Cold Office, Hot Men, Appliances.

That should get some interesting Google hits.

Freezing Office, Sweating Men.

We are waging the battle of the thermostat in our newly finished offices, and there's really no excuse for it since it's all zoned. We chilly women happen to share a thermostat and we like our offices at a comfy 75. This is Florida, we are in short sleeves or sleeveless and slacks and sandals, 75 is just right, thank you. The menfolk come in from the field and the silent battle is on. They have been hot all day and dammit, they want cold. Suddenly, my office is freezing, and Someone has turned the thermostat down to 70. The polar bears at Sea World would be right at home. Among the bears, we have a Suspect. The younger bear is a well-trained husband, he asks meekly, "Mind if I turn down the thermostat?" Someone snaps: "Yes, we do mind." "Okay." He sweats quietly. Sometimes visibly, but without the accompanying funk, thank God. He is well-trained and odorless. I must thank his wife.

But the papa bear walks around bitching, "God, I'm burning up!" (I swear the next time he does it I'm going to ask him what that hot flash feels like, because I have never had one.) He manages to do it in a tone that is truly heart-tugging and ever-so-slightly victimized: (I am suffering! Why are they letting me suffer? I'm a nice guy!) And then he sneakily turns down the thermostats. Including the one that does not actually cool his office. The one that chills my office. We never see him do it, but since he's the one who is always hot and on the premises when it happens, he is, as they say, a Person of Interest.

We've told him about this before, but today was too much - he's in his office with his door closed in a meeting and he must have turned back the one that cools MY office before he went in there, because the woman in the office next to me went to adjust it and came to my door venting profanities about him.

They already have a testy relationship but I get along with him just fine so I don't want to take sides in this issue. I see both sides. We are female and we sit at desks in perfectly temperature controlled offices, and are able to wear light short-sleeved and sleeveless things. They are men and they are required to cover more to look Professional, but they have to go outside in that freaking heat every day too. I empathize. For I have been in the Field, and yea, verily, I have Felt the Makeup Runneth Off My Face and Feared the Failure of the Deodorant. When I come in from a day in the field I look like a victim of heatstroke. I cannot begrudge them the chance to Chill.

A wardrobe of cute office cardigans sounds like a better solution than constantly bitching about the thermostat war. Because I love a reason to wear a cute sweater, and because the papa bear is cute when he's pathetic, and we need to get along, and what's wrong with a reason to make cardigans? I'm way beyond sick of my ugly-black-storebought-AC-deflecting-office-sweater, for emergency use only, I'm wearing the damn thing every day and I need nice sweaters. I'm motivated to make several, in neutrals and brights, and actually coordinate them to my wardrobe.
Bess did a review of Vintage Styles for Today, for which I am ever grateful. I feel too poor to buy it right this minute, (hello appliances) but it's in the Barnes and Noble wish list. But damn, that cover sweater would be too cute over a sleeveless top and jeans and sandals - professional enough (by our standards) to wear to a meeting, actually! I'm fine with being a bit offbeat in my professional attire, at my age they didn't hire me for my wardrobe.

Major appliances: Zero interest on a new Kenmore Washer and Dryer. It was beyond time. I keep saying mine are 15 years old but I think it's actually more like 18, and it is no longer cost effective to nurse them along. The washer drum has some mysterious ability to streak rust that will not come off on white things, and the dryer's timer no longer works on any setting, so it runs until it is turned off. It may or may not remain warm while doing so. I had the dryer fixed when my husband was very sick, I spent over $200 to nurse it along because I didn't have time or energy to go shopping for a new dryer, but at this point it's just stupid. I buy basic, no electronic panels, no colors, just white and with a setting for delicate. Go, Kenmore!

God, I love the elliptical trainer, it's my new favorite thing. The only slight downside to it is that it is on carpet in my bedroom, which means it's not as rock-solid as it would be on the tile floor, but to do that I have to live with exercise equipment as a fixture in my living room. Not that I entertain people who would be offended, but, still....

My bedroom carpet is not plush, it's berber, but it's on a premium pad. (Buy cheap carpet but never buy a cheap pad. Especially if you are on a concrete slab - that pad will wear down and show wear like you wouldn't believe in no time, and it's not the carpet's fault at all. Trust me on this one.) The extreme carpet pad has just enough flex to be noticeable but not enough to be annoying. I can get used to the feel of it or put a piece of Masonite under it. It would only cost a few bucks at Home Despot to get it cut to fit, and Boy has a truck now so he can tote it. I'll try it a few days and decide if it needs it.

The Clapotis is approaching the decrease section. How much do I love this pattern? It's so my speed - just enough to it to keep me from lapsing into a coma, but mindless enough to do while catching up on TV. I may have to make a third. Because, though the first one is lovely (and I think should be Cousin C's Christmas gift) and this one is really nice and soft and the colors are great, I want a Lion and Lamb one for myself, in something dramatic. Because dammit, I'm worth it.