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All Things EARTH... part 2


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Sally,that is a cute dress.I fell in lovr with the red. Surprise. Melody, sometimes when a dress feels too loose for me, I go a size down. Or I will taper the sides. I did that with the green maxi I wore on my last cruise and the yellow tropical printout also.

 

Of course, I love your Red Sox shirts. The second one I loved and I tried that one myself but I sent it back because it didn't fit me quite right. I think too I would like a red based shirt as well. I have a few different things but I am looking for something that is styled based on a jersey like yours are.

 

I have never really been drawn to Chicos for whatever reason. The sizing drives me crazy, lol. But I agree also that the clothing is a bit boxy for me.

 

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Laurie, my second Red Sox shirt is my Pedroia shirt. The white one Les had on was his Varitek shirt. I tried going down a size but then it pulled across the chest & was still too loose on hips. I’m going to need to pull my sewing machine out & make some major adjustments to many of my clothes. Daughter has a great alterations gal, I may go that route instead, especially for my really nice things. Melody

 

 

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Sally,that is a cute dress.I fell in lovr with the red. Surprise. Melody, sometimes when a dress feels too loose for me, I go a size down. Or I will taper the sides. I did that with the green maxi I wore on my last cruise and the yellow tropical printout also.

 

That red dress is definitely an a line which I prefer . I can see how if you are large busty it would not hang right . I like how the arms are cut in and the material is very nice . It is loose which I like and it has pockets another plus. A great dress for casual wear ,

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Melody, I know my daughter loves those. I will let her know about Kohls because they are pretty expensive to buy. I have a similar style in an off brand, and they have been holding up very well.

 

 

I worked outside yesterday, and my timing was rather bad. Mid day, in the 90s, with a long sleeve shirt, jeans and gloves on. Boy, was it ever hot! I was doing some yard work that needed to be done, and sometimes, you have to go with when you have the time, nt when it is convenient. The attire was necessary, because when my husband was working in the same area a few weeks ago, he got a really bad case of poison ivy. I didn't want to take the chance with that. We have a lot more to do, but we are going to work in the evening tonight and tomorrow. Yesterday, it was just me because my husband has been out of town for the weekend and will be back later on today.

 

 

I found out that the spring Fenway South schedule gets released in late October/early November so I can think about the concept and do some research in the meantime. So far, I've seen a lot of reasonably priced hotels, so that is good. Car rental, tickets and food may not be though. you just never know until you research things!

 

 

Melody, I sew, but with today's fabrics and styles, you need a serger for a lot of things. As a result, I adjust what I can do myself easily, such as our favorite coral print shirt from Dressbarn. Taking in the side seams was so easy, because it is a simple, over the head style and I'm not really using the stretch of the fabric at all. On the other hand, the yellow print dress from White House Black Market was a sheer fabric, and I was concerned that the seam finishing would be seen through the dress, so rather than debate how to do it, I took it to a tailor that I swear by.

 

 

 

A lot of things that I have that I wanted to keep I took to her. In the same breath, it is worth saying that I realized that you really should think before spending the money. Is it a favorite dress? Was it an expensive pair of pants you'd like to keep? Or maybe it is a recent purchase that you got a steal on, where spending a little money to adjust it still makes the item cost worthy.

 

 

One of my issues in the past was that I hardly ever found a dress that fit. So I almost always had to bring them to be adjusted. I have had quite a few dresses lately that didn't need a thing done to them, thank goodness. That isn't just about the weight loss, but also about the fact that more manufacturers seem to be realizing that the average woman is not a B or C cup anymore.

 

 

 

Really, it's about time. I work with mostly women, that range in size from zero to plus sizes, and I would say that only about 25% of them are a B or C cup. Seriously. And the cup size is not related to the overall size they wear in general.

 

 

 

I don't mean to sound like I am ranting, lol. I'm not. I just think it is good when manufacturers realize this. Also, many fabrics have some stretch so that helps too.

 

 

I have a dress on today, even though I'm just doing odds and ends at home. I find a casual knit dress to be comfy, and I like the versatility. I wore the same dress was cute casual sandals and a cropped denim jacket not long ago, and I can totally see the same dress in the fall with a scarf and sweater. I don't know what I would do with footwear with a fall outfit...I have boots, but I'm not sure how flattering the look would be for me. I have to think sometimes how I break up my body. I can look frumpy in a hurry!

 

 

I tried to get a picture of the dress, but I'm no very good at selfies so the picture isn't very good.

 

 

 

My coverlet for the new king sized bed came this week, finally. It looks really nice! I definitely need a bed skirt, so I ordered that today. I was in our local JCP store yesterday to make a return, and was shocked at how little they carry in the store itself anymore.

 

 

 

I used to space out my home projects a little better, but sometimes, things just line up a certain way. When we are on vacation this fall, we are going to work on trim inside the house that we have been replacing, so my husband is putting aside some money for that. That isn't super expensive, and doing it ourselves saves a bundle. Our biggest issue is that everything seems to take us way longer than it should...like years, lol. It seems hard to find true handymen these days if you want a little bit of work done, and we are just really busy sometimes. I think I mentioned that we did a lot of the trim work downstairs already, we just need to finish it up and move to the upstairs. Unfortunately, my husband thought it would be a good idea to remove the old stuff, and then replace it a little at a time. All the windows and doorways upstairs have trim, but there is no baseboard through the majority of the upstairs. We are doing a custom look so it involves multiple pieces which is time consuming. It's worth the results though.

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Laurie, good job on the trim! We’re replacing our hollow core doors a few at a time too.

 

I took in “our” blouse & really need to do it again [emoji6]. I hit the 50 lb mark this week & all of a sudden my size 10 capris, pants (etc) that I just bought are starting to sag & bag. I’ve never lost in my legs or behind before so it’s rather exciting! Haven’t lost a bit off my chest tho. I’m taking my best things to be altered. My white sparkly jacket being one of those that has to be brought in several sizes, it’s worth it as it’s no longer being made. Melody

 

 

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Laurie , Spring training is in Feb. & March usually . That is the high season so rooms fill up fast .

 

Melody , It took me a year after my weight loss before my pants dropped a size . I went through two total wardrobes before I settled at size 8 .

 

Today I am packing for my visit to see my daughter and grandsons . I miss them so much .

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Home safely from our 2800 mile drive. Left Sunday night at midnight & got home last night at midnight. But Skylar is back home with her Dad & so happy. We’re off for San Antonio next week for our grandson’s basic training graduation. This is now officially known as road trip summer!

 

 

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I like road trips! I've done that drive a few times from CO to/through San Antonio. (We went to Pagosa Springs one year for Christmas when we lived in Houston.) DH and I both attended Trinity University in San Antonio and we went back there many times in the years following graduation. I'd like to go back again...I recently read about how the Riverwalk has been expanded.

 

We're headed off to Boston tomorrow. I was able to change our hotel since we are only staying 2 nights instead of 3. We'll be closer to Fenway now. AND I was able to upgrade our seats to Comfort+ for a nominal amount. Yay!

 

DS' end of program concert is Friday night. Saturday morning, we're visiting Harvard. We fly home Saturday evening. Not sure how much touring time we'll have. DH might have to work during the day on Friday...we arrive just before 10PM on Thursday... The weather forecast looks good though!

 

I've worn my hat so much Melody! Just wanted to say...I love it. It makes me so happy to see all the colors!

 

I've finally got my Trip Report up to a point where I can share some more outfits over here! I couldn't handle the two being out of sync...I'll resume sharing wardrobe over here after lunch.

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First...I'm going to get Mom caught up.

 

On embarkation day...Mom started the day with a sleeveless Athleta rash guard:

 

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Hanging out in the Sunset Bar...as the day progressed...and we lost the sun...the chill in the air...Mom took a quick trip up to her stateroom on Deck 11 (just above the Sunset Bar for those not familiar) to don a long-sleeved Athleta rash guard:

 

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That Arizona acclimated blood! I was still sporting my Marsala bamboo knit.

 

Later on...for Sailaway...Mom would ALSO add the aqua cardigan sweater seen earlier in the trip. I could add another photo of her wearing this...but she is glaring at me taking the photo...she was remembering what it's like to sail with someone who likes to take pictures...and getting annoyed I think. I promised to not post such photos...so I will refrain. LOL.

 

We all donned long sleeves in the cooler air...this photo is taken much later in the evening...but this is my plaid button-down flannel hoodie that I used for added warmth. The purple is a deeper, smoky kind of merlot like purple color:

 

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Ok!

 

So...first Elegant Chic night. We definitely took advantage of the idea of elegant chic over traditional formal. Going for comfortable and adhering to the letter of the code if not the spirit of the code...

 

I wore my super comfy, oh so wonderfully colored Rust bamboo knit dress...which I wore before with the leggings to the opera...paired with new fun tights in a floral pattern...and my Birks! I did thoroughly clean my Birks before our trip...the leather looked brand new and the footbed was much improved though not new looking...

 

I was grateful to have something super simple picked out. Our Sea Day had been very low key...I had taken a shower that morning and didn't feel the need to shower again before putting on my dress. I think I might have been more inclined to think I needed more sprucing up if I had brought a more formal dress. As it was...it took me longer to do my hair than to get dressed.

 

Nothing like doing your hair while DS is watching! I hadn't practiced the messy bun look as much as I probably should have. During whatever attempt it was to create that carefree messy look...when DS complimented me...That one looks good!...that's when I stopped. Done.

 

Here I am doing my mermaid statue imitation:

 

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I really dislike what is happening with my upper lip in this photo! But I'm sharing anyway because we're such good friends...I know you know that this is one ODD smile. My dry lip was stuck under... Anyway...it's a good shot of my necklace. I love this necklace. It was my Grandmother's. It's a globe and it's made entirely of semi-precious stones. SO COOL. OH! You can see my new glasses too! I love the color of the frames. DH looks good so...

 

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Finally...at the end of the evening...when I'm wanting a photo of DH and I together...I grab him and aim for the mirrors in the stateroom. A bit blurry but still...I like this one:

 

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MOM didn't have her photo taken this evening. She doesn't like her photo taken...and I gave her a break from the camera. Dad did too, so sorry ladies! No Mom elegant chic photos.

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Anita - your tights are cute and I love the final pic of you and your husband - fun!:hearteyes:

 

You look so happy in your pictures, I'm glad you had a good time:cool:

 

I hope to convince my MIL to let us take more pictures of her. I don't know why so many of us moms shy away from the camera (I've been guilty too), but I treasure the few shots I have of my mom. The candid ones from when she was young and healthy are my favorites, although I have some nice portraits too. The candid shots take me back to when I was little, she was well, and any hurts in my life could be made better by curling up on her lap<3 Too soon our moms are gone<|3 Pictures can help with the memories.

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We had an awesome road trip, just way too fast & long. We had to drive out to get granddaughter because her mother wouldn’t drive her the 10 miles to the Ontario airport. You should’ve seen my ex DILs face when I popped out of the SUV, wish I’d taken a picture. GD is so happy & I have a new turtle (Clyde). Picture of Skylar, Bunny & Clyde when we got to our house last night at midnight 55f1bc545ed77a16c647898bdc24ad14.jpg. I really think Skys shirt was appropriate [emoji23][emoji23]

 

Anita, I’m so glad you like the hat. Your cruise pictures are great! Melody

 

 

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Anita, I love seeing your pictures. Both of the pictures with you and your husband are great. I know that I post a lot of the formal photography, mostly because I have not mastered the art of taking a selfie. I also have found that some of our photos with our phones are off that my husband takes, and I finally figured out why...he moves the top part of the camera forward a bit, so the camera is at an angle. Literally, we have big heads. Lol!

 

 

I have always felt that it is important to feel comfortable mentally. By that I mean that you have to feel like yourself, and not preoccupied with how you look. For me, that comes from picking and planning ahead of time. I admit that I really enjoy looking for just the right thing. It's elusive, for sure. If I find a great style and fit, the color will be off, for example. But I enjoy looking, and I don't mind returning ten things and only keeping one.

 

 

 

It helps too that my weight has been steady for about 7-8 months now. I feel that I need to lose more, but with the cost of a wardrobe when you need a big variety of clothing to cover 4 seasons, I like that I can get some use out of what I have. I really don't know how much more I should lose, but I think about 20 pounds.

 

 

 

Melody, whenever I lost weight in the past, it was rapid and I lost all over. This time, I lost gradually and also started a to exercise a lot more. Initially, I lost weight all over, then it become just from the waist down. I had to wear a 16 in a dress, but was a 12 in pants. Now I can wear an 8 or 10 in a dress, but a 6 in pants. The thing about the dress size though relates to something I mentioned previously...it seems that clothing manufacturers have finally realized that most women are not a B cup.

 

 

 

I hope that isn't an overshare, lol. From a health perspective, I love that I am no longer on medicine for my blood pressure and seldom have any issues with my asthma anymore. It's a great feeling.

 

 

Your granddaughter is so cute, Melody!

 

 

My mom never let us take her picture. We have a few that were taken before she was 30, and literally only about 5 after that. I used to feel that way, and then I realized that it doesn't make sense to preach acceptance, liking ourselves, etc. and then not wanting a picture taken because we don't like the way we look. I still have trouble relaxing sometimes, but I'm getting there!

 

 

Completely different subject here - I went for my first massage last week, and it was just divine. My daughter had gotten it as a gift to me, and I returned the favor for her birthday so we could go together. Sometimes, I think it can make a big difference where you go, but I will definitely go back here. They have a great spa you can use prior to your massage, which we did. What I loved it that it wasn't too strong - on cruise ships and at hotels, just the scent of the bleach bothers my nose and then my eyes. This wasn't overly done. Also, my bathing suit didn't fade!

 

 

Anyway, I felt truly relaxed, which is hard for me to do.

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Laurie, congrats on improving your health. It really is amazing how much we can do for our bodies through diet and exercise (I am glad for medicine when needed, but prefer it to not be the first/only option).

 

My husband's cholesterol and asthma also improved dramatically through diet and exercise. I lost 50# a few years ago but unfortunately got lazy and stopped tracking diet and exercising as much and gained 40 of it back :( My BP and cholesterol are creeping up and I have more aches and pains due to the extra weight. I'm trying to make myself a priority though and get back to good health/fitness :)

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Ah...massages can be very relaxing...or painful. If you are getting a deep muscle release massage. ;p

 

We're here in Boston...it's a sun shiny day! DS has scoped out a pizza place for lunch...we'll see him for the first time in almost two weeks in a few hours...and let him play tour guide!

 

Meanwhile...back in Ketchikan...

 

If you are reading along on my Trip Report on the Celebrity board...you know we are in Ketchikan! It's cool and raining. I knew that I would wear my raincoat all day. I thought those long sleeves would be warm enough on my arms...but I wanted extra layers on my core. I opted to wear my new Icebreaker brand merino wool short sleeved shirt with my super fluffy fleece vest...my technical fabric cargos...and my trusty hiking boots.

 

I pictured myself in the elevator!

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Note that I'm also wearing my Melody hat...and the orange thing near my waist is a sweet little lens cleaning cloth. It's clipped to my belt loop...super handy on a rainy day to keep the camera lens clear.

 

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/spudz-ultra-blaze-orange-lens-cloth#repChildCatid=3767106

 

Here are Mom and I having fun with the totem poles at Cape Fox Lodge...my purple rain coat!

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Mom is wearing her spot me from miles away FIRE colored rain coat! Her knit royal blue beanie...Isotoner gloves...who knows what all under that coat...I think some tan denim pants (probably from Chicos) and her new Goretex sneakers...which might be Merrell brand? (Maybe Mom can come on and detail what she is wearing!)

 

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