Fall (and some Laziness)

Whew - has it really been a month since I last posted?  Yes it has, and I can't promise that I'll be back again right away, but I did want to check in and say hi and see how everyone is....I've missed "chatting" with you ladies online, and wanted to bring you up to date a bit and just say that everything is good here.

Today it's felt like fall here - I've been wearing a sweater around the house and drinking large quantities of tea.  Tonight it's sweater knitting and some British telly before bed - and no, I promise, it's not Downton.  That was last night, with my cousin Jo, and Thursday morning at 5:00 am when I couldn't sleep, and last Sunday night.  Thank you to my lovely husband, I've managed to get my hands on some software that makes the internet think my computer is British, so I'm enjoying the loveliness of Downton here now...not that I won't watch it all again in January when it's on tv here. 

Oh well.  :)

Nothing too terribly interesting to report, overall.  I've been working lots on the annual Historical Society auction.  (catalogue here if anyone's interested https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8lw__9gJUKAenM1OHNyUEkyUGs)  There's been some sewing (pjs and a table runner today), some knitting, lots of reading (just finished a book called Not in Front of the Servants (see Downton obsession above), having some girl time w/ Jo, and just generally trying to enjoy life.  Somehow, somewhere along the way, I'm learning to really relax and not stress if I'm not being 100% productive all of the time.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that I might be devolving into full fledged laziness as of late - and it's glorious. 

So - I guess that's my excuse for not blogging, if anyone cares.  I'll try to be back a little more often, once the auction's over.  In the meantime, though, hugs to everyone!

A Cuppa (Real) Tea

There's a funny story that I remember hearing somewhere that when Prince Charles was visiting the American White House once that he was served tea in a tea bag.  The story goes that he didn't know what to do with it, as everyone in Europe drinks actual tea - loose leaf tea. 

While I do enjoy the historical pretension of loose leaf tea, I am too lazy to worry about it often....a bag of Twinings English Breakfast is good enough for me most of the time.  But I do enjoy a nice blend of loose leaf sometimes.  At first I used a little mesh ball for my tea, but quickly discovered that the engineering on those little things (or at least my little thing) has a bit to go.  So, my lovely Bow Tie Man ordered me a vintage (possibly antique?) tea strainer.  The silver is a little worn, but I think it's lovely.  And of course, the fact that it's old and well used only endears it more to me. 

Tonight's plan is to snuggle in with a cuppa, as they say on the other side of the pond, and perhaps some Irish history.  (Isn't it funny what a tv show can inspire you to learn?)  A lovely evening indeed.

And Another Dress...

I really haven't been doing that much sewing this summer, as my sewing room is on the second floor of our non-airconditioned house, and it's hot up there!  But I did make this dress last month, and it's quickly been added into my "it's too hot" wardrobe, as it's loose and breezy and cool!  The pattern is Simplicity 4190 - very simple to make.  I own too - only with 3/4 lengths sleeves and this one.  I recommend using a drapey fabric and adding a belt - otherwise it is somewhat tent like in shape. 

A Historic Toilet

I know, I know, I blog about weird things.  But really - isn't that the fun of blogging?  Anyway, what I'm sharing with you today is a rather interesting toilet that I saw recently in a 1916 house.  The house has, amazingly, nearly all of its original bathroom fixtures, including bathtubs, gorgeous subway tiles on the walls and floors, showers, pedestal sinks, and even the original toilet!  As soon as I saw it I laughed, and then ran for my camera.  After all, somebody out there as how blog about these things!

If you're wondering about the shape of the seat, I have no idea.  I'm not going to pretend that I know much about these things. Just in case you ever need to know what a brand new toilet in a nice neighborhood in Midwestern American looked like in 1916, though, you know where to come! 

A Blue Dress and A Hat

I thought it would be appropriate to post these pictures now, as my grandmother, who passed away last week, loved the color blue.  This is my favorite blue dress, which I wore a couple of weeks ago, with a lovely straw hat trimmed in blue and white that my sister-in-law and brother-in-law brought me back from Florida a few years ago.  The hat and dress are both modern, the necklace is vintage.