Boots

As any good shopaholic would, I have already started thinking about winter boots.

I have never had to really worry about snow boots or really cold-weather boots. In Seattle, the snow usually has melted by 8:00am, and then you have to do a late start at school instead of having the day off. Booo! Or you have to drive to work, which is 80 times more lame.

Now that I am in Boston, I have to be prepared for (a) really cold, numbing weather, and (b) snow that sticks around for more than five hours. Hmm. This could get expensive. Although, it won't since I am still unemployed.

Here are some delicious boots I have found, neither of which I can afford. One pair is purely for comfort and warmth (yes, I know they are ugly - shut up, I want my legs to be warm), and the other for looks.

Stella McCartney, Net-a-Porter

Christian Louboutin, Net-a-Porter

If only (a) I had the money to buy these, and (b) Stella wasn't such a tree-hugger and would actually use real shearling.

Those are my pretty things of the day. I realized I haven't put many of those lately. So there you go.

Bawston Homesickness

Yes, I am homesick. Mostly I am lonely, so I really need a job and/or friends. I also need my mom to move here, but I guess the job and friends are more realistic...

I haven't gotten to explore Boston too much yet, but I did find a nice running spot in the Public Gardens (I have to double-check "public" every time I type it because I am afraid I will leave out the "L") and on Commonwealth Avenue. It's a street with a walking/running path in the middle, and it is shady with trees for the entire .83 mile. My goal is to run up and back Comm Ave without having to stop.

Yes, you can be skinny and still be THAT out of shape.

Sad. I will change that, but not today - not on Comm Ave, anyway. It's supposed to hit 90 degrees today with like, 60% humidity or something disgusting like that. When I woke up at 9am it was already 80 degrees. Groooooosssss!!!!

The dogs are having fun but they are definitely getting cabin fever.

This is what cabin fever in dogs looks like.

I can't walk them when it is so hot out! I do think I need a lawn chair though, just to sit in our small yard and let them occupy themselves with sniffing, and rolling in dead bugs. I wonder if Off! makes lawn chairs with centipede repellent...

Who DOESN'T need these gems???

I am sure that every woman I know has faced this conundrum:

You put on your LBD (Little Black Dress, for the fashion-challenged).

Where was I? Oh yes:

You are getting ready for a big night out. The mirror shows you that those glasses of champagne are FINALLY paying off, and when you are done you admiring your flat abs, perky butt, and toned thighs (ok, this might be part unrealistic fantasy), you put on your LBD. You've got your sexiest heels in a color that really pops, and your hair is done in the perfect Audrey-esque chignon.

But....something is missing. Pearls? No, they aren't quite right. Diamonds? Those old things? You just have so many of them, and you feel they are maybe a bit formal tonight.

If only you had that perfect accessory.

Well, ladies, call me your Fairy Shop-Mother!! Presenting.......

NICESHOP ON ETSY!!!!!!!!!

I know what you are thinking: "Bethany, HOW did you know that Ringo Starr earrings are the perfect compliment to almost every outfit in my wardrobe?????"

I'm just that good - that's why.

And for those outfits that require a less-formal feel, why not try......

..... a little Travis Barker?

I know, I know - there are some of you that are STILL asking, "But Bethany, what about when I get invited to dim-sum theme parties?"

Oh, Sweet, Sweet Child-o-Mine... you don't think Aunty Bethany would really forget that special occasion, do you?

Dim Sum Necklace - Niceshop on Etsy.com

You're welcome.

XO,

Bethany

PS All photos from Niceshop on Etsy.

PPS There are other not-celebrity-picture products from Niceshop, which you should probably check out. You know, before you buy the Depeche-Mode necklace.

Helloooo, Boston!!! And..... now I will say goodbye.

Dear Boston-area,

Just kidding. I'm not leaving - YET.

But if you keep up with these horrifying "Centipede-in-the-Bathtub" shenanigans, I might have to run screaming back to my home town. You'll know where I am going from the trail of Raid that I leave behind on my way to Boston-Logan Airport, and inside of the 737 that carries me back to Seattle.

I love the fact that you have summers that last more than one month, and I am excited to buy more cashmere for your winter. I love your public transportation, which is head-and-shoulders above that of my hometown. I don't mind that I get mild panic attacks at the thought of driving here at night and/or in traffic!

I even was able to forgive that little earwig on the windowsill this evening, because, hey - even Seattle has those.

BUT.

Don't put 1.5-inch, Feathery, orange, Spawn-of-Satan, Shakes-Inducing bugs in my house!

You have been warned.

Love,

Bethany

PS If you see random spots of powder on my clothes/body, I haven't picked up a nasty habit. It will be the boric acid that I will soon deposit on every surface of my house.

PPS I am seriously considering a cat. Or five.

Urgent - Warning To ALL Women!

Beware of the strapless onesie pantsuits on the clearance racks, ladies! They are NOT strapless flowy dresses. That was a very confusing and scary three minutes in the dressing room.

Thank Baby Jesus that I could fit in one leg and didn't have to witness the crotchular atrocities that stepping into both pant legs would have committed. Now, when shopping I check every "skirt" and "dress" to make sure those are their real names....

A couple things. Okay, five, actually

Here's a few pictures from our place while my husband was gone on the Grand Canyon for three weeks:

Doggy heaven.

The two fluffy ones are mine. The poodle hogging the dog bed was a foster dog. But those are a lot of pillows for only three dogs.

Oh, snap! that's because there are two more doggies in here.

That's weird.... those aren't my dogs. Teehee. The three foster dogs.

When the husband's away, the pups get to stay!

This is Floyd. He was my favorite. Definitely the fattest foster dog I've had. They usually come to me as skin and bones - it's heart-breaking! Floyd came to me as a roly-poly puppy - the first and only one I got from the shelter. What a happy dog! I loved his ears, and his tongue would stick out of his mouth where he had lost some teeth.

Floyd's magical flying ear. It added to his charm.

Sooooo....ha! No words.

Well, that is all for tonight on cute and wonderful things in my life.

After a frustrating day at work (by the way, I only have 5 days left - woo to the hoo!), this post was therapeutic. I know that pets are good for your health and help you to calm down, but I didn't realize that just remembering and looking at pictures of them could have the same effect!

And I'm back.

Wow. I have had a few people ask me if I have posted on this blog lately. Clearly, I have not posted since I went back to work in April. Not because of my work, but because of everything outside of work.

As you may or may not know, Rick and I are moving to Boston. Well, he is actually there already. I'm waiting it out (or is it working it out?) at Boeing to receive a sweet little bundle of vested stocks on July 1st.

Anyway, it's been a whirlwind of more-than-usual craziness in my life. I spent 3 weeks packing up our house, preparing our dishes and kitchen appliances for the ride across the country in a ramshackle flatbed trailer. Packing and cleaning was my sole purpose outside of work. That got old...pretty quickly. It makes me want to just get rid of everything. Alas, I love my stuff too much. I mean, I get a rush off of stocking up on dog-toothbrushes!

Knowing that about me, you can probably guess that my hubs and I have way more stuff than will fit in a small trailer. That is why Rick and I sold almost all of our furniture and stored the rest at our friend's house (THANK YOU Tom and Lindsay!).

I was really sad to see our bed go - I'll see you in a few years, pillowtop king size Sealy mattress! You were good to me. I'll think of you every time I wake up with a sore hip from my too-firm mattress that I am bound to get in Boston.

With the exception of the bed, it was actually really refreshing to get rid of a lot of clutter. I didn't realize how many things I had kept around that I didn't really love or use! I was actually happy to see a lot of our things go (for profit, no less). I guess I didn't really need to take 3 dog kennels across the country....*I am not a dog-kennel hoarder - I had one for my house, one for Rick's house, and one for foster dogs.

After those three weeks of packing and selling, Rick and my dad loaded up the truck and trailer. These are a few packing pictures:

This is how they stacked stuff in the trailer so high - Saran-Wrap for Moving.

The magical roll. I think it was my dad who noted that this color is reminiscent of a 737 before it is painted.

As you can see from this picture, I was (not) a huge help.

But I like to think that I brought up morale a bit.

Oh, and that positioning of the saran wrap stick was accidental.

And then....this was the end product. Just before the guys climbed into the truck and drove across the country.

I was a little worried for their safety, but they made it to Boston and so did all of our stuff. Hooray!

That is just one of the activities that has kept me so busy lately. There are more stories that involve five dogs in one house, and Vegas, and a small secondary move, but I'll tell them later.

I guess it's good that I have been busy - Rick is busy with his school program and having stuff to do distract me from counting down the days until I get to see him again! In the meantime I am wallowing here in yucky Seattle, getting rained on and trying not to drink too much wine.

Clearly, this is a tough "season" of life for me, with the stress of big changes, job changes, and not having my best friend next to me to give me a hug.

I guess there are a lot of different seasons in life. Seattle should get a clue and have more seasons than "cloudy" and "rainy."

I'm just saying.