Monday, October 05, 2015

Guys Lifting Their Heads Off

When Danny was about three, we took him to a diner in Council Bluffs for breakfast (pre-food allergies seems s long ago...). For Halloween, the owners had filled the place with moving decorations-flying bats, growling zombies, and like this fella standing beside me-"Guys lifting their heads off." The poor kid was so freaked out, we couldn't convince him to look around the place as we exited the safety of the booth.
"No! I don't like places where guys are lifting their heads off!" He screamed. The owners laughed, but we never did go back there at Halloween, or any other time.
He's over it now. In fact, until the 31st, we'll be spending a good chunk of our time in businesses that cater to the Halloween trade. I'm not buying anything, mind you, but they are great places to play, even if guys are lifting their heads off all over the place.

We have a religious neighbour that really dislikes all this Halloween stuff, so we've limited our decorations to a couple bats and some pumpkins. I'm not personally bothered by ghouls, etc. but I wouldn't want her to have to see it every day if it is that upsetting. I'm sure she wouldn't be too cool with guys lifting their heads off right down the street. The inside of the house is another story.
Nothing too scary about a tiered display of pumpkins...except perhaps the price! 

The garden is undergoing change with the seasons. I brought most of the ceramics inside, and the metal plant carts in for winter. The bag bed still has a couple pepper plants, sorrel, and some turnip greens. The small square bed has red Russian kale, and spinach. The pots have various cold weather cutting lettuces. We have warm weather all week, but at this time of year it is a bonus-we could have snow at any time. Tomorrow, we're going to make a scarecrow to sit in the blue chair, but I promise, he won't be lifting his head off!

Know what else is frightening... 

... the amount of Pendelton in my wardrobe. I find it difficult to pass up knowing how well made it is. If I owned such nice things I wouldn't be donating them to Goodwill. It doesn't get more "classic" than Pendelton-these are not clothes that go out of style.


This 49'er jacket is a newer re-issue of their famous design. The collar is smaller, as are the buttons, but otherwise they've stayed faithful to the original jackets. This time of year, a lightweight wool jacket is a good thing to have.

 Here's a look at my original vintage one. The wool is a bit less scratchy on the re-issue, which I consider an improvement.
 I didn't set out to build a Pendelton collection, but between the skirts, coats, jackets, and assorted trousers and blouses, it has become the dominant brand in my cool weather wardrobe.
 Outfit Particulars:
Polo neck bodysuit-Limited (decades ago)
Pendelton 49'er jacket-Goodwill
Pendelton wool skirt-Goodwill
Clarks shoes-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage Jenny Bag-eBay
Snood with bow-had it since high school
Earrings/brooch-both Hand-Me-Ups
Lippy-Revlon Icy Violet (a 40's shade re-issued)

Still, a woman can't live on quality wool alone...sometimes you need to eat
I found these at the newly-opened World Market in Omaha. A Scottish employee was concerned I hadn't seen the snowballs on another shelf, and excitedly told me they had them. I might be the only person alive that doesn't like coconut and marshmallow together. From the looks of their product line, I'm hoping these will be OK for Danny to try (Tunnocks doesn't make anything with nuts, and they do a good job listing all the allergens on the box-at least the boxes they use for export to the US). It would be a pity if I had to eat all six by myself (Mr. ETB's idea of getting in touch with his Scottish heritage is to eat curry!). Anyway, I won't tell you what these cost, but they aren't likely to become a regular indulgence.

What about you? Any clothing brands you find yourself collecting? What about Snowballs? Delicious taste treat, or vile work of the devil?

9 comments:

Bibi said...

I love those Clarks & the snood with the bows, so practical & smart looking.
I have 2 of my dad's Pendleton plaid wool shirts from the late 50's. The plaids are both similar to your mauve-y Pendleton jacket & one is in grays & the other in browns. I still wear them in the winter. I've had several British & Kiwi tourists admire them & comment on how gorgeous their quality & style are.
Of all the American holidays I miss Halloween the most.
Snowballs were my mom's favorite. Like you I can't stand coconut & marshmallow together. Russell Stover's Mint Dreams with their minty marshmallow filling & surprisingly excellent quality chocolate shell were her other favorite - now those I loved also.
I saw a lot of large plaids being displayed for Fall when I was in Florida- everywhere from Old Navy to Sak's. I suppose those were for the 'snowbird shoppers' to ship back home to their loved ones suffering through the misery of a mid western winter?

Sue said...

I will admit to loving a few NZ labels when it comes to clothes. I get a real buzz when I find them in charity shops. Nice shoes, you know I have a thing for shoes!

Beth Waltz said...

Whilst weeding my shoe collection -- and sniffing over the 4" heels I'll never wear again -- I did notice large numbers of HighLights and Tootsie Mootsies. My Aigner items have their own section, next to the honored place for second-hand Ferragamo's. (Me, too, Sue!)

The 49'er jacket ensemble qualifies you as the Superintendant of Schools, Goody, assuming that lady possessed excellent taste and the perquisite income of her position. I envy you shoulders that fit inside those Pendelton jackets: my own are 49'er XL.

Goody said...

@Sue
Isn't it about time for another survey of your shoes? I love seeing the new treasures you find.

@Beth Waltz
I'm not dumb enough to be a school administrator!

Goody said...

But I am dumb enough not to catch the misspelling of "Pendleton". Geez. *Slaps head*

Mim said...

If Danny likes the teacakes, let me know. I can send him some of the caramel wafers (I'll buy a packet for myself first to check the ingredients, purely for 'research' purposes, you understand). Tunnocks Teacakes have such a cult following, there's even a knitting pattern for a teacake hat!

Goody said...

@Mim

That's so sweet of you to offer. Turns out, after some research that although Tunnock's doesn't have nuts in any of their treats, their tea house uses the same factory for baking-and it is sharing a production line. That pretty much killed it for us, but I promised Danny I'd home-bake an alternative (shortbread, marshmallow and chocolate coating can't be that hard).

I don't mind baking, but I was really hoping the Tea Cakes would be OK. Better to find out before having a reaction though.

When I was small my mother bought me a knit hat that looked like a Tootsie Roll wrapper. Making a fat child wear a hat that read, "Tootsie Roll" was unbelievably cruel! Even as a joke I don't think I could knit a Tea Cakes hat...the memory of the humiliation is still too fresh all these decades later...

Connie said...

You are so nice to think of your neighbor. Heads off to you! I love Pendleton. You look like a lovely 1940's coed. Unfortunately the climate here makes wearing wool soooooo itchy. I think it's the combination of the heat and the ocean air. I'm living vicariously wooly through you.

Goody said...

@Connie

You're looking cool and comfy in your beautiful sundresses though. I;d trade that orange gauzy number in your last post for woolens any day.