All Things EARTH... part 2

Anita, WOW. Sorry the apt situation is not what you expected & 5 trips, ugh. Moving is tough. Hope you get settled & get some rest. Melody

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Wow Anita ! I would be either on sedation or drinking fishbowls of wine at that point .

Im going to have Sally's fishbowl of wine! I spent the day doing school clothes shopping with my grands. I'm a prodigious shopper & these kids absolutely wore me out! They had a blast & came home & modeled everything for Papa, then we went & had ice cream (at 3pm & ruined everyone's dinner [emoji23][emoji23]. Melody

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Holy cow, Anita, you are a trooper!

Fishbowls of wine--hell, I would be swimming in an aquarium of wine and wouldn't surface for days :eek:

Sharing the villa my girls are at for the next week in St Thomas . Melody

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Melody, I love those pictures. They are going to have such a great time!

Margaret, I have been thinking about you a lot. I can say that dealing with sick family members is a very, very difficult thing. Especially parents. I'm praying for you.

Anita, wow! It's hard to find the words. That was quite a bit move. Do you think after the first truckload it would have been worth renting the truck again for a second round to save some trips? The thing is with renting trucks is that they always end up being so much more expensive than you expect.

It makes me think about my daughter's internship she did in Albany. We packed up two Jeeps, drove to Albany, unpacked the Jeeps. We drove one Jeep to NYC, rented a truck, loaded it up with secondhand furniture from my nephew (the truck was way too big. There was a storm the day before and the smaller trucks were not returned on time) then we drove from NYC back to Albany. All in one very long day. Oh, and from Albany back to Syracuse.

What made the trip so memorable is that we spent a long time in a not so good area of the Bronx. Seems that even though you can rent big trucks, most of your major highways out of that area don't allow them, because they don't fit under the little bridges for the trains.

I really like Sally's fishbowls of wine idea. :'):')

Anita, you are right. Coming to terms with color and style is very freeing. I think it has been such a big confidence booster. There is nothing worse than loving something, and being so incredibly excited to wear it, and then looking and saying "why doesn't it look right?" I don't miss things like black, because I know it does nothing for me. I can walk away so easily. What I do miss is when I can't get something in a good earth color.

I think a Serger would be great someday, when I have more time to work on things. I see so many things I like in wrong colors, so if I could make them, that would be so great.

In the photo with the three shirts, one thing I love is that I can cross the straps of my bra to form a racer back, and two of the shirts work beautiful with that. It is so much more comfortable than a strapless bra, with good support too.

Even though one of the shirts is a print, I really like that so it will definitely go with me. I know I've talked about prints before, and I will admit that whenever I look at the dress line up, I ask myself if I'm certain about the print maxi. I have a solid green maxi that is a basic tank styling. Straight, no gathers but not clingy or anything. It's too big. For whatever reason, I've thought about this dress a lot. Maybe too much. To the point where I have thought I should take it in now, and see if it is a good replacement dress. Yet I like that floral shirt, with the turquoise background

And I really need to take a picture of the pink/peach shirt with the bird. Maybe one of the things I need to stay away from is geometrics, abstracts...???

The bird is brown.

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I tried another quick picture. At least you can see the bird!

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Laurie, our moving was similar to that trip you mentioned. We came early with two vehicles to be able to drop one off and get the apt keys, etc., because the building is secure and the parking is gated and the office hours are limited and not on the weekends and we didn't want to worry about making it here by the end of business on Friday (which is good because we wouldn't have). For the single trip back to do the cleaning and the final clearing out...I should have rented another trailer...but the hardship of that was that the things weren't packed properly to go into a trailer...and that would have introduced a different kind of dilemma, because packing for a no suspension trailer is completely different from packing to go into the back of a 4Runner.

Anyway...DS has a friend that is planning to visit us early next month...I'm going to assign him a trip to the friend's basement to bring us some of our stuff. He's the one that bought my car so...it should all work out fine and I'm familiar with his cargo space! :')

We've been taking advantage of our downtown location...doing a bit of walking all around. DH and I went out to see some live Jazz in a park last night...tonight it's more of a rock band...they're celebrating a 50th anniversary of something and the band is a classic rock cover band playing music from 1967. That one is only 2 blocks away.

I can tell you from all the walking around that I'll need to really test out my shoes for walkability. I keep putting my normal trail hiking shoes on to walk all around and that's fine for now...but it's making me think about all the shoes and observations I made in Spain, especially Barcelona, and what people were wearing. It's seems to be that when you live in a city, more of your shoes in general just have a high walkability rating...it just becomes a part of your fashion sense, I guess.

I wouldn't walk around in my Birks in hot, sweaty weather...up and down hills. Just not a good fit...they'd be fine when it isn't quite so hot (we're at 105 with the heat index). My current Tevas are more flip flop replacements than actual activity sandals, the cheapest, simplest style. I have some cute sneakers...and most are okay for walking around. But other non-sneaker style shoes...I don't really have any that I would consider to be great for being on my feet for a long time. Not for warm weather anyway.

As I might have mentioned...I didn't quite sort as much as I wanted before leaving. So I'm sorting as I unpack my clothing. All these methodologies...well...this is what I'm doing now. First, I'm asking myself if I even want to try it on to see how it fits these days and if I like it. Not surprising...several items have hit the Goodwill pile from that question alone. Then I try it on, and if I have ANY negative thoughts...it hits the Goodwill pile.

We all know this, but style really does have a major affect on your perceived weight. I can put on a shirt and feel like a huge lump all over...put on another an just feel like a curvy woman. The lump shirts have hit the bye bye pile. Sadly, I realize that for whatever reason, I've often grabbed for the lumpy shirts over the curvy shirts in the past...I look in the drawer and it's all curvy shirts...

DH asked me several weeks ago if I ever put something on and just wear that or do I always put something on and then change a couple times before being dressed for the day...

I'm really hoping to get there...where everything I have to choose from is good to go.

I'm not sure what to do about the things that are too small...the things I bought when I had lost weight that don't fit now...I'm so hopeful that I will be losing weight with a greater focus on health now that life will be simpler in the apt living...but in the meantime...what to do with these things? Space is much more limited now...I don't have places to store unused items really. And maybe I want to get something new?

As crazy as this is to type here...these things are now 5 YEARS old. Now that's not to say that 5 years is so old...BUT...maybe, if I am able to lose weight over the next year, let's say...I'll want something new. KWIM?

Have any of you used a KYSS (keep your stuff safe) bag? I'm considering getting one for this cruise as we're going to be doing so much snorkeling on this trip. It'd give me a bag to stash stuff while we're in the water & be able to lock it up. Melody

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Melody , Your grand daughter is gorgeous !

Anita , Maybe keep just the things you love that are a smaller size in a vacuum bag .

Anita, your reasons for how you planned out your trip are very similar to mine. We too had to get the keys to the apartment and everything. It was quite a tiring weekend It was also very emotional, as I we were dropping off my daughter who stayed on campus for 2 years before moving back home to save money. Since she was going to school locally, she could do either. But here we were, dropping her off in an apartment where she wasn't a short drive away, or where she could see Brian on campus daily. (my husband works at the college she was attending)

I understand what you mean about wanting new things. That is part of the debate when something gets too big for me. Do I donate it and buy something new, or take it in? I can do some of the tailoring myself, and other things I take to a tailor.

I also find that with all the different things that we have been studying here - color, style statement, Carol Tuttle, etc. - I tend to get dressed, and head out the door. I'm much more comfortable with my choices. I spend a lot of time thinking about the items I put back without wearing. I figure that something made me buy it, and now I'm not wearing it. If I can figure out why, then maybe I can keep from making the same mistake again.

Here is one thing I've discovered, especially with looser fitting tops. If they fit loose, I don't always pay attention to How loose they are. I tell myself it is suppose to be that way. Then I get ready for work and I feel frumpy. In those cases, it isn't so much the style as it is the sizing. It's okay to take something back to the store, exchange it, return it, whatever.

Here is something else too. With my current shape, I can wear styles that I couldn't wear before. So I'm having some fun exploring that.

The hardest thing to find right now is dress pants for work in earth colors. And blazers and/or suits. I have a few really nice summer time suits, but I'm in trouble when fall and winter come around unless someone decides to put something olive or brown out there.

Sally, great idea on the vacuum bags. Not only do they compress to take up little space, I think they will keep items much nicer so that you don't have to worry about storing them a while, such as moths or whatever. Anita, maybe you can keep just those items that you really love?

Speaking of items we love, I am really feeling good about this upcoming cruise. I really love what I plan to wear. I think I only like the print maxi dress so that is in question, but I like it enough that I can deal with wearing it if I don't replace it with something else.

I think the walking part of your new location sounds fun. It's a total hassle for us to go downtown if they are having any sort of festival. To live in area where you can walk seem great to do. I get blisters on the bottom of my feet very easily, so I can relate to having good walking shoes and sneakers available. I actually had a blood blister (LARGE) on the bottom of my foot after participating in Corporate Challenge, a 5 mile walk/run. Sometimes, I get small blisters or the start of a blister after the gym.

So here is where I am at with daytime clothing.

These two outfits here I am thinking of for my two sea days. The denim shorts are a bit cool in tone, but they have a great fit. They have a side zipper, no pockets. I love that golden yellow shirt. It's more towards fire than earth, but I love it. On the right is the print shirt I wore in Boston, with some yellow shorts. When I look at the shorts IRL, I think of butter. I think they come off looking cooler under the ceiling fan light.

This is the bracelet I'm likely to wear with the yellow top and denim shorts: I took a picture of the bracelet for the other outfit, but it came out blurry so I'll ignore posting it.

The next photo, the outfit on the left is probably going on our sunset catamaran excursion in Aruba. The outfit on the right may be my boarding day outfit. I have a lot of thoughts on that outfit...a lot. I started with red shorts that weren't very earthy, and there was something bothering me. I think it was combination of texture, color and the scallop hem, but it just didn't work. The shorts in the picture or more a deep warm blue, I think I have always referred to it as a peacock blue. I think it's perfect for Margaret. :)

I think these little bracelets work perfect. It's funny, because I was planning on wearing them with one of the dresses I'm bringing too, so I must really like them.

I didn't take a picture of the bracelet to go with the boarding outfit, but it is nice, understated.

These outfits here have skorts. (it's making me think of the skorts conversation over on the fire thread, lol) The shirt on the left is one a few of us have from DressBarn. I was thinking this is a good outfit for Curacao, when we are looking to explore on foot? I have also heard about a really good tour that we might take. It should work well. The outfit to the right is interesting, because I really don't wear regular tank tops a lot. I hate it when my bra straps show, lol. Plus it is fitted. But I was wearing this during the week and thinking about how much I liked it. It's one I think Anita has also, from Target? It's a great rusty brown kind of color.

I'm not planning any jewelry just yet with the outfit on the left, but I cold definitely find something to work. With the outfit on the left, I have this bracelet to wear:

Then here are the two. It's a 7 day cruise, so I figured the 8th outfit is my extra or even for when we arrive in San Juan.

It's not a great picture. The teal shorts are great, and that top is nice. On the right, the top is much more muted that it looks in the photo. Sometimes I look at it and see air, sometimes earth. I do that a lot with burgundy/garnet type colors.

Since these were sold as one but are separate bracelets, I can take out those pinkish ones if I want. But it gives the outfit something it needs because it was kind of blah. I have not figured out the jewelry for the other outfit, but I think I will wear one my sister's necklaces. Ever since she passed away the day I was coming back from a cruise, I bring one of her necklaces with me to wear.

And...swimsuits. I think this is the first time in my life I have ever had this many swimsuits, but I just couldn't decide which to send back. I will say that I was planning on bringing three with me. Adventure has a hot tub in the spa that we love, and there is definitely one beach day planned. I am contemplating another. So this will work.

Here is the one that involved the return to Athleta, where the price dropped and they gave me the new price. There is the same color in part of the cover up, but not a lot. I could wear my other one so it isn't a big deal.

And here is the replacement for the olive one. I love it. The color reminds me of those shorts- a warm dark blue. The coverup is a shirt I have loved for years that is too big. It works great for a coverup now in it's second life.

Now I have to decide on the third one. Will it be the aqua or deep coral? Both are great fitting. I actually have another tankini set in the deep coral, but these two are the final contenders. In an effort to try to get more detail in the photos, this picture and the last one are brighter than what the items are like in reality.

And these are the shorts that I originally had with the crochet ivory lace top. I guess they are a bit earthy.I find with red, orange and cranberry (or whatever you want to call that color range) the lighting makes all the difference. Color choices with these shorts are limited. I tend to go to ivory, which isn't my best color. They're fun shorts though.

I have to make sure I look at what I have planned, to make sure I have the appropriate clothing picked. Then I have a few small jewelry choices to make, and then just pajamas, underclothes and gym clothes for the ship's gym.

And I always take a "what if it's cool in the evening?" outfit. Really, that's just either a cropped pant or very lightweight pants, with a cardigan. I should be able to wear any of the shirts I'm already bringing with them.

Nope, I'm not a light packer. But I do wear it all! :-)

Laurie, I can't see any of the pictures. All I get is "please update your account to enable 3rd party hosting. When I click on it I get a blank page. I'd really like to see the pictures!

Anita, I agree with Sally & Laurie. Get some vacuum bags & put the outfits that you really love in them & donate the rest (get receipts, you can deduct them). All the walking you're doing will definitely help with the weight loss

Laurie, Chicos has a lovely olive green in their Travelers line. Wide legged slacks, tank & open cardigan. It might be formal enough for you to wear to work.

Here's Les in the full face snorkel mask, I'll have him get me next time we go . Mine is electric blue with black.

I hope all is well with Margaret. Melody

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Ugh. They are on my computer screen and not on my phone. I went to photobucket to see what the deal is, and me it's looking like you have to pay to link the images now? I'm going to read through and see what I need to do.

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Sea days:

Sunset catamaran and boarding outfit:

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Curacao And perhaps St. Thomas

These are the Red shorts I don't think I'm bringing.

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Other days...

Definite swimsuits:

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Need to pick one of these

.as soon as I can find another way to post pictures, I'll update this. I can't edit from my phone, but I can post the pictures....ugh.

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I'd take all the swimsuits & wear the one you feel like that day. Love the deeper blue & orange ones. That first glowy Orange one is gorgeous!

It's funny, I wear our shirt with the same color skort! I'm not totally excited about the red shorts.

As always your choices are great Melody

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I understand that it's hard for photobucket to keep things free. But the plan that allows the image posting is expensive. I'm going to have to take the pictures with my phone from now on and type on this itty bitty keyboard, lol. Unless I find another way to do it. Darn.

The red shorts are actually cute, but I totally didn't like them with that ivory shirt. I switched out the shorts and I immediately liked the outfit. It might be a bit heavy though for tropical weather. It's also not my best style but I do like it.

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