, now on to being productive ...

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Sorry I disappeared for a few days.  My best friend from high school and her boyfriend came to visit this weekend, which meant Friday was spent mostly procrastinating which then resulted in some late night cleaning.  It was such a short visit, and so we were really busy, but fun was had by all!

Here's what's on my mind today:

1.  Yesterday was the perfect start of my birthweek.  Yes, I acknowledge the whole week - one day just isn't enough.  It was 70 degrees, sunny and gorgeous yesterday!  It's cooling off over the next few days, but still the best birthweek weather a girl could ever wish for!  Thank you, Mother Nature!

2.  Body detox has officially begun.  Nothing extreme, just lots of veggies, water, exercise and lean eating this week.  All the junk food and liquid fun over the weekend have left me feeling a little like trash.

3.  As evident from #2, I just hang like I used to.

4.  Kaiserschmarrn ist sehr gut!

5.  As evident from #4, we tried some yummy Austrian cuisine this weekend.  Is it possible to over-sausage?

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

I realize that it's not quite Monday afternoon, but I'm rambling anyway...

Just a few things on my mind:

1.  I have developed a recent affinity for prunes.  They are super yummy!  And apparently I'm 80.  I do, however, prefer the term "dried plum."  It's not as loaded as "prune."

2. Today, the husband and I are recognizing "Bring Your Wife to Work Day."  No, this is not an actual holiday and technically, I'm tagging along, but I have a huge pile of invitations to design, and I needed to get out of the house to stay productive.  I only wish he had better snacks here.  I forgot my dried plums.

3.  If I am as productive as I need to be, I will treat myself to a trip to Goodwill.  Look out ... BIG spender!

4.  I have 374 days left to enjoy my twenties.  So far, so good.

5.  Yes, this is me doing some more procrastinating.  I'm going back to doing work now ...

RAMBLINGS OF A MONDAY AFTERNOON

Just a few things that are on my mind today:

1.  I have SOOOOOO enjoyed seeing everyone's costumes over the last few days!  You all came up with some crazy stuff and the creativity was endless.  Thanks for sharing, everyone!

2.  I finally got a great run in this morning.  My back still hurts, but I. Am. Determined.  I'm going to kick this thing!

3.  Iggy is the cutest, laziest dog EVER!

4.  I made a yummy, yummy cake this weekend.  It was 1 box of carrot cake dry mix + 1 14oz. can of pumpkin - nothing else!  Mix and bake (time and temp. according to the box) and throw a little cool whip over the top.  It was soooo good and super light!

5.  This is all just a really lame attempt at procrastinating cleaning up this:

Somehow, I though blogging about it would be  good first step.  Oh, sigh...

NO RECEPTION

Iggy and I spent the most beautiful weekend in this cottage at Eagles Mere.

With no cell reception or internet (for my new laptop that came in the mail just before I left!) - we were really roughin' it ... haha

It's nice to just get away, even if it's only for 24 hours.

Especially when you're amidst views like these.

And sun-shiney weather like this.

Today, we drove around a lot.

First, we just took in the gorgeous fall colors.

Then, we went to a small county fair, complete with a wood carving competition.

Then, we drove to another nearby small town for a Freedom Celebration (read: community yard sale with food).

Afterward, it was back to the cottage for some more clams and leftover baked beans.  Mmm, mmm...

As you can imagine, it was an exhausting day.

So, now, Iggy and I are off to bed.  Hope you all had a great weekend!