Present!

Everyone's in the house, and it feels gooooooood.

I knew that it would.

But you know who seems the happiest that Dad, Mom & both kids (& Grandma) are all under one roof today? Atticus. He's absolutely in his best element, and is so relaxed. Mr. Happy Dog.

While I was away he displayed some pretty nasty behavior. Nothing dangerous, just lots of pooping in the house, attacking backpacks, etc. Poor Nancy - it's a good thing she adores Atticus. I don't think she imagined that sitting a 9 & 10 year old would involve so much poop.

Oddly, on Nancy's last night here Atticus knew she'd be leaving the next morning. He sat with his head resting on her leg all evening. He's a very perceptive dog.

Which is why I'm not pulling out the suitcase until the last minute tomorrow. He gets SO sad when he sees me piling stuff into the case. The kids get sad, too, but they hide it better than Atticus does. I've just about had time to launder all of my stuff from France - I didn't even put it away - it goes right back into the case!

Gerry's sad, too. But he's happy to be home. In a way it's kind of nice that he has a week to reacquaint himself with the house (and supervise the last phases of the bathroom creation) without me around - he can make it his own.

Before I leave tomorrow I need to pack, get my class materials together, work up some samples for a few of the classes (I have samples, but I like to work up new ones for classes I don't teach very often as a way to remind myself of what will be covered by the students.)

I'd love to be able to pack and take books - but that's dependent on how much other stuff I'm packing. Books are heavy.

But Gerry's home so my heart is light.

Drive, Damnit!
I am VERY excited about renting a car and driving around a new area. I love to drive. I figured out when my mother died that white-line meditation is the best kind for me. I missed not driving while in France, which sounds odd, but I do enjoy my time alone in a car.

I hate needing to depend on rides from kind folks - very un-Blanche Dubois of me (a sister Virgo)

But when you're dealing with luggage and several venues, getting rides is a symphony of loading and unloading bags, repacking, waiting, making small talk, waiting, and not being able to stop by the side of the road and take silly pictures of big chickens. Vaya con dios, indeed!

Fashion Victim Perp
Watching the Tim Gunn show tonight makes me realize that I need to do a serious wardrobe rethink. I have the outfits that I feel good in when I teach - and I've practically worn out my skirts that I love to teach in - but I'm low on pieces that I am in LOVE with.

It's time to change that. Maybe after I turn in these two projects I'm working on, I'll knit something for me? Maybe I'll copy the fit of a swingy little sweater I bought in France (photos later...) because it really suits me quite well.

One item I'm TOTALLY in love with is my new Eileen Fisher coat that I bought in Rochester a few weeks ago. There's a shop in the mall, which is in the turmoil of renovation, where there are plum Eileen Fisher items (and other cool stuff) in my size (miracle) and on fabulous sale (double miracle)

So I snagged a really great black skirt with just the right amount of swing in the skirt (a black skirt for me - how unexpected!) and - coup de grace - a beautiful off-white silk & wool cutaway coat with 3/4 length sleeves and a really groovy, flattering collar (& a great fit!)

So why was I able to buy it? Because it was $368, marked down to $50. FIFTY. Mine.

This jacket over a dress or skirt & top is an immediately stunning suit. Touch me.