Autumn Sacrilege

Normally, when I have something to confess it's best to grab hold of your seats and hunker down for a wild episode of As My World Turns...UPSIDE DOWN! Sorry friends. Nothing juicy or dramatic this time! Stay tuned, though, as that could shift on a moment's notice!

I am a full-blown, born & bred New Englander from the top of my W.A.S.P.-y head to my raised-in-Connecticut toes. With that kind of upbringing comes a natural love of all things sandy & salty, fresh Maine lobsters served with lemony butter (accompanied...always...by brown bread, cole slaw and baked beans), lighthouses in all shapes/ sizes/ locations, plopping fresh-picked apples into wooden baskets, extra sharp & crumbly cheddar cheese (best served with freshly-baked apple pie), tromping through the snow in search of the perfect Christmas tree...you get the picture. I can neatly check of all of the "You Know You're A True New Englander" criteria, with one exception.

***time for those of you who live in warmer climates to cover your eyes.

I HATE FALL! There...I said it! I do. I HATE it. Maybe it's because I have such a deep devotion to the spring and, to me, fall is the anti-spring. While throngs of people flock to the New England states to view the kaleidoscope of changing leaves, all I can do is lament the passing of trips to the beach and grumble about having to wear shoes (which touch my feet, only when necessary, from May-September). The falling leaves make me sad, the shorter days make me grumpy and the kids going back to school...okay, there is one reason to appreciate the bygone days of summer:-)

I do enjoy the crisp evenings and cozying up under my down comforter with a good book. I love being able to make the first fire of the season (alas, my new home does not have a fireplace, which I shall sorely miss ::sniff::). Give me some credit, I'm trying my best to compile a "Fall Gratitude List" here, but I'm running out of items to add. Ohhhhh, switching wardrobes for the season is always fun and there's nothing like slipping into a comfy sweater and my favorite pair of jeans. Boots! I have a near-gluttonous collection of boots that I am able to get reacquainted with.

I happened to glance out my bedroom window, this afternoon, and noticed that one of the trees in my front yard was blazing with vibrant color. 'How beautiful!", thought I. What????? A glimmer of appreciation from this autumn loathing gal? I grabbed my camera and spent a few minutes trying to shift my attitude. Perhaps, after all these years, I'm turning over a new....leaf! HA HA HA...get it? New...leaf...fall...changing? Oh, nevermind. It's an inside joke.

More Mundane Fashion Finds

Since I'm cooped up, in the house, with my son...who has been home all week from school...I might as well try to make up for the 2+ months during which time I was MIA. It also keeps me distracted from the disappointing fact that we had to cancel our trip to see my mom and dad in Maine this weekend :-( My son had strep and an ear infection, for which he is taking antibiotics, and has now developed a secondary viral infection that just has to "run it's course". That's medical talk for: hunker down and put your lives on hold until the ICK leaves the building!

Last week, while I was beginning to organize our cool weather clothes, I realized I had virtually NO sweaters. A New Englander with no sweaters? Blaspheme! I had several bags of the kids' outgrown clothing to drop at Sally's so...

Naturally, I waited until Wednesday (50% off all clothing, shoes & accessories) and I went with a mission: sweaters and nothing else. Miracle of miracles: I stuck to my resolution. I must admit, I did step outside of my own comfort zone, in that I chose very classic, traditional tops (almost :::gulp::: preppy!). Interesting, yet little known personal fact; when I turned 40 (3 years ago), I could no longer wear turtlenecks. Having my neck constricted, in any way, drove me to the point of nearly stripping off my top with no regard for my surroundings. Not good, so I decided to avoid them altogether. For whatever reason, the idea of a cozy turtleneck sweater appealed to me this year, so I started rebuilding my collection. I'm not stupid, though, I tried one on first...just to be sure the Pavlovian reaction was gone. Sure 'nuff. I was cured.

Who cares about all of that? What'd I get? Oh, before I get to that (for those of you who don't know me personally, can you just imagine what it's like to have a face-to-face conversation with me, the Queen of Tangents???), the main reason for this post is to, once again, try to woo those of you who are second-hand sissies out of your corners. Step into the thrift store light. Why would you ever choose to pay the ridiculous prices at the mall or department store when you can, with minimal effort, expand your wardrobe exponentially for less money. So what if someone else has worn it? That's what washing machines are for. If you're really cootie conscious, take it to the dry cleaners...you'll still save money.

Back to the regularly scheduled topic....ummm...which was....oh yeah! My haul of sweaters.

~Lime green, heavy cotton t-neck sweater with really cool slits up the sleeves (Ann Taylor)

~Colorful, cotton/ silk, v-neck sweater (Talbots)

~Plum, heavy cotton t-neck, cableknit sweater (Eddie Bauer) ***this was really a stretch for me as it was both a turtleneck and falls into the category of "purple", but it looks cute on

~Pale lavender (what's with this change in my taste), angora sweater with a really pretty cowl/ off-the-shoulder neck that has subtle embroidery...great for dressing up a bit (Sleeping on Snow...never heard of them, but I like the name AND the top)

**not pictured

~a paler green, silk t-neck sweater (Ann Taylor)

~a GORGEOUS, wide boatneck, Irish cableknit (Handmade)

Grand Total: $6.98

Can it Be....Spring??????

I'm almost afraid to say it, for fear that we'll get hit with another Nor'easter tomorrow, but...today was an absolutely glorious SPRING day!!! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping appreciatively and I was like an overly-caffeinated Tigger all day long. I know that this is the time of year (every year) we New Englanders lament that it has been the longest winter in the history of the world. This year, though, it's true...it really is! I'm sure the meteorologist guys have pie charts and weather graphs that would dispute my claim, but what do they know? It has been LOOOOOOOONG!
Although I have a huge list of (inside) spring cleaning tasks to tackle, I just couldn't stay inside. I picked up pieces of broken planters/ pots that I forgot to move inside last fall, cleaned up my gardens a bit and (only me!) got the hose out to melt away the one remaining pile of snow at the top of my driveway. I called three friends who, much to my consternation, agreed that I could not plant bulbs yet. I was advised to wait until I was sure there would be no more frost. Well, what if I am sure? Does it matter what the weatherman has to say about it???? REALLY! For once, I decided to heed the advice of the masses, lest my gardens fail to produce to their fullest glory. I suppose, since I've waited this long...