Let's Bring Back Glamour, Girls!

Why don't people dress up anymore?

For the sake of honesty, I'll admit I'm asking that while wearing old jeans and a sweatshirt... but at least it's a slim sweatshirt, not one I nicked from Cary's closet, and hey; I've been cleaning the oven. I doubt even Iman does that in couture.

Despite my present appearance, I really do wish I had the confidence to dress up more often, because let's face it: how many opportunities do we get nowadays? One or two proms and maybe a wedding. That's about it. And that, ladies and gents, does not cut it.

I want to be like &mdash and hear me out here &mdash an older Russian woman I saw at Wal-mart a few weeks back. In a sea of T-shirts and tattoos, here was an honest-to-goodness polished lady. Her attitude was regal yet polite, her make-up and hair were just so, her clothing elegant and classic.

But what really caught my eye was her mink pillbox hat. Not just a pillbox; a mink pillbox. I, sadly, will never be a Hat Girl, but for a few moments I was tempted to try. Maybe something with a brim, I thought...

Thankfully I already have the Cary!

During our latest Goodwill Hunting trip, my dear friend Sue found a fabulous dress. Long and strapless, in fitted black satin with an elegant cascade of embroidery and pearls near its train. Yeah; a train. This gown has some serious Old Hollywood Glamour going on.

It fit her perfectly, tiny creature that she is. She said it made her feel like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.

You're ticked they dubbed all your songs? I wondered, but then realized she meant she felt transformed, like an ugly duckling becoming a swan &mdash or in Sue's case, a lovely swan becoming a lovelier one. I told her she reminded me of Rita Hayworth as Gilda.
(Seriously. If Sue will consent to a photo, I'll gladly prove it to you.)

"But where would I wear it?" she asked.

Good question.

Now no matter where we're going or what we're doing, Sue always looks polished and put together. I don't mean heels and pearls; just a bit nicer than those around her (like, for instance, me). But even the gorgeous Miss Sue might feel a skooch out of place wearing such a slinky number grocery shopping.

But maybe if we all started dressing a bit nicer, it wouldn't seem so shocking to consider wearing the gown to dinner or to a play. Maybe if we took a cue from our First Lady &mdash or if you prefer, the ladies of Mad Men &mdash we could bring elegant dressing back into everyday life. Or at least touches of it.

Sue bought the dress, by the way, Places to Where It be damned. It was too wonderful to leave behind, and it only cost... Well, I guess ladies don't discuss cost, do they? Let's just say the only thing more shocking than how great Sue looked in the dress was how little it cost.

"Even if I just wear it around the house," she smiled, "I'll feel like Audrey Hepburn."

That time I pictured a Breakfast-at-Tiffany's Audrey instead of a My-Fair-Lady Audrey, and I have to admit I could see it.

I just hope she doesn't wear it while cleaning the oven.

Dog Days, Indeed

In our house, we don't need a thermometer or a weather station or the AC kicking on to know it's hot; we just need to realize it's quiet and the dogs are MIA.

Yesterday as we pushed triple-digit heat (again), a quick search of the house found Tripper (half-)under the bed,...


Annye napping in the closet,...


And Miele and Sherman snoozing on the tile.

Talk about a rough life.

Road Trip!

When we heard about the National Park Service's Fee Free Weekends earlier this year, Cary said, "We could go to Crater Lake again."

We agreed it was a plan... and then promptly forgot about it. For some reason I remembered the promotion late last week and discovered the coming weekend &mdash August 15 and 16 &mdash was the last FFW for 2009.

Decision time.

We'd driven the five-plus-hour* (one way) trip over there three years ago for our anniversary. I hadn't been there since I was a kid, and Cary was eager to show me the sights from Crater Lake Rim Drive &mdash a drive he hadn't taken in years and I hadn't taken, well, ever. When we arrived, though, we learned most of Rim Drive was still closed because of snow. (Hey, it was July; we thought sure it would be clear.)

This time I thought to check ahead. West Rim Drive? Open. East Rim Drive? Open.

Houston, we are a "go."

I'd expected to see a lot of people, but with the exception of a big bicycling event, the park really wasn't too crowded. We always found a convenient place to stop at each outlook, including this great view of Phantom Ship:

Okay, so my photo isn't the best, but what do you expect from a "cheapy point-and-shoot"? That's what Cary calls my little Sony Cyber-shot. Its pants aren't as fancy as his "We Are Professional Grade" Canon, but it doesn't demand a tripod and a dozen special settings to take a shot, either. I'm just sayin'.

*According to Google Maps, the route we took over should have taken five-and-a-half hours and the route home (through Medford) should have taken more than six. Let's just say that, even with frequent stops to give Cary's back a rest, it didn't take us quite that long.

Our Work-in-Progress Front Yard

I've spent a fair amount of time sharing views of our backyard, but we've been almost as busy in the front yard.

We decided a couple of years ago to eliminate the lawn in our front yard. It looked okay, but required more care and water than it was worth. And it wasn't as if the dogs could enjoy it, so what was the point?


We'd planned to put in two island flowerbeds last summer but ran out of topsoil/compost mix &mdash so one bed it was. Unfortunately, we still bought plants for two, so it was definitely full!


This year we created the second front bed, but it's still far from fully planted &mdash which gives us an excuse to hit the nurseries' clearance sales over the next couple of months. (As if we need a reason.) Most of the front yard is heavily shaded during the summer months, so we're planning to add more rhododendrons, hostas, and hydrangeas. I'm especially on the look-out for an Oakleaf hydrangea similar to the one a certain dog &mdash *cough* Sherman *cough* &mdash obliterated earlier this year.



As for that bare spot in the middle, that will (someday) star a natural rock water feature.

Free Chocolate Reminder

If you haven't requested your household's four free M&M's/Mars candy bar coupons yet, well, what are you waiting for? Free candy, people; what more do you need to know?! Get over to www.realchocolate.com and request 'em already! The offer runs every Friday through the end of September, but seriously: why wait?

What's better than free candy? Double free candy, of course! Keep an eye out for a Buy X, Get X Free offer at your local grocer. Our Safeway had (and may still have) Buy 2, Get 2 Free on M&M's/Mars candy earlier this week, so I walked away with a bag full of candy bars absolutely free.

"You gonna freeze them?" the cashier asked.

"Uh, yeah; freeze 'em," I nodded, knowing full well at least one wasn't gonna make it home....

And We're Back!

Dios mio; has it really been almost a month since my last post?! Sorry about that!

I'd like to tell you it's because Sherman has so dazzled us with his perfect behavior, that he hasn't uprooted any plants or shredded any toys or done anything else horrific, that I've had no blog-worthy stories to share. I'd also like to tell you we won the lottery...

Truth is we got busy with yard projects and then decided to throw a barbecue/birthday bash for my visiting aunt &mdash which meant kicking our garden projects into high gear.

Our new flowerbeds were in, as you faithful readers already know, but they looked naked and sad with just dirt and few plants stuck here and there (although we'd added more since these early July photos):
So we (Cary) ordered two units of bark dust for us (me) to spread. Turns out Mr. Six-Months-Post-Back-Surgery isn't up to shoveling anything or moving the wheelbarrow. How convenient.

To be honest, I'd expected I'd be spreading the bark solo &mdash but I didn't know I'd be doing it during a triple-digit, week-long heatwave. Most days I stuck it out until noon, but during the worst days I only made it until 9:00 or 9:30 before scurrying back into the AC.

Cary announced one morning it was expected to reach 108 (what?!) and could be the hottest day in the Willamette Valley. Ever. We decided one day we'd be telling young'uns about how it was 120 back in Aught Nine but we were still outside workin', consarnit, 'cause folks had a work ethic back in those days....

Anywho, it took longer than expected, but I finally conquered the mini-mountain of mulch and had the flowerbeds looking a bit more like actual, tended beds:
We're hoping to finish the top of this trellis this week, as well as plant still more shrubs and vines. (Darn you, Lowe's and your irresistible clearance prices!) The paths of dead grass aren't especially appealing, but I think moving loads of gravel by hand can wait until the cooler Fall months....