I've done both-- boarded my dogs and used a sitter. The place I board my dogs is a doggy play place where they allow the dogs to play (supervised). They group them by small/ large/ wild/ mild, etc. My dogs love going there and they always sleep for a week afterwards! The next time I go out of town though, I'm using a friend (my dd's friend) to watch our pets. The reason I'm doing it mainly is due to cost. It costs me $70 a night to board the dogs, plus I still have to pay someone else to come and feed the cats. I figure I'll pay my dd's friend (18) $50 a day. I'll be ahead and he'll be thrilled.

DH took me on a really entertaining "date" last night. We went to see the silent film "The Italian Straw Hat". The screening was accompanied by a guy named Clark Wilson, who played Canada's largest Wurlitzer organ. Neato!

Dagmar :beach:

Re cleaning closets. I have a Calvin Klein suit, I love that suit but it has never fit just right but I so hate to get rid of it. I think I should take it to the consignment shop. That reminds me of a cocktail dress I had once, again I loved that dress but I "outgrew" it and took it to a "snooty" consignment shop, she didn't want to take it because it had some manmade fibers in it, but she grudgingly agreed and I ended up with $60 in my pocket.

Dagmar~my Dad would have loved to go with you on that date! He's a HUGE organ fan! I've gone with him a couple times to see silent films with the Wurlitzer playing. It really is interesting!

Bargoo, can you get the suit altered so that it fits you?

Michele, I guess with two dogs it is more expensive than one! Out here the in-home overnight sitters charge $65/night, but the dog hotel is $35/night.

Iris, I don't think Carter would ever be described as an "I love everyone" dog. :lol3: And he hates the "I love everyone" dogs because they don't leave him alone when he wants them to. He is a breedist -- hates golden retrievers! :lol:

That said, I took him to the vet for his vaccines today and we discovered that he is much friendlier and more well-behaved when he can't see me. I guess feeling like he has to protect me puts him on guard and he isn't as friendly in general when I'm there. Knowing that makes me wonder if he'd be okay with the doggie hotel. They do daycare there too which is grouped by doggie personality, so he doesn't have to love ALL the other dogs in order to go. Most daycare type places around here have to evaluate your dog and if they're not 100% friendly they aren't allowed in.

In any case I will talk to the other sitter tonight. She also does boarding where she takes your dog to her house, which might be an okay option and is reasonably priced.

Is this a California thing, do you think? I know that the fashion designers, the FIT students and the garmentos work with all kinds of fabrics and don't care about man-made fibers so much as the look & drape of the thing. Or maybe, as someone who's allergic to wool and lanolin, I know that "natural fibers" is not a guarantee of compatibility and comfort.

Yesterday, in honor of all the closet-cleaning, I pulled a forgotten box from the back of my bedroom closet at my mother's house and discovered a small trove of Victorian and Edwardian "whites." Mostly white cotton undergarments and nightgowns trimmed in lace, but also a high-necked blouse and a summer dress from the 1920s. I collected these about 20 years ago, occasionally wore them during my eating disorder days, and then put them away forgot about them. What to do with them? Probably I'll sell them, except maybe one or two of the nightgowns. They look too costume-y to wear, and besides, most won't fit, since I am heavier than I was when anorectic.

When I cleaned out my closet Sunday I had a number of items I thought looked sharp from when I was thin 6 years ago- after trying them on there aren't so good looking anymore!!
Have a good one everyone!!

Steve

On "What's Not To Wear" they positively sneer at man made fabrics.

I find 100% synthetic fabrics to be creepy to wear against my skin - and I sweat like a :ink: in them. But step away from my poly cotton blends - I love those! Plus cotton jeans with a tiny bit of Spandex (or its equivalent).

I also don't tolerate synthetic shoes for the same reason as the clothes. Put me in plastic or rubber shoes all day and then STAND BACK when I take 'em off :faint:

Dagmar :beach:

Morning all,

I'm very tired from working out in the sun yesterday. I slept like a baby last night. Summer is coming... I also had a dream that BF cheated on me, so naturally I woke up and told him to stop doing that in my dreams. He said he would try. It was funny to me - this is not something I walk around worrying about IRL.

I agree with Dagmar. Some synthetic fabrics I don't like bc they don't breathe well. But in the summer for field work I wear practically all fishing shirts, quick-dry shirts, bikinis under my clothes in case I have to get in the water, and hiking-type SPF+ pants. I'm pretty sure they're not natural fabric, and they definitely help wick moisture away and not keep it in. I love them much better than a cotton tee when sweating (which is all day, every day, all summer long).

Stacy and Clinton would have a field day with my wardrobe. I remember they did a makeover on a zookeeper once. Her work uniform was a zoo polo-type shirt and khaki shorts. I don't know if they even let her keep that. They would not like my fishing pants.

Steve, I try to remind myself when I'm hesitant to let go of clothes that don't fit that they won't be in fashion when I can fit into them again.

Saef, your whites sound like fun finds!

Jessica, have you had Carter to this boarding place for daycare? Maybe you could try daycare or a 1-night stay and see how he reacts. We board Emma at the same place she goes to daycare and she loves it, but she is a very outgoing dog! The first time we took her there we did it for a shorter trip as a "test run".

I found a "mini" dehumidifier on Amazon I think I will buy for my closets. It's much smaller than the big monsters I think of when I think dehumidifier! You let it absorb up to 6 oz of liquid, then plug it in somewhere else and the motor will dry it out so you can reuse it. Genius.

Have a good Wednesday all!

Chico's has a line of clothing called Travelers (they don't wrinkle much). I had a couple tops from the line and I liked the way they hung on me, but they actually caused a rash! I'm not allergic to most things, but obviously I was to whatever synthetic fiber was in there! Weird rash, too--it was only in my armpit, around the edge of where my anti-perspirant was. At first I thought it was a reaction to the antiperspirant, so I spent weeks trying this brand or that--nothing worked until I stopped wearing the tops.

My MIL has to use dehumidifiers when they travel in Oregon and Washington near the coast. She gets disposable ones that hang in the closet. Once filled, you throw them away. I think a machine, though, is a better choice.

Got my hair cut today!
Me

Nice! Very modern and I bet its easy to style. I am so jealous of you Allison and of all people with beautiful thick hair that will spike like in your photo.

I once tried to spike my hair for Halloween and used spray starch, hairspray, and egg whites. Lasted about 10 minutes and then went totally flat and limp again.

Dagmar :shrug:

Your hair looks great, Allison. What's your gel or mousse? Do you pick at it a lot while blow-drying, or is it pretty much wash and wear?

I'm having a somber day today. I mentioned a while ago that there's a neighbor down the street from us who's terminally ill, and that my mother spends a lot of time visiting her or on the phone with her. Today while I was working, the phone rang and I thought it was for my job, but it was that neighbor. All she had to do was say, "Is your mom there?" and I knew it was bad. Before even telling her, I asked, "Are you okay?" She was not. I got my mother out of the shower to head down to the woman's house. And my mother went to the hospital with her and her husband. My mother's not back yet. I've been on the edge, waiting for word from her. It's reminding me horribly of my father's last days, in which there were a lot of emergency room admittances until he opted for hospice care in the house. I have that same bleak feeling, even though I don't know this woman very well at all.

But I still had to work today, and in fact, did get things done ... though not as much as I really should have. I am not as good at compartmentalizing as I'd started to think I was.

I need to get some food ready for my mother when she finally gets home from the hospital.

This was my stylist--we'll see what results I have myself tomorrow. I use Guts by Redkin and a pomade by Enjoy. She was using a new line (can't remember the name--but a relative of Redkin as they are both owned by L'Oriel).

So sorry to hear about your Mom's neighbor. That's hard to take regardless of relation.