Vacation!

I am officially on vacation! And it is snowing. My car is all snug in the garage, and as long as the runways at JFK are clear by Monday evening, it can storm its little heart out.

I'm getting my stuff together for a trip to Wales and England starting the aforementioned Monday evening, and right now am doing one of the most fun tasks - deciding which books to bring. I am allowed only one fiction and one non-fiction because there is a serious raid on bookstores in Cardiff and London being planned.

I think i have settled on "When True Night Falls" by CS Friedman for the fiction, being the second in a series I started in Hungary. But I also have the second Otherland book by Tad Williams. The Friedman is thicker than the Williams - Imagine anything being thicker than a Tad Williams?? - and I read the first one earlier so really should stay in order.

Right, on to non-fic, I am settling I think on a book on Frances of Assisi in a spiritual classics series, but I also have two others in the same series that look good. Might have to just close my eyes and point.

My goal is to pack everything into two small bags rather than the big one, as will be easier for getting on and off trains and such, and plus I am trying to learn to pack light. The next debate will be on which sweaters to bring as I am only allowing myself two, but I won't bore you with that one!

Off to play do laundry in the snow, and then a fun time of dancing and music in the city is being planned, Lord and LIRR willing.

New Years Day, 2009

It's official. The year of no clothes shopping has ended. As I started the new year off with a very light day of work - only five patients, I headed straight out to the Island, first to Panera, where I had the tomato soup that I got hooked on during NaNoWriMo, and then to EMS where I broke my fast in style.

First I bought the thing I needed most since early fall - a new raincoat. My old one, which you can ring water out of, is now in the trash.




Waterproof, breathable, and not in a girly pastel color!

Next I bought a soft shell to go with it:



It's darker than it looks.

And not clothes but I needed a new travel wallet:



Then I came home and went online on Title Nine and bought a pair of pants, a tee shirt and two pairs of socks. Now I am all set for the rest of winter and my trip to Britain in two weeks.

I bagged for the thrift shop at my parents' church:

1 pair cords, a sweater, two fleece jackets and a shirt I never really liked and only wore I think once. As well as the old rain coat I pitched my old travel wallet which was all dirty and never fit my passport properly anyway.

What I learned from this past year:

1. I don't really like clothes shopping. It didn't leave much of a void, if any. And if there was it filled very very quickly.

2. I'd rather have one shirt I abolutely love than ten cheap ones I don't really like.

3. two pairs of jeans are enough.

4. when i find something I really do love, I don't need to go buy four more.

5. sewing is fun. I hope to eventually move on to things that can be worn out of the house, but at the very least I will never have to buy pajamas again.

That's about all I can think of at the moment!