Heavy Rain Tonight

 I guess we're in for something like an old Nor'easter tonight. I just had a report from the Burlington weather station saying we could get well over an inch of rain in our region. And there is going to be a fair amount of wind accompanying the rain, so there will no doubt be power outages. The ground is already soggy from off and on rain throughout today, so it won't take much to topple some trees and take the power lines down. At least is isn't bitterly cold, but with temperatures in the 40s, if you are wet, you are going to be chilled through very quickly. Stay safe and dry.

With this nasty weather approaching, I want to share a lovely photo that Gretchen Farnsworth shared, taken on the morning of Oct. 28th. Very pretty - and that's late October for you. The weather can go from lovely to awful within a few hours. We have had some nice days, but there has been a definite chill in the air. I was thinking today that it won't be long before the showers we're getting will be snow, not rain.

I was just rearranging my photo files - yes, I had time to do a little "housekeeping" of my computer files recently - and found this really funny photo that someone sent to me and I'd forgotten about. I guess  some folks try too hard to stay young or something. I suppose some men (and women) don't want to give up that outfit that made them feel really attractive 20 or 30 years ago. It doesn't always work. Of course, some of us reach a point in our life when we just decide to be comfortable and wear old favorites, usually well broken in and stretched where necessary, foregoing fashion for comfort.

I have to say, I took quite a bit of kidding about my sweater when my family gathered for my recent birthday. In this case, the sweater was a fairly recent LLBean purchase, and when I opened the package, I immediately named it my "ugly sweater." However, when I tried it on, it was so comfortable, I decided to keep it in spite of the awful color combination and horizontal stripes that add 20 pounds in every direction. Of course, the baggy work pants aren't especially flattering, either, but they are comfortable, and that sweater is soooo cozy! Of course, I was at a definite disadvantage because I was in the company of my very slim daughers-in-law and my very well-proportioned young granddaughter, all of whom can wear tights and cute fleece hoodies with no thought about having to cover up big bums and stocky thighs. And none of them were critical - I took the razzing from their menfolks, of course - the sons I raised and who have all put on a few pounds over the years themselves and manage to cover them up pretty well. I don't think any one of them wears skinny jeans - ever, thank goodness! But we can all have fun with that sort of kidding around - everyone knows it's good natured fun.

That said, I'll mostly go for comfort. There's nothing worse than spending hours wearing something that is too tight but looks good, or is gorgeous on but is uncomfortable because it's stiff or has a tag that irritates the back of your neck; and never again will I wear uncomfortable shoes for the sake of fashion. I remember all those years in high heels, the sore toes and often cold feet after having to go outside with no proper boots; and trying to keep nylons from getting runs; and having to send garments to the cleaner before wash and wear fabrics were invented. We women "dressed" for the office, and wouldn't think of wearing the same dress or suit twice in the same week. Packing for a trip was a big chore because there had to be enough combinations so nothing was repeated - we just didn't wear the same garment more than once. And I remember carrying a flatiron with me so I could press wrinkles out or iron blouses after rinsing them out. I still have a "travel iron" stashed away someplace. I used to have to take my own hair dryer whenever I went on a trip, too. Then hotels got smarter and provided dryers and all those neat little bottles of shampoo, conditioner and lotion so you don't have to be loaded down with all that stuff. Now I take my own shampoo and lotion because I prefer it; but it's nice to have those things provided, just the same.

We've come a long way in so many ways. Life is easier in lots of ways, and the rules are less strict for many things; but there's a whole new set of rules to live by that are sometimes pretty darned confusing. I guess the solution is, be kind, considerate of others, and flexible. It's about the best one can do.

Stay safe and dry. Happy Halloween!