OT I'm Lonely!!

Gill Murray ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

You are entitled Gillian, you are not here whining ad infinitum. I don't believe it was you that she was getting at though lol I did notice that she no sooner turned up and she had to introduce a sour note, so typical.

Tis the season to be merry..tralalala etc!!!! I am feeling positively benevolent, at least for a while. I think I will get DH to drag the new, big,phony(sigh) tree from the shed, and we will put it up on Sunday. Then we can take it down Jan 1st. Over the years we have bought the gilt filigree ornies from different places where we have been. This time we will add Yellowstone,Nebraska,Montana, North Dakota ( Hi Joan), Council Bluff ( Western Trails) and Glacier national park. I may have another one squirreled away! I guess we can call it a momory tree!!

We decided years ago that these ornies made the perfect decorations for poeple who enjoy traveling.

Next year, where will we be?? With bad luck still here in Florida; with good luck in a northern state, ( my drothers are Conwau area of NH) where we can have real Christmas weather, a real tree.........I keep my fingers crossed!!

Gill

Gill

Thanks for the envy. The good things - the suits are nice - just require some minor alterations. DH got the fashion show last night and liked them all. Hecht's is now Macy's. The good thing - it's much neater in the stores. I have mixed feelings about the changing in some of the merchandise

- got rid of some really nice linen brands because switching to the Macy's house brand. Also - Hecht's had some awesome bargains at times - I don't think the Macy's ones are quite as steep - but overall I think it's a good thing- though we no longer have the local flavor of Hecht's.

Sadly I don't do shoes anyplace but Nordie's anymore. The size difference is too huge for me to fake it, and, well - so, at what they cost - it's still better to buy 1 pair more expensive than 2 pairs on sale. However - during the anniversary (pre-season sale) I've been known to buy a few pairs. DH is my lucky charm - I don't let (force) any of my gal pals into suffering through shoe shopping with me. But, DH will do it. Sometimes it's nothing

- I have to buy as soon as I see a style so the size is there! So, this was unusual - buying 2 pairs at once - without DH there.

Poor thing - giving them up. But, they went to good homes, I'm sure.

But, y'know - anytime you're up this way I'm happy to have company on a little shopping outing. Donna and I are getting good at it - we did damage all over the outlet mall in Leesburg today!

ellice

Take them to Dave & Busters in Bethesda - the food in the restaurant is ok, and it is a big amusement place - with stuff for the littler ones, as well as the big one. And attached to White Flint Mall.

March, eh? So - are we planning a local get together?????

ellice

You think he'd like my collection of high-heeled office shoes? I don't intend to ever wear those torture devices again. If I go back to work, I'll just have the doctor write a note about my balance disorder requiring sensible shoes, to get around the dress code.

You could do what I did. I gave them to someone who works in a soup kitchen. She happily informed me that some of the "Working Girls" who were regulars there were thrilled when they saw the high heeled, sexy shoes I used to wear.

At least they found good homes with people who appreciated them.

Lucille

I will check on the dates this weekend; shall call DD. I know they will be gone for a long weekend, and I think they were getting the tickets for a Wed to Wed period.

Would you email me your home info ( last name, phone #), and I will put it in my Palm. ( gillmurray1 at verizon dot net).

Thanks

Gill

Gill

I cannot imagine any firm requiring a person to wear high heels. There are attractive, professional-appearing shoes without high heels. Just ask any librarian

Alison

Did I miss the part where the library wasn't funded? Gosh, what will people do for books/computers/information? How awful!

Alison

Aren't sick kids the worse? And puking sick kids the absolute worst?

Can I move next door? I won't have time to make cookies this year.

Hugs -

Chocolate - I've felt like all that is keeping me in one piece is chocolate of late (and my friends). Wish I could give you a hug! C

Sorry about that - sounds like you're having a really tough season all around.

Glad that you're looking at some of the positives. Hope all works out as best as can be. And so sorry that you're dealing with this. I understand it's just stressful and hard to deal with kind of adult things!

ellice

I am so impressed that you have a Palm. I've been dithering and delaying getting one for a couple of years. Anyhow - already sent the mail.

Later, ellice

I'm with you, Allison. There are many pump type or dress (not cockail) shoes available with comfortable heels - thicker, not spikey, or little kitten heels, or flats. And, point blank - I think it's likely illegal to require someone to wear a certain height of shoe heel, etc. Requiring appropriate business dress is standard - as in don't wear your sneakers - no jeans, shorts, mini-skirts, or too low a decollete' blouse, but heel height?

It was one thing in the 60s or 50s - my mom said that she always wore gloves and a hat on her way into work in Manhattan before I was born. And for many years IBM required all the men to wear White shirts - well into the 70s. But, the high heel thing is just not a believable, enforceable requirement - unless perhaps you're a pole-dancer or a rockette or vegas showgirl. Or working at Vogue. It's ludicrous to believe that an employer would try to enforce a must wear high heels code in this day and age.

I know that when I had changed agencies from a lab, I had to dress more formally being at an HQ kind of place in DC. But, I wore a lot of nice dresses, 2 piece outfits, some dress slacks, occasional suits. And dress shoes - good shoes - usually with about 1 1/2 - 2 " heels. Some flats. But, most of my work "pumps" have the wider heels - which are much more stable, and comfy for all day. And many a meeting day - which required the really dress up look authoritative thing - I'd metro in sneakers, and carry shoes in my briefcase - duck into the ladies closest to the meeting plcae and change shoes.

ellice

************************************************** IBM people had to wear dark suits, either navy or black, and white shirts way into the 80's and probably into the early 90's. That went for both the men and the women. You always knew when they were coming into our office. They came in groups of 4 or 5 and every one of them looked alike. Again that went for both the men and the women.

Lucille

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In the main offices down here - they stopped the white shirt requirement in the 80s . We used to make fun of the engineers we knew who worked there - about all the white shirts. It was definitely stopped before the 90s. But, different possibly depending on the job functions - sales, seeing customers vs tech/lab type folks.

ellice

Doing better than my MIL. They moved in October, and somehow that means she doesn't have time to shop for my kids now, so I got to do Santa & grandma & mom shopping this year.

Caryn

If red wine goes with beef, and white wine goes with turkey, what goes with holiday fruitcake????

spew warning!

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the Heimlich Maneuver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

Did you know that there were only 30 fruitcakes ever made? It's true. There just seems like more because they keep getting passed around year after year.

My mom used to make fruitcakes and they were awful, but one neighbor used to soak them with rum and serve with whipped cream. The kids sure got quiet afterwards.

C