Week in Review: Week 187
Monday
Day 3 of 4-day weekend consisted of sleeping very late, cleaning and organizing my closet (good times!), finishing an odd book, watching some tv and going to the market, WHERE – Big Day for Bettye – I got my first-ever SQUEEZE bottle of mayonnaise! Woohoo! Welcome to the….whatever century it is! How do I never know what century it is? It’s been this one for TWENTY YEARS, how can I not remember if we’re in the 20th or 21st? I’m going to guess the 21st…but only cuz I can check with Google before I post this. Okay, yes, 21st. Don’t Be Bettye. Know Your Century.
Tuesday
Day 4 of 4-day weekend (sadface), got up early to get ready for a shoot, was ready to walk out the door and realized my wireless remote and receiver (aka necessities for a self-shoot) were at WORK. UGH. Had to drive all the way to work, then back…setting me back about an hour. Fortunately, it was overcast so I didn’t have to deal with high-in-the-sky sun.
I used to go to Designer Showhouses with my sister when she would come to NY. This is where a bunch of different decorators each decorate one room of a (usually large, amazing) house and then (for the price of a $$ ticket) the public can walk through the house admiring the work, getting ideas, etc. They’ve been off my radar for some time cuz they’re not really cheap. ANYWAY, I saw a new one (second year) advertised in Brooklyn and thought it would be fun, but…tickets were $40 and I was just like nope. BUT, they said they had tickets to give away to the first six people who emailed them…and I got the last ticket! I was very excited, I never win things! I wish my sister was here to go with me.
Wednesday
Back to work today, but the day started out of the office at a breakfast for recipients of donations from a country club’s gala fundraiser this summer. I went with a girl from my office. There was a great breakfast spread (omelette station! freshly juiced juice!) and representatives from all the organizations stood to introduce themselves and the nonprofit they work for. There are so many wonderful organizations out there doing really amazing work.
The country club was very grand.
We had a crazy tropical-esque storm blow through right before the end of the day. It had been 90 degrees today, crazy humid and it went from sunny to black within 5 minutes and then there was high winds and torrential sideways rain. I was hoping the (pretty quick) storm would have blown the humidity away but no. It’s disgusting here this evening.
Finally got to the market (isn’t this just scintillating??), look at this beautiful orange cauliflower!
Thursday
As hot and humid as yesterday was, today was cold and rainy. Ugh. Was a pretty quiet day. Work. Camera club. Home. I actually partially closed a window. I hate closing windows. I feel so cut off from the world.
We had to stay inside for camera club today because of the rain, so we walked around the building next door looking for something to shoot. We found a Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima sculpture.
Today is the 10 year anniversary of leaving my cute little house on Long Island and moving to the wilds of Brooklyn. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years. I can’t believe I’ve moved six times IN that 10 years!
Friday
Two camera club meetups today in two different locations: at the farm, where they were sprucing up for a fall festival this weekend…
Then onto a teaching garden at a local college…
After work a friend and I went to dinner at a place I’ve been following on Instagram for awhile. They had me at cannoli bombolini. Though my friend got a warmed bombolini with chocolate gelato inside…and I can’t wait to go back and get that (sugar detox? what sugar detox?)!
saturday
Weighed Fun Day in Brooklyn against Stay Home and Get Sh*t Done…and GSD won out.
Got an order from H&M, was so disappointed that the Tencel dress I ordered was not shipped. I assumed it was out of stock…but I’m looking at the website right now and it doesn’t say it’s out of stock. I’m going to order it again, but after trying on the two things I did get, I’m wondering if I should down-size.
I thought this rayon olive green “leopard” tunic would be cute over black leggings and flats in the fall, and over black tights & booties with a black cardi over top for winter. I got a 4x and it’s ginormous. Definitely too long/big for the tunic idea.
I tried it under my black cardi but meh. Better than on its own but…I liked it cuz I thought it could do double-duty. It’s going back.
Then I need a couple “one and done” sweaters for fall/winter and I really liked the color of this one. But. Those balloon sleeves bug me. I’ll always feel self-conscious about them. And it has one of my plus-size pet peeves, a too big neck hole/too deep-v. It’s also going back.
sunday
A quiet day. I slept late. It was overcast. I read and watched a movie.
What I Read
Okay, so four “kids” – three in their 20s, one 8 years old – their parents both die within a very short time of one another. They sell the house, take the insurance money and move to California. The 21-year-old essentially becomes the 8-year-old’s parent, even though he’s not much more mature than the younger boy. So they do a lot of aimless dumb stuff. It started feeling a little Catcher in the Rye-ish about halfway in and I’m actually not a big fan of that book. One thumb for originality, I guess. I did laugh out loud at some things. 3.25/5.
What I Watched
In A Relationship, with Emma Roberts and several other minorly-recognizable people but whose names I wouldn’t know. Reasonably entertaining in a 30-something, single-person, California-lifestyle kind of way. It passed the time while I (really really really) enjoyed my cheat day lasagna dinner.
Love, Rosie. A formulaic love story, but sweet. Two people who love one another but can never get the timing right. The characters were likable. Some tears were shed. I recommend if you like romance stories about people half (or a third) your age. Lily Collins is adorable.
Call Me By Your Name. I’ve been waiting to see this for what seems like years. I missed it at the theater and then it’s been too expensive to rent. But this morning I noticed “YouTube Movies.” Some are free, some you pay for, but this one was considerably less than Amazon Prime so I ordered it while the ordering was good. And I’m glad I did. It’s an understated story of first love and first experiences. It was quiet and took its time. It was lovely. Two thumbs up.
What I Listened to
The most interesting podcast I listened to this week was an NPR This American Life episode called “Ten Sessions,” about a type of “speed therapy” that could help you heal from major trauma in just 10 sessions. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) was designed for survivors of sexual assault and is also used for veterans with PTSD symptoms. Jaime Lowe is a writer who was sexually assaulted when she was 13 and as an adult underwent CPT and recorded the sessions. It was so interesting to hear the traumatic memories extinguish themselves through the exercises they did throughout the week.
Deborah Stinedurf
The Designer Showcase sounds like so much fun! Years ago I went on a Victorian house tour in Pittsburgh with a friend of mine. It was incredible…so much drool worthy beauty! And some of the houses had the most amazing beautifully landscaped/flowers everywhere backyards…The humidity seems to finally be gone here and the temperatures have settled in the 60’s to 70’s so I’m a happy girl. Have a great week my friend! xo
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
bettyewp
Ooh, Victorian house tour! In my old town there was always a holiday home tour at Christmas and a lot of beautiful old homes would decorate to the hilt and you could walk through and ogle.
I actually turned the heat on a bit on Saturday night!
Iris
You’re right – that definitely is a big top/blouse/whatever. Like the color too. And, I totally agree about the neck of things. They’re all to wide and low for me. I found a couple of tops with cowl necks recently and was so excited.
BTW, I love the ‘fuzzy’ throw on your sofa – I have one much like it that I’ve already been using.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
My (wacky paranoid) theory about the too-big neck (and arm) holes is they’re saving money, using less fabric.
I have to keep the sofa all kinds of covered up cuz Janey has started leaking little drops of something when she sleeps.
jodie filogomo
You ought to join our Forever Fierce Book Club Bettye. We read that Educated for it. Valerie always picks out interesting books and it’s an interesting way to connect with others about the book. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ForeverFierceBookClub/ Considering how much you read, I bet you’d love it.
As for winning that ticket…how exciting is that?? I can’t wait until you go and show us some of the photos!!
XOXO
Jodie
bettyewp
I may give book club a try…
Yeah, I never win anything! I can’t wait to go! I’ll definitely share photos.
Clover
Love that gold and denim combo! Beautiful on you!
Your hair is getting so long! It’s really pretty. When I first started following you, you had it very short, as did I. You’re a few months further along than I am in the growing out, and I’m always inspired when I see yours. 🙂 There’s hope!
How fun to have won a ticket! Such a nice feeling. 🙂
bettyewp
That’s so funny you’d mention my hair, I just commented on the growth in the Workday Wardrobe post for this coming Saturday – cuz I wore an outfit yesterday I showed on the blog back in May, and you can really see the difference! I need a cut soon, it’s getting to the point where it’s just sort of hanging limply…but I hate to take any length cuz it’s ALMOST at the point where I can put it in a little ponytail without clips all over my head! Decisions, decisions!