Anita Latte

Very nice Melody! I forgot to mention...we ate dinner at Nando's. It's a chain restaurant that features South African cuisine, especially Peri-Peri chicken. There are even locations in some US states. DS had originally wanted to take us to his fave Thai place but we were turned away there...no room...and no waiting...just simply, sorry we can't accommodate you. If you live near a Nando's, I recommend it. We were a party of 4 and ordered a family platter which gave us 2 whole chickens and several large sides for around 10 pounds per person, which was a great deal. We got a tamer spiced lemon herb chicken and a medium peri peri chicken. EXCELLENT. https://www.nandos.com

Kat...you have nice legs LOL...joggers would just add weight to you that you don't need. I look better in joggers than leggings because the skimming over my body silhouette from a waistband helps to flatter my body shape...it helps give my shape a bit of waist definition and is more forgiving over my thicker thighs.

That green is a better green for being green than the drab olive I got, which is more of a deep gray green that can look more like a shade of gray than a shade of green. I just can't justify getting another pair at this point, as much as I may like them lol. My Xero brand Prios don't bother me at all. https://xeroshoes.com/shop/closed-toe-shoes/prio-women/ If you aren't used to zero drop shoes then they could be a rough transition but they are foot shaped with a great lacing system to keep them secure all while having plenty of room in the toe box. I got the fig/elderberry color. I'll have to double check DH's phone but I don't have any real photos of US for our first couple days. When we arrived in London, DS met us in Paddington at the entrance to the newer Elizabeth line. So the Elizabeth line is an overground train that is in the same area of Heathrow as the Heathrow express. It's the newest line to open in the system and the trains are very nice. They have two seats on other side of the aisle similar to a regular train while also having an area similar to an overground/underground train with seats on the edge facing the middle which ends up with an extra wide space there so it's much more luggage friendly than a typical overground/underground train. The Elizabeth line runs parallel to the Heathrow Express between Heathrow and Paddington, but the Elizabeth train keeps going and while the express doesn't stop anywhere between Heathrow and Paddington, the Elizabeth line does. The Elizabeth line is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than the Heathrow Express. So that's what we took into town from the airport. We ate breakfast at a pub in Paddington and then walked over to Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens...entering by the Italian Garden and getting some fresh (very warm) air and sunshine, which helped with the jet lag more than anything...until we could check into our AirBnB, which was a studio...about as big as a typical inside cabin on a cruise ship. It got the job done and we were basically only there to sleep so... On our first evening, we were going to a performance at the Royal Academy of Music. Because we were going there when the academic year had ended, there weren't many performances happening there but DS wanted us to be able to see something there and this was the best of potentials. It was being performed in the best hall in DS's opinion, for sound anyway. And it was a composition department performance. Four graduate composers had picked a William Bird piece for inspiration and written their own composition. The small (about 10-12) piece ensemble sang the William Bird piece and then the new composition inspired by that piece. The conductor asked each student the same questions as a sort of introduction to the piece, including my favorite, which was, What is a moment that you especially enjoy in your piece that we can listen for? Before the performance and after the performance we went to the pub in the lowest level of the Academy building to have a pint. DS spent many hours there and so it was fun to be able to see it. And get to, however briefly, see the inside of the Academy. It's a whole different ball game over there...DS would regularly hang out with his professors in that pub discussing whatever. We ended up moving on to another bar to check that out...which is the typical progression of a night out for DS...moving on to what he called "Spoons". I guess Witherspoon runs several bars in London. They are all unique in that they don't impose a corporate character on the bar. They just play up whatever the character of the building is that they bought for the bar. I think we were at the Millennium. Last call seemed early to me...it was before midnight...but then, if you don't know, the underground/overground system doesn't run 24/7 and so you really don't want to miss the last train. The buses run 24/7 so there's always a way home, but that could literally take hours to make all the transfers necessary if you miss your train. Take note...because I had just assumed that the tube was like the subway in NYC which I thought did run 24/7. Some lines have night trains, but service is limited. I can't even tell you how weird it was to get off at our station and then stand on the corner to say goodnight to DS and know that he would be walking another 0.3 miles after dark on his own. It's just...very odd. You know he has been doing that for years...and he's been just fine...but to voluntarily say good night like that? Momma had to remind herself that her DS is 22 OMG.

Yes, the black ballet flats that I didn't really need were the new ones I got. I am a big people watcher and being in London...let's just say that I tried not to be rude or too obvious about it, but I was definitely paying more attention to the people around me on the tube, for instance, than to my phone...which is what about 90% of the people on the tube were doing. When I saw the deal with shoes, and how it seemed that everyone was just so practical about it all...I decided to wear sneakers with my dress on graduation day. I'm glad I did because we did a lot of walking that day and while my new flats are comfortable, they are new...and just flats, and there's one spot across the top of my big toe area where the edge of the shoe is still fresh and not quite broken in. It digs a bit and it would have bothered me. As it is, I wore them to the opera, which still involved quite a bit of walking...but just an evening's worth, not a whole day...and my feet weren't damaged at that one spot...but I was happy to get them off...and I didn't have that feeling on any other day. Laurie, those are my pants! I have the older style which has a slightly different waistband and cuff. https://www.rei.com/product/187025/athleta-trekkie-north-jogger-pants-womens They have definitely streamlined their look with the update to the style. My waistband is covered with a shirt though so not sure how much different it would actually make. I really like them...the fabric has great stretch and recovery, so the knees don't pop out, if you kwim? That can be an issue for me with knit pants...they can be harder to rewear which isn't as helpful for travel. I have 3 pairs of those Athleta trekkie joggers...black, ecru, and a drab green. The black ones are the ones I wore on our flight to London. The fabric also dries quickly...not in the waist as much because that's a different fabric on mine...and folded over so double thickness like yoga pants...but the legs, getting caught in the rain, my pants dried very quickly. They aired out nicely too, so they were good to wear multiple times. Melody...hope you have a great trip in Boston! Safe travels!

I'll be interested in the Woolx dresses. Wool& has many different styles and colors. I've found that in some of the more specialty type clothing items (not just tees and tanks), Woolx can have just black and gray. As versatile as that would seem...I don't have as many things to coordinate well with black actually because it's just not a good color on me. I hope they have colors! I can be a little...IDK OCD about somethings I guess. I take my TJ bags and tuck that box pleat thing under to make a big rectangle, fold in half width wise and the handles line up, fold in half that way again. Now the bottom is thicker because of the extra layers that form the box, and I take that and fold and fold up the length to get a much smaller square with handles that stick out. I stack them and then wrap a rubber band around a bundle and tuck that bundle of bags all over. I'm reusing rubber bands from produce...the asparagus bands are my fave.😬 DH is out doing the yard so I thought I'd write a bit. I haven't done too much with the photos yet. We had a direct overnight flight from MCO (Orlando) to Heathrow. We're Delta people so we usually end up purchasing Virgin Atlantic. These were the most expensive tix I have ever purchased. I debated hard on these flights because the direct flight aircraft was a 3-3-3 configuration. I could also have chosen a connection through Miami to get onto a 2-4-2 aircraft for the overnight portion. It would have added a lot of time and some $$$ because the Miami connection aircraft also had these economy+ seats in the 2 seat configuration with have more leg room, IF I wanted to get that. We ultimately decided that the extra time wasn't worth it...and after careful consideration, because DH NEEDS the aisle seat for his one knee/leg situation...I decided to go for the center seat in the middle section and the aisle for him. That way we wouldn't have anyone that would be trying to climb over us to get out because the person on the other side of me would be an aisle seat, not a window person. That part worked out well, I don't need to go into details about the trials of someone exercising their right to move their seat all the way back as soon as they could in the flight...and move their child's seat (in front of DH) all the way back as well. I was wishing for the extra space then... Also, I was contemplating the likelihood that a connection aircraft may have fewer families on board. Orlando is a family vacation destination and our flight seemed to be about 50/50 for families with children/people without children. There were some UNHAPPY kids on our flight... When you only have a 7 hour flight...and it leaves at 8:00pm...there's just not a lot of time for sleep. ANYWAY... There was a thread started about what to wear for an overnight flight... I will say that I think it really depends on what you are expecting when you land...and how easily you can change clothing, or how comfortable you are changing your clothing... We were leaving hot and humid Florida and expecting to land in London where they were having a heat wave and a high of 86. And we weren't able to check into our AirBnb until 2. What I wore: Knee high compression socks. Sockwell brand. Wool. Fun colors and designs. Xero Shoes brand Prio sneakers. I got a new pair on a major sale in a great color, which is a kind of dirty plum color. Athleta Trekkie North Jogger pants. These have a wide knit waist. Zippered pockets. A rib around the ankles. The material is super lightweight. Woolx Mia Bra. It's more like a cropped tank top with a double layer on the front layer. It's not terribly supportive. It's comfortable and hides the headlights. Sleeveless knit shirt. In my personal item backpack I had my sweater knit-like blazer/jacket. Soft and comfortable, could use if needed for warmth. A scarf, also soft and could use for warmth. I didn't need either. I used the blanket provided by the airline and I found that I needed the occasional coolness of the air on my bare arms during the flight. I had my little air vent on full blast the entire time because the flight was mostly full...and I'm one of those people that sleeps with their ceiling fan on year round to have air movement. Also...IDK if the time of year has anything to do with the aircraft temperature? Normally I'm a gets kinda cold on an aircraft type person...but this July flight...it was warm. The blanket was almost more for cozy, bundle up type comfort rather than temperature. My personal item backpack is newer. This is it: https://www.target.com/p/commuter-backpack-open-story/-/A-79295297 Funny thing is that I saw both men and women using this same bag in London. It has a protective pocket for big screens and enough organization pockets for smaller stuff...and the big pocket is a good size. Water bottle on the outside. The outside zipper pocket wasn't as handy as you might think because if the inside is jam packed, it's hard to get things in and out of it. There's a sleeve on the bag to go over roller bag handles. I found the carry handles on the top to be super...HANDY when using the tube/overground. I could carry the bag by those handles getting onboard so I could easily grab a seat (no backpack in the way) and have the bag on my lap or between my feet. Then I could easily carry the bag off the tube and swing it around with more space to wear as a backpack again without smacking people. I also recently got my own spinner bag. Perviously, for carry on I've used the Motherlode and Motherlode Jr eBags...but with the personal item backpack...and dealing with knee/hip issues...I needed a wheeled bag. DH recently got one of those harder clamshell designs that splits in half and you pack the two sides. It's a good bag, but they didn't have it anymore. I ended up with this one: https://www.target.com/p/swissgear-zurich-softside-carry-on-spinner-suitcase/-/A-82543830?preselect=49143029#lnk=sametab Which is a soft-sided one deep compartment with a couple outside pockets. It was very easy to pack. I use packing cubes...I tend to figure out what configuration of cubes works well in the bag and then I pack those cubes and fit them in the bag. Shoes were easier to pack in the bigger compartment than the two sided clamshell style. It was also easier to open just a bit and grab anything needed on the inside, because it has a lid-like lid and not a compartment-like lid. It held up well to me walking all around London with it from when we landed (around 9am) to when we checked in (after 2pm). It'll be good to have both. We needed to check DH's on the way back so having the hard sided back was great for that. We were going for 10 nights. In addition to what I've mentioned already, I also packed: Pants. 3 pairs. Dresses. 2 Short sleeved merino wool knit shirts. 3 Short sleeved tee. Sleeveless merino wool tank. (didn't wear) Sleeveless tank. (didn't wear) Long-sleeved merino wool. Cargo vest. (wore once because I brought it) Rain jacket. (would have preferred an umbrella) Scarves. 2. (wore one) White sneakers. Black ballet flats (wore once, didn't really need) Slip shorts (wore with every dress.) Underwear. Socks. Bras. Nightgown. I packed well enough but as I go through the days, I know that I could have made different choices.

Yeah...as I said. After the first two days...our highest HIGH was 22, and our lowest high was 17. So maybe we had a cold front with rain?

I just returned from 10 nights in London. After two very, very warm days...the days settled into highs that ranged between 68-72 or 20-22. It was WARM. IDK if you run warm or cool...but for me, it was warm. Air conditioning doesn't really exist in a lot of places there...and especially the public transport can be very very warm. If it's sunny...all the buildings and streets and sidewalks just heat up and the whole business is quite warm. I had been concerned that I might feel cool going there with such weather but I wore short sleeves more often than not. Also...many places are so crowded...crowds everywhere...and where people gather and are in close proximity especially (taking pubs, museums, tube, etc), then it's warm...and short sleeves are just fine.

So obviously, I'm back from London!! We had a fabulous trip. And for not planning out a SINGLE thing...we managed to do A LOT. And I mean A LOT. I took 987 photos/videos...yes, I did. So it will take a hot minute to sort through those and put together a fun share for everyone. I'll start by sharing this though...that Wool& dress was AWESOME. It was perfect. I could have taken a couple more of those and worn those all around London. I ended up wearing that dress twice, graduation day and then to the opera. I debated wearing it more, but I knew we had the opera coming up and I wanted to keep it fresher for that occasion. Fashion is all over the place in London. Such a mix of styles. The only thing that I can say with any conviction about what people wear in London is this. People wear sneakers (trainers in the UK) ALL OVER and with EVERYTHING. It's like is doesn't matter what you are wearing ankles up...ankles down, you have on trainers/sneakers. I could count on one hand the number of people I saw wearing 1. sandals, 2. flats (always ballet flats), 3. Crocs (can you believe?), 4. ALL other shoes. The exception would be the opera, where there was such a mix...but on the street and ALL OVER London on every other day...trainers/sneakers. The other contender for footwear would be boots...still lace up boots though...and generally no taller than high ankle. Like Dr Martens were all over. And it didn't matter the color or the style, though I will say that I did see a lot of leather or similar types in white or with a white background, like classic Adidas. A lot of Converse or similar, high and low tops, in all colors. Quite of few of the mesh style trainers, where they are mostly solid, usually black, but also other kind of blending colors like navy or dark gray. And socks ran the gamut...no show, ankle, crew, slouch...didn't seem to matter...seemed more a matter of person style. The other thing that I did not see was athleisure clothing...unless you want to call street style track like joggers athleisure...but that's as close as it got. I counted 3, THREE, people wearing leggings...and one was obviously actually working out...or on their way home from a work out. The bags of choice are backpacks. More backpacks than anything else. We had 2 backpack, one for DH and one for myself. They were our personal items. And I also brought a tote bag. It was actually one of the nicer Celebrity tote bags that they used to give away that folded up into it's own pouch. It's actually very similar in style to what is popular there...like the one style that I saw in totes. We used the tote a couple times, but it wasn't as pleasant to be lopsided by having a single shoulder bag instead of the backpack and so we used backpacks just about everyday. DH would take a turn. I'd take a turn. Then we'd tote it...that would stink so back to the backpacks. For me, I have a very small wallet on a string type bag that has a long strap that I wear cross body. It has a dedicated phone place and can hold a few other items...it expands to about 3/4". I always had that on, and sometimes the backpack as well. We generally would leave our flat in the morning and wouldn't return until the evening, so we carried rain coats and/or something for if I got cold (didn't really happen), water, charging cords, sometimes our iPads (books) or an actual book (depending on our plans), ALWAYS carry shopping bags (reusable, often called shoppers over there), and then we had room for whatever we might purchase that day, usually. That is something to note...shopping bags aren't provided. You bring your own, pay to get one, or don't use a bag. During the pandemic, the Trader Joe's in my area stopped letting you bring your own reusable bags. They had gotten these super sturdy plastic bags with a squared out bottom and red handles. They are made in Germany and they were so awesome, I kept them. I use them all the time. They fold to nothing and they are going strong after 2+ years. I highly recommend them if you can get them. At home I keep at least 6 bags in each car and have them stacked near the door. I took half a dozen to London and they were one of the handiest things I brought. Even though they are plastic, I just keep reusing them, because they are that good. I will also say that even in the rain...we didn't always use our jackets. Often the rain wasn't hard enough to justify their use and then the trouble of having a damp jacket. Umbrellas looked to be much easier to deal with than a jacket. Almost everywhere that cared had a plastic bag made for umbrellas and you could bag your umbrella easier than dealing with a jacket. In future...during warmer weather, I would definitely not bother with a rain coat...and I would just bring an umbrella. Those are my initial comments...I'm eager to relive everything we did so I am eager to share. I want to make a photo book of our London trip so I definitely want to write about it before the memories get too difficult to conjure.

That hale is unbelievable! Melody, I hope you have such a great time in Boston. I can't imagine getting married in this heat... I was a July bride in CO but had a cool front come through... Margaret, I am so jelly for your Norway cruise! The question of the inside temperature is the one that makes packing for cold weather difficult. I find forced air to be stuffy and I have a hard time with it. If I'm around it, then I'm generally grateful to get into cooler weather and it can take a while for me to feel like I need protection from that cooler outside weather while I'm enjoying the break from a stuffy inside. For me, I'm the person that goes for the core warmth...and I tend to layer a vest, gloves/hat/scarf helps if that isn't enough on top of long sleeves. Happy feet are usually my most important care and I have several pair of cold weather boots, as crazy as that is...now that I'm a FL resident. Laurie...I definitely wear dresses more in warm weather. I'm not a shorts person. I have some shorts that I bought that are more casual rather than technical or athleisure...but I get annoyed with the way the waist is on them and I have a hard time finding a pair of shorts that the waist AND the way the legs fit work for me. I tend to wear lightweight pants, even in warm weather...I appreciate the shade on my legs and I can find lightweight pants that are more comfortable than shorts. ALSO, because I am such a perspiration machine...if I have bare skin that touches ANYTHING...I just sweat all over it and end up leaving damp marks behind, which may be TMI, but on a real...that's how it is. So I end up in dresses more because overall they are cooler and more comfortable. My issue with dresses is if I have to walk too much. I need to use some sort of anti-chaffing help. I have a pair of slip shorts that works well...I used them in London on this past trip. They can defeat the purpose of the slip shorts though...so if I'm going to be active...pants. But if I'm going to be more relaxing and meandering, then I can get away with something like Body Glide, which I basically found out...the key ingredient is what is in a lot of deodorant and so I've been experimenting with my solid deodorant, because that's what I wear...because I use natural deodorant and not antiperspirant...and it does tend to work fine.

Kat, try giving your squirrel friend in the shell peanuts. That’s what DS learned to feed the squirrels here in London. Went to Mia Mamma last night. I don’t have time to write a full report, but I will share when we get back. I can say this…the food was sooooo good and the service was outstanding. We’ve planned a few things in advance but most of our plans are sorted day before or even day of. We had gone to the National Gallery and we’re having a sit and a brew at a nearby pub when we decided to go. It was too late for a booking but their website says to come on by if you’re a party of 2 or 3. I’ll also share how they work the menu. There’s a set menu that seems to be what changes with the mammas in residence. Then there’s a small menu that seems to be a standard always available offering. We got the set menu. They don’t list which region is current but there was a flag hanging when you walk in that I need to identify to see if that is how they “announce “ the region. We fly home Tuesday so I’ll report after that. I took many pictures including the menu.

I’m in London and having such a good time! Feel like I’ve packed well. It’s SO WARM…almost HOT…or rather the effect is hot being in the city, riding the tube which doesn’t have a/c and feeling the heat off the pavement…temp may not be high but wow. Also fun to pay attention as we walk all over and observe what people are wearing.

One thing that stood out to me when I was researching for our AK cruise was commentary from people that was along the lines of seeing more beautiful land etc. It seemed necessary to really make each port or whatever distinct and unique so that they wouldn’t blend and mesh together in memory. Your plan with the 3 distinct modes of transport should yield 3 distinct experiences enough that you don’t suffer from memory issues later. Also…the other thing I read was that helicopter excursions were the most cancelled due to poor weather…have a back up plan just in case. So I agree with all the PP, variety is a way better strategy than eggs in one basket.

My Wool& dress arrived yesterday. It’s keeper! It fits nicely, and the bra I was hoping would work does. The wrap bodice is low cut but the bra doesn’t show unless I move just so, and I’ve decided not to care that much about that. The only thing is that the pockets in the seams do pull apart a bit on my high hip…makes a bit of an odd shape on the silhouette but that’s being super picky. I had read someone else mentioned that and they were thinking to sew the pockets closed…that’s an idea because I doubt I’ll use those pockets…but again, not going to worry about it. The ballet flats work too. I normally have a hard time with such shoes, but they work. The heel has a significantly padded and cupped area so not much slippage even though there’s a bit of looseness in the toe box. I’m wondering if I can find some no show socks for these shoes…I think I’ve seen nylon style like that years ago…I do need to wear them around the house more and break them in before our trip. They are so close to good already…shouldn’t be a problem. Melody, your poncho outfit looks lovely on you! So I learned in a recent landscaping class that lightning is a way for nature to fix nitrogen into the ground. It gathers nitrogen from the atmosphere and when it hits the ground, the nitrogen is deposited…if you had lightning with your rain, your ground also got an infusion of nitrogen…it’s a double whammy in a positive way for most plants, water AND food.

Laurie, I like what you’ve picked out for the burgundy dress. When there’s that bling along the neckline, definitely don’t need any added neck jewelry. The cuff bracelet and simple earrings seem like just the thing. Do you see your shoes much when you wear the long dresses? I’m all about foot comfort…I say wear whatever shoe is most comfortable. I think i like the flower motif necklace better than the other. It has a bit more room? Air? Breathe? The other is seems more chunky? Solid? Packed? I think I like the idea of some skin showing in and around your necklace? Are those the same earrings from the other photo? I like the pairing with the flowers.

I’ve ordered the Phoenix Leather Xero Shoes ballet flat. I do zero drop, foot shaped shoes. I’ve gradually been changing all my shoes to this style over the past 5+ years. It has really helped how my big toe functions. Also my big toe is getting more and more straight. These are the shoes Simple but dressy enough. I haven’t ordered Wool& before but I’ve looked at them a lot lately because they have so many dresses in nice colors. Kat, do you have one? I thought you got a wool dress that you used on your River barge cruise? I was skeptical of wool in summer before but having tried it out…I’m a big believer…even if I sweat…who am I kidding…when I sweat…even if my wool gets damp, it dries quickly and I find that it is so much more breathable than synthetic tech fabric. Breathable is a big deal for me down here in humid Florida, especially where I am where it is often breezy…too often I have found that I can’t feel the breeze in something like my Athleta rash guards, which I used to love…but I get the benefit of the breeze with the wool. Laurie, the merino wool is much less itchy than regular wool. I rarely find it itchy at all, but sometimes I can find that the thicker wool fabric may not be as soft but it’s not necessarily itchy, just a little rough I guess. The only thing that has been a disappointment on the wool for me were bras, at least the one I’ve tried. The double layer is good for coverage but not great for drying quickly. As for stretch, I find that most merino wool clothing is knit, and that naturally has stretch, but they often add some elastane to the knit for more stretch. I hear you on the arm hole gaps. It’s too far out to see the weather forecast but currently the highs are lower 80 but it’s cooling off next week into 70s…lows in 50/60 range. The thing about London though is that air conditioning isn’t common. For instance, DS doesn’t have it in his flat and the Airbnb we’ve rented doesn’t have it either.

I ordered a dress yesterday. I’m becoming more conscious of my fabric choices. I really do enjoy all my merino wool clothing. Thinking about London, I decided I wanted a dress that I could wear several times, changing the look with accessories. I’ve been studying body shapes again and trying to learn good silhouettes for my shape. I think I’m an 8 shape or a cello…depends on the system but it’s basically the same thing. Shoulders and hips about equal, busty, short waist, wide high hip. Taking what I’ve learned from Margaret and Laurie…and taking into account recommended silhouettes… I ordered this dress from Wool&: Fitted top, defined waist, semi-fitted skirt through hips and flare towards bottom hitting just under the knee. This is supposed to be a good silhouette for me. I believe this is a dress that Margaret would say could be dressed up or down easily and I know Laurie would be taking this solid and I could see all the different ways of accessorizing it. I think the plum color looks earthy and hoping it is irl. I hope it fits well…wraps are usually iffy…but I agree that they can be so flattering if they fit well. The graduation ceremony is in an historic mason hall. Dress is “smart”. My dilemma is shoes…I need good walking shoes but I’ve gotten away from “normal” shoes and I can’t deal with any heel anymore, not even a slight heel…I think I’ve found a decent ballet flat though. Think it’ll have to be black…

I like Nina! I’m really enjoying this season. So far it’s been very well thought out. I’m wondering how much input Nina has had in it. It sounded like she was the one who picked out the designers to come back. The idea of starting the season with a rework of the design that got them eliminated is excellent. Imagine the store room where all the previously made fashion must be housed for them to be able to have a runway with those previous designs! Even 10 years old! The classy version of the unconventional materials challenge…I mean I know toys aren’t classy but the idea of a $2000 budget…seriously needed in FAO Schwarz I’m guessing…and how the store itself seemed to keep the designers from the frantic grab everything in sight chaos. I remember the days of going to a hardware store, or party goods store, dollar store, etc…over the days of the newspaper recycling, electronics recycling, a bar, or wherever where there was no budget, just a free for all. It all just makes me curious as to what input Nina has had and if in the wake of Heidi and Tim, she has more control. I’ve agreed with the judge’s assessments so far…though I admit I have no idea who this week guest judge was and I’ve never heard of that brand…but then again, I haven’t ever been that aware of high end fashion.

I saw that tornado report and the hail! My grandparents used to live in Highlands Ranch…I have a hard time picturing a tornado there…so weird in proximity to the mountains but what do I know? I hope it stays away from you too Melody! Another thought on waterproofing the backpack is to line the interior with thick plastic bags. The rough thing about covers is that if you have to access your bag…makes it difficult and also, unless you’re wearing a coat that fits over the whole thing, your straps will get wet anyway and that wet will spread a bit. YMMV but we’ve found that lining the bag can work better…the bag itself usually dries pretty quickly…except the padded arms, so be prepared for dealing with wet shoulder harness if you get really really soaked either way.

Our rainy season finally kicked in and the thunderstorms have been severe. I’m happy though because we planted trees and bushes on Fathers Day and this is helping them get established. We are 2 weeks away from London! DH and I will be packing in carry on only, saving the checked bag space on the homebound flight to move at least 2 bags for DS. Coordinating moving all his stuff back home…sigh…DH had status that helped us have 2 free checked bags each up to 70 pounds and we don’t have that now… There is a company that specializes in international shipping for college students that we’ll likely need to use…we’ll see. Anyway…limited to a carry on for 10 nights in London. We’re going to give The Queue for Wimbledon a go. DS wants to take us to Colchester which has the distinction of being the first Roman city in England and he said something about how the owner of it years ago left it to the city so the structure is public and apparently it’s just a great little place to see. He also wants to take us to a performance or 2. He said he’s trying to strike a balance between planned and free time. All I can think is that I’ve taught him well! Lol So I’ll be wardrobe planning too Laurie. And in other news…that pantry project that we started over 2 years ago? Yeah…I finally finished it yesterday! I’ve ordered the new shelving for it which should be delivered Monday so I’ll share photos when it’s truly complete.

Is anyone watching the current season? It’s like a Nina invitational with designers from previous seasons (even season 1) that Nina wanted to see again. So many of my fave designers back… Episode 1 was intro to all the designers…Episode 2 had them redesigning the look that sent them home on their season or their lowest scored design if they were a finalist. This week is the unconventional materials challenge with the designers shopping in FAO Schwarz. I’m streaming episode 3 right now…

Going to Alaska was something my DH talked about doing all. The. Time. We finally made it a priority to go, and almost reluctantly, went on a cruise to Alaska...our plans always involved Denali or other wilderness adventures, and definitely NOT cruising...however, if it was ever going to happen, the cruise was one way to make it happen and we went in summer 2018. We did tack on a DIY camping+ adventure at the end of the cruise in the Kenai Peninsula and just fell in love with Alaska. So much so that when it was time to celebrate my milestone 50th birthday, we went to Fairbanks to enjoy some winter weather and catch the aurora borealis. So I'm a HUGE fan of Alaska. Here's the deal...I was very happy with the range of excursions and activities that we had in ports and before and after our cruise...but my one comment following that cruise was that I could easily, EASILY just have a no excursions booked cruise to Alaska and spend my time basking in the greatness of the scenery and having a relaxing vacation getaway if I could match up some cheap airfare to some of these super inexpensive last minute Alaska deals... That said, I think your potential cruise itinerary is FABULOUS. Now some might bemoan the fact that you aren't going to Hubbard or Glacier Bay...and it's true that the Endicott/Dawes isn't nearly as spectacular as those options...BUT...in all other respects, this is a GREAT port schedule. I am jealous for this port schedule. First, Vancouver is a wonderful city. It's a major metro but seaside with mountains in the distance...absolutely LOVELY...and so much to do and see there if you want to add a few days there before you get onboard. The sailaway under the bridge and up the interior passage is so scenic. And this is the truth of the inside passage. In the Caribbean, in the times between ports, the views aren't so scenic...don't get me wrong...the ocean is beautiful and it can be serene to sit with the view and if you are able to hear the water...and maybe look for some sea life...all special in it's own way but this is nothing compared to the views that you get sailing the inside passage in Alaska where the shoreline is almost always in sight and you can just sit on the ship and look and look and look at all the different things you can look at and look for. On our cruise...I couldn't tear myself away from the Skagway sailaway...it was SPECTACULAR. Even in June...the snow capped peaks...the hanging glaciers...there's a church lighthouse thing...double rainbow...wildlife...the town winking out of sight. I just stayed at the sunset bar and soaked it all in. While many will say that it would be a waste to go to Alaska without major excursions planned, you do not have to have anything major planned at all. If I were going on the most low cost plan possible, in Ketchikan, I might check out Creek St again. We did and then hiked up the Married Man's trail to the lodge at the top where there's a lovely view as well as a circle of excellent totems...but I might take the bus to take in more scenery and head out to the park where there are more totems...I can't recall the name right now. I would definitely eat the salmon chowder at the Fish House restaurant again because on a real, it's the best I've ever had. In Juneau, I might still rent a car because we were able to see so much that way and we still didn't get down to St Helen's...but you could easily take the bus out to Mendenhall (you have to walk more than taking the shuttle but it's cheaper). Juneau is a much larger city and so you will need transportation there to really see more of the town. There is an Alaska Heritage type museum or some such there as well...that's nominally priced... Point being...many inexpensive options. In Skagway, we just toured the town itself and did some hiking. Skagway itself is a picture perfect old west town that looks like something straight out of Disney except that it's REAL. There are many, many trails right there. Sitka may be a more popular port now but when I was researching before, it wasn't common on itineraries...and I think it would be a treat to go there for that reason. Apparently there's a lot of Russian influence still present in the town from back in the day and it's not supposed to feel as touristy. To end in Seattle, doing a repositioning cruise is wonderful. Most cruises that end there begin there and so there is often a port stop in Victoria that feels like a why bother but it's required to have an international port so they stop there. Since it starts in Vancouver, you don't have to have that often evening stop that is challenging to make feel worth while. So I think you've found a great itinerary...and if the price is right then I would jump on it. The weather is a crap shoot up there and no matter what the forecast says, you'll want layers but the truth is that you are not going there in the winter...it's spring and generally people are bringing the big winter wear for the glacier cruising days. There's nothing quite like the mountains and the sea of Alaska...you hear about how beautiful it is but until you see it. The rocky mountains are magnificent in their tree line tundra glory where the mountain is exposed and there's no vegetation to detract from their crisp silhouette...something that no mountain on the east coast has in my current experience over here...and if you've seen that...now picture the ocean at the base of the mountains...no foothills...no rolling landscape at their base...basically just the ocean there at their feet...that's Alaska and it's definitely worth seeing.

I would try Altra brand shoes. They are a natural foot shaped shoe but not a minimalist shoe. They offer different levels of cushioning and have arch support. They ARE a zero drop shoe which means that the heel and toe are level with absolutely no heel of any sort. If you look at even the flattest sandal there is normally a slight heel as most shoe makers have. Even if you wear flats, you might need to allow yourself time to adjust zero drop. But these are among the most comfortable shoes in terms of support and toe box room.

I had one vehicle with leather seats…not my fave at all when you have hot and humid weather. The sweat factor with the seats is just awful and terrible on the leather. It’s just way more maintenance than I want to deal with. All the leather I’ve seen in any older car is always cracked or has those awful permanent wrinkle lines…or, even worse, it’s all slick and shiny from so much product in it…we test drove such a car and I literally couldn’t sit up straight in it because I kept sliding forward! My parents have leather and I do appreciate it when I’m not sweating…but I likely won’t own another vehicle with it. Our new upholstery is a synthetic leather like material. It’s not like the vinyls of old…it’s soft and matte and while it’s smooth to the touch it isn’t too slick. It’s water resistant and cleans like a dream. I’m not looking for a job. Not really. My motivation to look and see what’s out there stemmed from the fact that I’m rather lonely and I’ve been having a hard time finding people…most of them are working…so I looked around at what’s out there and I found just this one job req that I’m excited about. Over the years, when I’ve previously looked, I never really found anything, which was just as well since we moved so much and DS was so active…but I have the time now and this one job interests me so much. It’s a sad eggs all in one basket scenario but I’m taking the process of figuring out what to do with my time step by step…if it doesn’t work out, I’ll figure out the next fleece to throw out there to see what happens. In terms of wardrobe, I’ll wait to see if I get an interview but I’m looking for fun at more work friendly clothing. The kicker is that the job req talks about needing to stand for long periods of time, climbing stairs, being in enclosed spaces, needing the ability to evacuate quickly, wearing safety protection. It’s a job on site at KSC but still an office, white collar job…so professional appearance but also being agile. That’s a big part of the appeal…after all these years, I would have a hard time at a typical desk job.

I have a daylite plus! And we have several Osprey packs between DH and I...really great brand and product. It's a very comfortable pack to wear. Mine didn't come with the bladder but I wouldn't use it anyway...just seems like a lot of maintenance issues there for me...I don't want to deal with what I think would be cleaning challenges.

I'm with you on the sunroof/moonroof Laurie. That's one of the features that I really wanted...what they are calling a panoramic sun/moonroof with is absolutely HUGE and like you...I love it. One major problem I had with so many manufacturers was the packages...all too often that feature was combined with leather upholstery and I did NOT want leather. That was part of the appeal of the Subaru is that the version we purchased has an very washable and durable upholstery called Startek...I needed to be able to feel comfortable with not necessarily abusing the interior, but towing our boat and dealing with the consequences of a day on the boat...kayaking...camping... being on the beach... Durable luxury is what I wanted. ALSO...as weird as this is...I really wanted a NORMAL transmission stick thing...so many of the newer cars have push buttons or dials and I just couldn't stand that! There are all kinds of reasons for wardrobe selection...and I think having fun in what we're wearing is the absolute best reason. Melody...your backyard is really ready for entertaining!! I'm currently having a bit of personal struggle...for the first time in recent years...I went looking at some jobs in my area and I actually found one that I know I could do and would have fun doing. I know my early working years are 100% applicable and that I have all the skills and have been exercising these in my everyday role as homemaker...relationship building, communications, creativity, writing, editing, photography...but wow...trying to figure out how to put all that on paper in such a way to make it past the filters without sounding ridiculous by applying such verbiage to my everyday... Anyway...I'm working on my resume OMG and it's both making me feel great about everything I've accomplished but also kind of stressed as I try to convey my skills... Also...if I were to get an interview and go back to the corporate world...holy cow...I have no idea what I would wear LOL.