Saturday, June 15, 2013

Random Saturday musings

Happy Saturday!  The sun is shining this morning, and I have a busy day ahead of me, so thought I had better get going quickly this morning!

1) Rumours of his death are only slightly exaggerated

Poor Nelson Mandela.  One of my personal heroes is, I believe, hanging on by only the thinnest of threads.  But as of the moment of this writing, he is indeed still alive.  DW, Germany's international broadcaster, had Mandela listed as dead for a while yesterday.  But he was still alive.  Whoops!  They immediately released the following:

Retraction: Nelson Mandela

We regret that due to a technical error our report of Nelson Mandela's death was unintentionally published. It has now been taken down.

But it was too late - a number of my Facebook pals had memorials up for Mandela.  Such is life (or death) I guess.  I'm going to continue to send my thoughts and prayers to Mr. Mandela.  God Bless him!  He has and continues to be a source of inspiration and goodness in this world.


2) The Difficulty of Online Shopping

First - one of only two decent women's wear shops in our city is about to close.  This is a tragedy to me, as all of the rest of the stores are very cheap and aimed at young, junior, women.  Sigh.

I do not like to buy clothes when I travel.  Not really.  I hate to shop with my husband for two reasons: 1) I like to ponder my decisions 2) I like to try on a LOT of things in order to find the one or two that fit perfectly.  But with only one decent store left in our little city, I will be forced to either do my shopping when travelling or order more online.

However, I have decided that to make it worth my while when I online shop, I order more now than I will actually keep.  I know I will have to return at least one thing, so why not return 2 or 3 - it typically costs the same, especially from J Crew.

So yesterday, with the 40% off select items sale, I ordered 3 featherweight cashmere cardigans!  Three!  I do not plan to keep three.  But the cardigans were on sale from $218 CDN for $132 CDN and with the GMCAN15 offer, I was able to order them for $99.  I really like the featherweight cardigan - I have two or three already and they are the perfect weight for spring, summer and fall.

I ordered the following three colours:

Collection featherweight cashmere cardigan

Collection featherweight cashmere cardigan


Collection featherweight cashmere cardigan
I imagine I will keep the navy, but could not decide between the vivid aqua and the morning sky, both of which I had been watching to see if they would go on sale all Spring, so decided to order both and see which I liked best.  If I lived near a store I would be able to just pop in and know for sure.  Sigh.

3) When Other Bloggers' purchases begat your own...

And speaking of online shopping.  I have been eying the Kiki ballet shoes from J Crew since they debuted.  But I couldn't find a review of them.  Until yesterday, when our heroine Dani posted a review of not one, but three colours of this shoe.  I had been initially looking at the black as that is a gap in my wardrobe, but when I saw the red on her below, well I had to order them to try them!

Source: the feet of Dani BP.  Honest.

I do not have red shoes.  This is odd to me, since I strike myself as a red shoe kind of gal:



Now let's call a spade a spade: Dani is picky.  I say that in a reverential, complimentary way, me not being all that picky at all and wishing that I was.  So when Dani tells you something is comfortable AND good quality, well I think it is worth a try!

So they are coming in the box with the sweaters that I need to make a choice about.  Think of how great they will look with the navy and mint...Oh I hope I don't love all three of the colours...

4) Update on Butch

Remember Butch?  This was Butch two weeks ago:


 And this is Butch this morning:




He isn't done yet!  You can't even see the air exchange to his left anymore.  Will keep you posted!




The snowball bush is in full bloom and you can see the Bachelor's Buttons coming out below...

5)  Prom

Monday night is my son's prom.  The other night, we had a test run of the tux.


He chose the silvery grey.  Will get some good shots and share a couple on Monday night!

So what's going on in your world today?  I am having lunch with GF (I think!) and Barry and I may go to a play tonight.  And oh, I have to run and buy a father's day present!

Have a great day and stay safe out there!

26 comments:

  1. Well good morning.
    1. They keep posting things on Mandela about his "health" and I keep reading "death". Still hard to imagine being imprisoned for 27 yrs.
    2. I have the stores but prefer to order on line. There is such frustration when I can't find my size. Either J crew believes everyone is a size 2 or the we are just larger here in East TN...believe it is the later...and they never have my size. Plus the majority of sales people bother me. Either no attention or in my face the entire time.
    3. Butch is looking mighty fine.
    4. Ditto on the son.

    I am off to run, garden, shop for college stuff and a new hairdryer, eat lunch at new restaurant and then slug the rest of the day. I am definitely a morning person. Have a great one.

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    1. Oh sizes - the vanity and regular sizing thing gets me every time! And even some of the measurements listed on company websites don't measure up, if you get my drift! Very frustrating indeed!

      I like slug the rest of the day - it is a noble occupation and one that is not as embraced as much as it ought to be...

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  2. Your son looks so (not) thrilled to be in that tux, so cute.

    I am trying these flats too as I like that little heel.

    Dangerous to order those pretty shades of blue! I'd want all of them. Hope you can decide which to keep.

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    1. Lane - it will likely be a sophie's choice re-enactment, with hankies and teeth gnashing!

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  3. I am really liking that morning sky shade which I have christened "WMM blue". It all started with your lovely Nougat top. I do not buy featherweight cashmere anymore, they snag and pill easily. While I have several stores nearby, I prefer buying online and trying things at home. For some reason, I feel bad for SAs when I say sorry, nothing worked out. Oh red shoes, every girl should have one. That shade looks like a nice red, not flame or orangey like what they used to have. Nice to see Butch so hale and hearty. That silvery grey suit for the prom will look fantastic amidst a sea of black. Have a great lunch with GF, I'm off with my kids to look for a father's day gift.

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    1. OMG Marie - I am cc'ing Gayle from JCrew! There was a Dani dress, I don;t know why there isn't a Fred twinset, and the WMM blue!

      Oh he will stick out in a sea of black, that is for sure! He wanted powder blue. He is a very ironical boy...

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  4. the flaw, dear WMM, is not in the ordering but in the keeping. Too many "little" sweater sets are following g me everywhere....

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  5. Your son is a riot, that picture is worth a thousand words.
    Butch has turned into quite the high kicking showgirl, and the snowball bush over that fence is exactly what will all be round my dream house.
    Oh yes those flats, the navy and beige ones and navy capris are burning a hole in my brain now. And yes you are a red shoes gal.

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    1. I do love my capris, Tabs! i wish the ones I had sent in the winter had fit you - you look so good in the ones wore in London with the shoes I covet, but which would require a "helper" to even walk me to the table...

      I love a good snowball bush! Butch is a queen for sure - wait till he blooms. But he gets a lot of love and Barry has to tie him up soon - his stalk are like bamboo stalks and he can topple in the rain - much like me after 3 drinks..

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  6. Wows a, those shoes look great on Dani. On my radar now! When you email Gayle, can you ask her to rename the Jackie after me? I have so many of the n, I think they may be staging a closet takeover prior to world domination. Butch looks amazing, and I may need to hit you up over email to get some vegetable gardening advice. Your son's picture cracked me up, reminds me of me at his age.
    I wish I were joining you ladies for lunch!

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    1. Wish you were with us, too!!!

      Okay, but I am pretty sure they will need a real name - can't imagine JC naming their jacket the Anthro Blogger sweater - though you never know....

      no problems - would love to answer any questions - and what I don't know, we will corral Lane into!

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  7. Oh my, Wendy! Your son looks so dapper. I love the grey and pink; so classy and unique. Hoped he had a fantasic time. I know I did when I went to my prom years ago. My date was so sweet that he bought me an EIGHT rose corsage along with a gold bracelet. No, he was not my boyfriend but a very, very sweet friend. But I digress...Love the red KiKis too. When I saw Dani's lovely feet with red flats, I had to have them. Please do a review on those too!

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    1. Hi Wendy - that was the test run - Monday is the actual night and it should be interesting!!!That sounds like a good date - mine was less swell. Doesn't Dani have nice feet? They are so thin! As soon as I get them you will see them in little wide feet! :-)

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    2. I'm POSITIVE you will look just perfect in those red flats!

      Please do share pix of the actual prom night. Your son will be the talk of the prom with his handsome suit. With a mom like you, how can he not be stylish?!

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  8. Your son is very dapper indeed. So glad to see he went with a modest look. From what you had described in a previous post that he wanted to wear, I was almost afraid to scroll down. LOL. It's so true that what looks uber hip and cool right now will look dated and silly in a very short time, even if we think we will be 18 and cool forever. Maybe he was just teasing you for a reaction all along. Congratulations to your son WMM!

    Good luck with your J.Crew purchases. I can't find a thing there that makes me smile. Have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. HI xoxo - well - I am unsure how I will make out - I suspect in the end it will only be the navy and maybe the sky blue sweaters staying, but it is worth a peek!

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  9. I love those red shoes, such a great colour.

    I usually shop for clothes on vacation, but I try to do it when Hubs is having his afternoon nap at the hotel (hehe) or he'll go somewhere else so he doesn't have to wait. I usually have an idea of what I want to get, though. Otherwise it's mostly online shopping for me too!

    I totally LOL'd at the pic of your son, it's like he was saying "hey yo, Wendy, yo" with that sign. LOL

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  10. Hi Wendy, I loved all Dani's choices yesterday, I hope that the shoes work out for you. All three cardigans are gorgeous colours, I don't envy you having to choose.

    I must admit I was taken aback when I saw the photo of your son - the way he is holding his fingers is actually a bit rude in the UK!!
    http://www.bbcamerica.com/mind-the-gap/2013/01/29/10-things-americans-dont-realize-are-offensive-to-brits/

    But I know for sure it wasn't meant that way! We will be doing the prom thing next year; my older son didn't go to his as he'd only been in the school for one year and he wasn't really feeling it. However, Number Two Son is very settled at school and I think he will enjoy the whole thing.

    Say hi to GF!!

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    1. Oh Lord Patricia - he is awfully precocious - he might have known and done that to be cheeky - I never know!!!

      I am not sure which it will be sweater-wise, but I think once i try them on, it will be okay. There are always some that just look better! If the red works, I will pick up the black later! Proms are fun - glad he will go next year!

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  11. Wendy thanks for complimenting my feet! GOOD NEWS: I wore the red flats to the Taylor Swift concert on Friday night (the RED tour after all), was on my feet for hours, totally comfy. I wore them all day yesterday, we did some shopping around Toronto (well MrBP did quelle surprise!) then all afternoon in my Aunt and Uncle's garden, they are the most comfortable ballet flats ever. It's the leather lining and the little heel! I hope JCrew keeps making them.
    Your son cracks me up!

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    1. i am crossing fingers I have the right size - if they work I will be getting the black and maybe the blue!

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  12. I reviewed the mirrored Kikis, if you're interested. Please delete my link if you're so inclined. I didn't see your email to share privately. I didn't see Dani's review, so thanks for that :)

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    1. I hope your son's prom is wonderful! He looks great in a tux :)

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    2. Thanks Gigi! I finally remembered to follow your site as I kept forgetting the link and having to back through your regular blog (not that that is a hardship as I visit your blog every day anyway! :-) ) If you ever need my email is sydforry@hotmail.com

      Glad you shared with everyone however!

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Kindness is a virtue...