LLBean First Major Clothes Purchase in Two years

There was only one glove, the jacket was so old that the pockets had to be sewn closed, and the walking shoes were very worn inside and had holes that let the rain in. It was about time to finally get some upgrades. So we took our morning walk at the Tyson’s mall. We checked out Macy’s and Nordstrom and North Face and Skechers first. There was a great three in one jacket in North Face but they didn’t have the right size. We ended up at LlBean which is where we usually go. And of course, we found exactly what we were looking for. My husband usually knows what he wants. He didn’t think he would want the three in one jacket but it really is versatile. It has a light weight puffer coat inside which is another thing he didn’t want until he tried it on. I only wish he picked a different color than black. He also found a great pair of gloves. We never could find the one that was lost last year. I ended up with water proof walking shoes in a putty color. The nicest part was the 10 per cent off sale and we used the $20 bean bucks that have been sitting there for quite some time. We put on almost two and a half miles wandering around the mall and it was quite busy - not my cup of tea. You could say it was even exhausting. But at least we were able to find what we were looking for. It felt odd shopping again. I can say I really didn’t miss it. 

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Wearing the Same Clothes Over and Over

It probably didn’t matter anyway. The clothes I wear around the house are the same as before - but they are about the only clothes I wear these days. At least before we would wear other clothes for going out to lunch or attending programs at the Library of Congress or meeting with my family members for brunch or packing them to take trips. But no more! I do wear LLBean shorts and pants and shirts and jackets every morning for a walk based on what the weather dictates. But from the minute I wake up to the time I change for bed it’s shorts and a T-shirt. The shorts must be thirteen years old as I got them when we first moved to DC to wear while I worked in the patio garden. They are really cheap and have an elastic waist band and I got them them in five colors. The T-shirts are Amazon Merch shirts that are samples of my custom pet portraits. Since I sell them on Amazon I wanted to see how they actually turned out so I had ordered a few in different sizes - two of them are used for night shirts. They aren’t as wrinkled as they appear when they are worn! All I can say is that they are comfortable and who cares? I may need to break down in winter and add a long sleeve jacket and/or long pants, but so far I haven’t needed anything more. In some ways it feels strange, but strange has become normal. 

Redbubble Options

Along with a lot of other websites I’ve used, I started a shop on Redbubble a couple of months ago called LITDigitalArt. I was overjoyed when I sold an American Eskimo sticker. But it wasn’t until last week that I realized how many more options were available on the site. Sometimes one large image of something isn’t exactly the best approach to use on all products, or due to the file constraints and specifications, the file image isn’t large enough for a particular product. So after playing around with the editing options I finally figured out that the images can be set up in repeating patterns - which can look stunning and unexpectedly pleasing on clothing. The images can be adjusted in size and in random or straight forward patterns. Depending on the item, one or the other looks nicer. The categories are clothing for men, women and kids; device cases; wall art; home decor; stationery; and bags - and there are many products within each category. I stayed away from the T-shirt category because you really need a transparent background - and I have 100 designs on Merch by Amazon with a shop called LITs Pooches, Kitties and Other Sweet Faces. So I’ve been spending a lot is time uploading files and creating some fun things. I enjoy the process and the Redbubble website is very user friendly. So if you have an inkling for a unique gift, check out my Redbubble shop. My categories feature Iran, Betta Fish, Sketch to Portrait, Animals, Washington DC, and Holidays and Home. Thanks so much for looking. And I would definitely appreciate any feedback at LITDigitalArt@gmail.com

Goodwill Visit and a Google Redirect

It's funny how your wardrobe changes when you retire. I decided to clean out my closets this weekend and eliminated a lot of work related items like suits, heels, and purses. So that meant a trip to the Goodwill store in Arlington. It happened to be a Saturday afternoon. It didn't seem like it would be a big deal, but one should not venture out around here on a Saturday late afternoon because the traffic is dreadful! But we kept going only to find out that the store in Arlington was closing early because of the extreme heat, but drop offs could be made at the store in Annandale, six miles further out. So rather than return the following day, we decided to take the trip and get the task done. It took quite some time to reach our destination. Everyone in Washington was eating out at six pm. Once we got there, the drop off was a cinch. To make matters worse, there was a baseball game and the traffic back home would be irritaitng. So I tested google maps ability to read the congestion and select an alternate route. And for the first time, it took us on a much better path away from the mess. On top of that, both of us were starving, and our plan to stop at Five Guys - near the stadium - would be impossible. We usually check to see when the baseball games are scheduled before we go anywhere so we can avoid these messes, take alternate routes, or plan to do things at other times. We didn't even think about it this time. Lesson learned. 

The Retired Person's Wardrobe - What to Toss? I Miss My Walk In Closet!

One of the things I miss most about our Milwaukee home is the walk in closet we had. It was't that large, but did allow me to have all my clothes in one spot. One of the first things we did when we moved to this tiny place was have California Closets do whatever they could to make the already tiny space a little more useful. But even with that, stuff is located in several places, but I don't have to walk very far to get to it all. Since I retired in February I have been meaning to clean out the closets and get rid of anything I knew I wouldn't be wearing any more - work skirts and suits, high heels, stockings! So yesterday - with my husband's help - we went through just about everything, leaving the sock and underwear drawers for today! I can say I made some progress and filled two large garbage bags with worthwhile clothing, purses, and shoes to take to Goodwill. But I didn't go as far as I could. I think I need to rethink it all in another year, once we get through all the seasons. What I ended up with was a lot of extra hangers, everything now has it's own hanger, the hall closet area is mush less cluttered, and everything is in a little better order. I also have an idea of what I actually have. I also realize that my wardrobe is quite neutral and tends to be the same bland colors. There is still too much, but I'm having a bit of a problem discarding leather jackets and other things that still look good. I do know I don't need to get anything else right now. The heels were just switched out for walking shoes. That should do it for now.