I can hardly believe that I forgot to mention a momentous seasonal change that occurred last week: the return of socks. The obvious reason for the reintroduction of knitted foot coverings to my daily wardrobe is that the temperature up here in beautiful MN has started to drop to my favorite levels.
Truthfully, I have nothing strongly for or against socks. The only reason I shun them in the summer is because it helps to keep my internal thermometer at a reasonable level. Indeed there are moments in the bleakest winter that I overheat inside and wish to remove my socks, but I take pity on my coworkers and do not subject them to the white skeletal objects that are my feet.
I know that I have written about my feet in the past. Just to give you a little update, I did take a pumice stone to them this morning after my shower. It was productive but not very pretty. There is still a long way to go before they could be considered camera-ready.
Now to the part where I complain about the weather. Actually, no, I am not complaining. This is my favorite time of year; the blasted unbearable and disgusting heat and humidity of summer are past (hopefully) and the arctic chill of winter has yet to fully arrive. Let it be known that I truly measure the arrival of winter by when I actually have to bring my Nanook of the North snow boots back into play. As a fun aside, the actual manufacturer's name for my boots are "Helen of Tundra." Cute, huh?
If there was anything that I would say was occasionally frustrating about fall in MN, I would say that it would have to do with the temperature fluctuations. One day it will be 40 degrees and the next it will be 74. This may not sound that amazing to you, but after several days near freezing, 74 feels balmy and I almost hate it.
Getting dressed in the morning can be tricky. It may feel chilly, so I will put on more insulation. But the wise MN-dweller should know that this insulation must be layered. Otherwise, you will find yourself walking out to your car at the end of the day to your car to feel like you are Thanksgiving stuffing roasting inside a turkey in a large car-shaped oven. Without all the wonderful smells.
Other than the daily question of "How warmly can I dress?" the other change comes in through my laundry habits. When one is required to wear socks to work, it is necessary that one has a clean supply of work-appropriate sockwear. Now, my definition of "work appropriate" when it comes to socks is somewhat loose. Generally, it just means NO WHITE TUBE SOCKS. Actually, for me, white tube socks are only an option if I am going to the gym, so it is a good idea to make sure that one's sock drawer supply has not dwindled down to hold only these varieties.
Not to admit to being a lazy laundress, but I often forget about it until 10 p.m. on work nights. In the case of "delicates" like underwear and other sundries, I can still swing a late laundry load because these have to be air dried anyway. When it comes to regular clothes such as socks, the dryer must be employed, which means that I must stay awake until the wash cycle is done. This does not make me a happy camper.
It occurs to me that this is precisely the kind of situation in which women with husbands potentially have the upper hand. Note I said potentially. Yes, ladies, I realize that there are men out there who are unwilling or unable to master the process of laundry. But I would hope that they would at least be able to assist in the process of laundry-reminding. That's really all I need. Maybe I could rig up an alarm system of some kind of my iPhone. Is there an app for that?
Tonight I am going to a jewelry show. You know, one of those in-home parties where the hostess gets all kinds of discounts and the guests get pressured into having parties of their own so that they can reap the benefits of having another party and spreading the joy to their other friends. Yep. That kind.
Thank goodness it is a brand that I have purchased in the past, so I am fairly knowledgeable of their prices and selection. I have therefore instituted a spending limit on myself of $50. If the item cannot be purchased for $50 or less, I will not buy it. Don't worry, this is not a per item limit either. It is a TOTAL party limit. I feel pretty good about it and my ability to follow the rules. Of course, I don't have anyone at home to hold me accountable, but now that I have told all of you, my accountabilibuddies, you will help me out, right?
(By the way, Bill and Rox, if you're reading this, it is a Lia Sophia party. You know what I mean.)
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