Quick Detour to Cousin C Land

I went to my cousin's yesterday - Girl was available to stay over here and do dog-sitting duty. We wandered St. Augustine bundled against the cold wind blowing off the water - I swear every time I visit St. Augustine it's either hotter than hell or cold and windy. I still love it, but I never get the weather timing right. We attempted to lunch at two favorite restaurants - one was closed for remodeling, the other out of business - finally the third choice was open and very good, but it was way too cold and windy to sit outside, so I didn't get to fulfill that desire. I did get to enjoy the sight of the sun rising on the water outside her back door - a canal that leads to the Intracoastal. Much walking, laughing, a couple of really good shopping scores - a nice light office-worthy rainy weather coat for $10 on clearance! A real winter coat, also office-worthy, for under $50 on clearance! My workhorse winter coat was purchased when Girl was in 6th grade - I know this because I bought it for a field trip to NYC in February. She's 24. Do the math. And even when new, it was hopelessly not downtown office ready. My goal was to not freeze to death while riding herd on a pack of wild middle schoolers on the loose in the big city - there were no grownup fashionable events on THAT itinerary.

Movies, wine, good food, talking, laughing a lot. I came home today feeling ready to tackle everything on my long to-do list. I always come back from a visit to C's feeling energized and revived. It's not that we do anything that exciting or glamorous, she's just fun and good company and enjoys getting out and doing things. She'll be 65 this week, and she is my role model: funny, ballsy, game to do just about anything (except jumping out of a perfectly good airplane) always passionate about everything she does, she will never just sit down and get old. She's How to be 65 for me.

I got a lot of knitting done on My Impulsive Linen Shawl (that is its name now) and I have fingers crossed that I have enough Euroflax Barcelona to finish it - I think I do. I misidentified my blue birds in the earlier post - the color isn't Blue Jay, but Blue Heron - more muted, a slate blue/charcoal/cream mix. I think it will be a fantastic summer wrap, just right with jeans, which, face it, are what I wear most on any evening out.

Girlchild had no problems babysitting last night, but has a busy week with many appts to squeeze in around her job, and also painting to finish. So I have a guest for the whole week:

Obviously he's very tense about this.

Murphy is resting up for another round of the Pig Ear Wars.



Tomorrow's to-do list is long and diverse, but I am ready.