day one hundred seventy-six

i was listening to the radio the other day and heard an ad for a mattress company. so what, right? well, apparently they have a pillow expert. is this an actual job? does this person have a business card that actually reads "pillow expert"? i wonder if there is a secret place somewhere in the world that has a pillow school that hands out pillow expert diplomas.

it's probably the same place you go to learn to be a magic carpet rider.

maybe it's just me, but don't you just know when a pillow is good and when it's not? some people prefer a firm pillow, some prefer soft. some prefer feathers while others prefer synthetic fill. some like a small pillow while some like a full-on body pillow. don't you just try them out until you find one you like?

i imagine that in this particular store, you walk in casually looking to set yourself up with a new pillow because the one you currently own is too firm/soft/ratty/lumpy. you are approached by the pillow expert who leaves a faint trail of stardust in his wake. he offers you a tray of gnocchi and marshmallows (his favourite snacks). like a fine storyteller, he explains to you the origin of the hand-picked duck feathers that were bred in an exotic-sounding country specifically for you to lay your head on. he pulls out charts outlining the quality and thread-count of each pillow. you are amazed by the intricacies of the pillow world that up until this point you were completely oblivious about. you buy the perfect pillow hand selected by the pillow expert and go home and feel like you are sleeping on a cloud.

at least that's what it better be like. last time we bought new pillows, i flung my head into each one while they were still on the shelf, and The Husband actually lay down on the dirty store floor testing them out.

fine, point taken. this is the last time i will mock the pillow expert.

*****

today's look while wishing i owned a magic carpet:

flowered dress over dress: remade by me from a skirt donated by coral sproule for this project - thanks! (free)
green tie around waist: from dressing gown (free)
jeans: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
green crocheted hat: value village, a year old ($4)
brooch worn on hat: jacob, about four years old (about $15)
brown sandals: aldo, about four years old (about $80)

grand total:
about $99.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred seventy-four

i stopped buying women's magazines a couple of years ago. i used to buy them all the time, and i'd hold onto them for years. when it came time for decluttering, i'd throw everything out except my magazines. i saw them as a snapshot of the times - the clothes, the stories, the issues. but after a few years, i noticed the trends. they were just so annoyingly predictable.

i haven't picked up one of these magazines in months, but i can pretty much guarantee that any given magazine currently on the racks has titles on the cover like "how to look cool while beating the heat!", "get your body beach-ready in less than a week!", "ten products that will keep you gorgeous all summer long!", "painless swimsuit shopping!", "fake tanner minus the smell!".

lies! lies! lies!

if i had a magazine, i'd tell it like it is. my magazine would be called get real and would have headings like "it's damn hot outside, and chances are you are going to look like a wet cat by the end of the day", "no one will be looking at your juicy lips when you smell like that", "the last time you went swimsuit shopping and enjoyed it you were five. some things never change.", "melancholy reads for the anti-beach set", and "fun things to do rather than getting peed on at the local pool".

hey, sometimes reality bites.

*****

today's look while being bratty:

brown skirt over dress: kilborn's, seven months old ($45)
black tie around waist: found in a bag of wrapping paper (free)
beaded necklace worn as bracelet: stitches ($5 for a set)

grand total:
about $50.08

day one hundred seventy-two

i have never been good at traditional math. i liken math to a foreign language that i will never understand. i remember one specific incident when i was in grade three and we'd been given a math test. i had no idea what to do, so i thought the teacher would appreciate a lovely pencil drawing on the page instead of some badly-done long division. i drew a robot out of geometric shapes, you know, all art-with-an-ode-to-math style. i put a lot of effort into the drawing. as it turns out, my teacher didn't appreciate it at all and i was reprimanded. this didn't exactly endear me any further to math.

but when it comes to my own version of math, i excel. for example, i can translate my day today into math and come out with the right answer:

1 morning stomachache + 1/2 cup of coffee + 2 pieces of raisin toast + 1 peed-on dress + 1 long day + 1 summer solstice party + 2 plates of food + lots of happy kids + 1 tired kid 1 1/2 hours late to bed - not much night left = 1 very tired me.

see? i can even do fractions. but maybe you'd rather i just draw you a picture instead.

*****

today's look while contemplating implications derived from the effects of quantum physics:

jeans: value village, a year old ($20)
brown sandals: aldo, about four years old (about $80)

grand total:
about $100.08

day one hundred sixty-four

do you hear that sound? it's the sound of me exhaling in a rare moment of genuine relaxation. i feel as though i have been short on time lately and long on things to do. but this morning, i won the child jackpot. tenzin slept in until 10:40 am. it was getting so late, i was reaching the point of wondering if i should wake him up. yeah, i know, dumb idea. sleeping babies and all. so i let him keep dreaming and cleared every item of my to-do list, and do i ever feel better now.

although i usually don't condone such things, if you were feeling so inclined you could practically eat off our floors, they are so clean. dishes were done and put away (by me for once)! thank you notes were written and are sitting in actual addressed envelopes ready to go in the mail. a gazebo was moved and a rather large picnic table dragged into it. some fun was had too - some guilt-free tv watching and lots of playing with t in the short time he spent awake today.

did i ever need that. now i'm off to shower. cleaning up to-do lists is a very dirty job.

*****

today's look while off to make a new list:

black t-shirt: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
green material around waist: recycled from an old t-shirt (free)
zipper bracelet: made by me out of recycled zippers (free)

grand total:
about 8¢ (just the cost-per-wear of the dress!)


kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred sixty-one

the last thought i had before my head hit the pillow last night was how amazing it would feel to sleep in. ironically, this morning i jolted awake five whole minutes before i was supposed to leave for work. turns out the alarm was set but the sound wasn't. unfortunately one doesn't work without the other in terms of performing the needed function of waking me up.

i bolted out of bed, disoriented and confused. i slapped on some makeup, ran something through my hair, power brushed my teeth, and threw on the first thing i saw in the drawer. i heard tenzin say "mama" on the other side of the wall. i was torn: go in, say hi and leave two seconds later causing certain upset or bolt up the stairs and out of the house before he could see me. i chose option number two and felt guilty about my choice all morning.

i drove to work blanking out several minutes down the highway which is always disconcerting. how exactly did i get from a to c without remembering much of b? without any of the usual caffeine streaming through my body, i assume. i jolted to when i saw a dead deer lying on the side of the highway. that's two this week.

i walked down the road to mail a letter in the afternoon. i was waiting at a light and after a moment realized that i was humming. out loud. great, now i've become a crazy girl who hums out loud in public.

i came home. the sound of gunshots was ringing through the air. where exactly do i live?! i don't think i will ever get used to that sound. i went outside to take my daily picture. tenzin decided to come with me. he thinks it's really funny waiting for the timer to go off and then having the picture taken. so the sound was gunshot! laugh! gunshot! laugh! the poor hunter was likely thrown off his game. oh well, hopefully we saved a deer.

soon it will be time for bed again. another day is winding down. tonight i will still dream about sleeping in, but i'll be double-checking that the sound's turned up this time.

*****

today's look while in a bit of a fog:

green t-shirt over dress: donated by marci bruyere for this project - thanks! (free)
brown sandals: aldo, about four years old (about $80)

grand total:
about $80.08

day one hundred sixty

today is cold. it's the kind of cold that you get in england where it passes straight through your skin and nestles deep in your bones.

one hot meal, one hot bath, one warm sweatshirt and one wool blanket later, the chill has finally gone. it's always strange when june feels like october.

*****

today's look while dreaming of england:

black t-shirt with velcro tab worn over dress (today it spells "one sixty"): next exit, about seven years old ($45)
white skirt under dress: the dump (free)
green hairband: recycled from an old t-shirt (free)brown sandals: aldo, about four years ago (about $80)



grand total:
about $125.08

day one hundred fifty-eight

one of my favourite pasttimes is thinking about what other people are doing right now. like, for instance, at this very moment someone somewhere in the world just:

* was born
* got on a plane to go on holiday
* tried something for the first time
* broke a promise
* met their fate
* committed a crime
* played air guitar
* lost their last penny
* experienced brain freeze
* died
* rode a roller coaster and puked
* made a good decision

or maybe even all of those things in one day.

*****

today's look while wondering what just happened to you:

green top over dress: giant tiger, about three years old ($15)
jeans: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)

grand total:
about $15.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred fifty-four

one thing i am looking forward to hopefully having at the end of this project is a little more time. just a little. between rushing out to work in the morning to rushing home at the end of the day to rushing around before bedtime and trying to get everything done...well, it all makes me feel like i'm caught in a bit of a whirlwind. each week is whizzing by, and i can barely remember where it's all gone and what i've even done. i try to enjoy the little moments, but i tend to always be thinking about what needs to be done or what i'd like to get done or what might need doing by sometime next week.

i've had a library book out for about five weeks now and i've only read a few pages. i have a sweater that i started making for tenzin back around christmas and it's not even half done. it seems like The Husband and I don't even sit down together until 8:30 or 9:00 each night. and inevitably one or both of us falls asleep about an hour later on the couch. something's gotta change. see? that guy who invented time really is my nemesis.

speaking of which, we have company coming this weekend for a certain little person's birthday, so there's cleaning to be done, a shower to be had, and some final party preparations to be done. if only i could find a few extra minutes...

*****

today's look while wondering if it will ever all get done:

striped top under dress: value village, about ten months old ($7)
jeans: donated by coral sproule for this project - thanks! (free)
pink scarf worn on head: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
brown sandals: aldo, about four years old (about $80)

grand total:
about $87.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred fifty-one

five months down, just one to go! here's what my dresses and i have been up to in the month of may:

* shared with the class
* did a book report
* told you things you might not know about me
* got something off my chest all passive-aggressive style
* wrote a love letter
* had not one but two potential (perhaps maybe) celebrity sightings
* spent an awful lot of time in the car, talking about cars, and/or looking at cars
* expended extreme amounts of willpower

i can't believe there is only one month left. i am so amazingly grateful for the two generous donations i received this past month. my hopes for the final month are to raise even more money for almost home and to enjoy the final time of this adventure. it's been equal parts fun and challenging so far. please help me spread the word!

*****

today's look while gearing up for the finale:

purple dress? super-sized t-shirt? nightdress? under dress: the dump (free)
jeans: value village, a year old ($20)
butterfly-print scarf worn on head: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)

grand total:
about $20.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred fifty

i'm pretty sure i had a celebrity sighting at the garage sale yesterday. by celebrity, i mean a canadian reality show contestant and by sighting, i mean i didn't catch it on film or anything so as to whether it's legit or not, i'll never know.

the person i think i might or might not have recognized was kim cathers of project runway canada. at least, it really really looked like her. i'm pretty sure it was her but with a different hairstyle. i mean, she lives in vancouver and everything, so there's a chance i could be wrong. but honestly, the girl could have been her twin if nothing else.

aw hell, this is sounding a lot like the whole wyle dufresne thing from a couple of weeks ago.

*****

today's look while not sighting anyone at all:

purple tank top: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
pink scarf worn around waist: donated by my mother-in-law for this project - thanks! (free)

grand total:
about 8¢ (just the cost-per-wear of the dress!)

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred forty-nine

so i think today probably tops the charts as the one that tested my non-shopping rule the most. we spent about four hours down at "the great glebe garage sale". if you are from the ottawa area or have ever lived in or near the ottawa area, you know what i'm talking about. for those of you who don't, this is one of the single best neighbourhood garage sales around. great neighbourhood: check. a massive garage sale that raises money for charities: check. street after street after street of fantastically wealthy people selling their amazing castoffs for mere cents: check! check! check! this is one of my all-time favourite types of activities to participate in.

the streets were literally crammed with people. parking was practically nonexistent. this is not just a sale but an event. oh, the willpower i exhibited, people. i could barely even look at half of the stuff for fear i would be severley disappointed if i saw the single best thing ever and would have to leave it behind for someone else to buy. as it was, i bypassed some amazing clothes and books. and yes, they probably went to other people who'd better enjoy them just as much as i would have.

of course since there is an upside to every down, i was at least able to go to town a bit picking stuff out for tenzin. after all, he actually needed a few things due to a growth spurt and a season change, so at least i was able to divert my attention a bit to look for things for him. but i've already marked the date down for next year. and i'm getting up early.

*****

today's look while tired from exerting such mass amounts of willpower:

flowered dress over dress: remade by me from a skirt donated by coral sproule for this project - thanks! (free)
grey tie around waist: donated by my sister for this project - thanks! (free)
jeans: liquidation world, about a year old ($3)
brown shoes: aldo, four years old (about $40)

grand total:
about $43.08

day one hundred forty-four

what do you do when you've spent practically three whole days of an amazing long weekend outside under the beating hot sun, you've worked and played hard, and you just need to finally beat the heat?

your husband rigs up a slip 'n slide, and you show your little one how to take the plunge...

*****

today's look while both slipping and sliding:

just the dress. (it was bloody hot out there.)

grand total:
about 8¢ (just the cost-per-wear of the dress!)

day one hundred forty-three

hey, it's kind of late. it was just kind of one of those perfect lazy yet fairly productive summerlike days. the kind of day where you're pretty much in a tired haze all day. the heat and humidity have turned your hair into a nest atop your head, but you're too distracted by other things to care. today we gardened inside and out. we set up a sandbox. we had a picnic on the lawn. my feet have never been dirtier. seriously gross - but happy nonetheless.

*****

today's look while the heat goes to my head:

blue t-shirt: from a clothes swap party a year ago (free)
silver and blue beaded bracelet (not visible): donated by my friend vanessa for this project - thanks! (free)

grand total:
about 8¢ (just the cost-per-wear of the dress!)

day one hundred forty-one

warning: most boring blog post ahead...(ie: it's about laundry! and the weather!)

so, i'm just wondering if anyone out there has some good hand-washing tips? not for my hands - for my dresses. all this time, for the most part, i have been hand-washing them. i've also been lucky since spring temperatures have been fairly decent so far and appropriate for layering and, therefore, i haven't been washing them after every single wear. but now forecasters have the audacity to say we're in for a heatwave in the coming days with temps hovering in the 30s. what's a girl (who now can't just throw on any old thin cotton top/dress/skirt) to do? hand-wash the crap out of these dresses every day for the next five-and-a-half weeks, i say.

but i need something that really works well. these dresses have taken a whole lot over the past nearly-five months: they've been spilled on, splashed on, had things thrown at them, been peed on, drooled on, and worn a whole lot more than any dresses should at one time. they need something gentle to get them through the next few weeks, but they will definitely need to be washed every day now, and i don't want them looking beige before their time is up. so, that's where maybe you can help. they're 90% cotton/10% spandex...got any gentle but good remedies?

*****

today's look while humming "so fresh, so clean":

green sequined t-shirt: american eagle, two years old ($15)
grey silk tie around waist: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
brown pants: secondhand (free)
black ruffled platform sandals: if footwear, a year old (about $110)

grand total:
about $125.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred thirty-nine

happy friday everyone! oh wait, what? it's not friday yet? well, my internal body clock (body calendar?) sure seems to think it's friday. this week is kinda kicking my butt. maybe it's because it's feeling a whole lot like summer out there now, and the heat is filling my head like a helium balloon. a couple of nights ago, i fell asleep on the couch at 9 o'clock. 9 o'clock! oh, i remember back in the olden days (otherwise known as the nineties) when i thought nothing of going out on a wednesday night, staying out till the wee hours and then hauling myself to work the next day. and maybe repeating the next night. eesh. those days are long gone...oh, but they were fun.

*****

today's look while choosing which toothpicks will best hold my eyelids open:

flowered dress over dress: remade by me from a skirt donated by coral sproule for this project - thanks! (free)
grey tie around waist: donated by my sister for this project - thanks! (free)
jeans: stitches, four years old ($30)
black ruffled platform sandals: if footwear, a year old (about $110)

grand total:
about $140.08

day one hundred thirty-six

i am lying on the ground on a very old blue blanket that used to belong to my grandmother. it's itching my legs a little, but i don't mind. i am staring up at the sky. it is the same shade of blue as the blanket i am lying on. at the top of my vision is an apple tree. its blossoms are shrivelled now, but the leaves are bright, the colour of capers. a bird flies by cutting diagonally through the sky. it is followed by a dragonfly and then another few birds and some more dragonflies. birds are chirping away in the distance. a coolish breeze whispers softly in my face.

my son is playing in the garden nearby. suddenly, his round face appears above mine, looking down on me. he extends a hand full of dirt into mine, and the warmth of it catches me off guard. it is a serene scene. my son then takes another handful of dirt, shoves it in his mouth and says "mmmmmmmmmmmm"...

*****

today's look while contemplating the nutritional content of dirt:

yellow silk scarf: thrifted (free)
black platform shoes: aldo, two years old ($125)

grand total:
about $125.08

day one hundred thirty-three

my day starts in a horizontal line. a slight blip on the clock zaps like lightning straight to my brain, and my body resists each movement required to make itself vertical. my legs carry me up each stair like a slinky in reverse slow motion. the scribbles that form my early morning thoughts slowly unwind into a clear picture as the caffeine works hard to unscramble them. the day has begun, and just as soon as it has been unscrambled, my head is pumped full of sound. sounds of songs on the radio, sounds of voices recounting the news, sounds of birds and the wind and rain and cars.

i spend my days immersed in the world that takes place outside my cocoon. i return to it in the evening. i sit folded in the car, hovering above ashphalt as the wheels under me transport me across the ground. my head is still pumped full of sound.

my body unfolds itself out of the car and i open the door to my cocoon and hear the sounds of mama!, sounds of dinner cooking, sounds of keyboards and the tv and my thoughts loud and clear.

time winds down, and the moon climbs up into in the sky. my legs carry me down the stairs like a slinky. the thoughts in my head slowly deflate and turn themselves back into scribbles. my eyes are closed now. i am horizontal.

*****

today's look while having a quiet moment:

pink t-shirt over dress: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
white skirt under dress: the dump (free)
silver bracelets: secondhand (free)

grand total:
about 8¢ (just the cost-per-wear of the dress!)

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred thirty-two

it's a very canadian night tonight around here. The Husband is watching a hockey game, and i've got a bubble bath date with miriam. sorry, i'd write more, but i don't want to keep her waiting.

*****

today's look while stepping away from the internet for a night:

grey t-shirt under dress: donated by my sister for this project - thanks! (free)
grey tie around waist: also donated by my sister for this project - thanks! (free)
jeans: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
beaded bracelets: mix of some donated by my friend vanessa dewson for this project - thanks! (free) and some from smart set ($5 for a set)
black flats: payless, about two years old ($20)

grand total:
about $25.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352

day one hundred twenty-nine

i was downstairs doing laundry with tenzin this morning when the big stroller folded up in the basement caught his eye. he immediately made it quite clear that we would be going out for a walk. never mind that may had practically turned to winter overnight and it was barely above zero. never mind it wasn't even yet 9 am. i pulled out the winter coats (once again) and the mittens (once again) and off we set.

the beginning of the walk was fairly good, although brisk in both speed and temperature. we both pulled our hoods up over our heads and nicknamed ourselves the two hoodwinks. we were out on an adventure. like a ferret on a mission, my peripheral vision sensed a shiny object out of the corner of my eye: ah yes, the first beer can of the trip! i grabbed it and slung it into the bottom of the stroller. we walked along, up hills, down hills. i felt some rocks in my boots. i took my boots off and shook them out and continued over the next hill. we'd grabbed a couple of apples as snacks on our walk, but since the cold made mittens necessary i had to stop about every 20 seconds to feed tenzin a bite since mitten wearing and apple eating do not make easy friends. at one point we developed a bit of a rhythm: walk a few steps. stop. offer a mouse-sized bite of apple. walk again. beer can! throw it in the stroller. walk a few more steps. another bit of apple. you get the picture.

after a few more repeats of the pattern, i once again sensed pebbles in my boot. i stopped and dumped them out. as i was bent over, i glanced up and saw a sign stuck to the gate of the property i happened to be stopped in front of. it read beware of dog. great. i took my chances - the pebbles were really sharp. i inspected my soles for holes. there were no holes in my soles. this led me to wonder exactly what type of gait i have adopted that allows pebbles to just launch themselves into my boots? this combined with the fact that i was wearing underwear two sizes too small (hey, it's laundry day) made for a bit of an uncomfortable combination.

to distract ourselves from the cold, the pebbles, and the unfortunate choice of undergarments, we played spot the car/truck/tractor. it worked for a while until about halfway through our walk - about 45 minutes from home, i might add. all of a sudden tenzin decides that he wants out of the stroller. now. he let me know this by squirming furiously and yelling down!down!down! now i wasn't about to let a toddler walk down a tiny crumbling road shoulder while attempting to push a stroller for 45+ minutes. no way, not gonna happen. i offered another bite of sweet apple as a distraction. no dice. let's look for cars again! that worked for a bit, but the squirming would just resume after a couple more minutes.

the half-eaten apple got tossed from the stroller. the mittens got ripped off and tossed out of the stroller. funnily enough, whenever a car/truck/tractor did pass, he was suddenly calm as could be, extending a freezing tiny purple hand in a friendly wave to the drivers as though nothing was up. nope, nothing going on to see here.

it was getting to be a bit of a long walk. at one point i was pushing the stroller diagonally to get it through the sandy crumbling road edge while stopping every now and then to quickly scale the small ditches and retrieve faded dirty beer cans. i wondered how bad it is that i leave the pop cans, coffee cups, and other refuse and only clean up the garbage that is worth money. i decided it is not bad at all.

nearly home, i spotted our neighbour coming up the other side of the street walking their dog. i willed him not to cross to my side of the street lest he glance in the bottom of my stroller as see that it was filled with disgusting used beer cans. he obviously caught the esp message and stayed put. we were nearly home. the stroller was squeaking something fierce. i wondered if the people sitting quietly in the church across from our house could hear the grating squeaks as we wheeled by, alternately yelling and squirming in frustration and then happily smiling and waving at cars and their passengers. squeak squeak downdowndown ahhhhhhhhhhhh...the soundtrack of our walk was varied and cut noisily through the mostly quiet air.

at last we reached the driveway. we both cheered, each happy for our own reasons to be home. just two hoodwinks back from another adventure. happy mother's day.

*****

today's look while warming up:

grey sweater: secondhand (free)
green sequined t-shirt under dress: american eagle, two years old ($15)
striped socks: zellers, a year old ($5)
black platform shoes: aldo, two years old ($125)

grand total:
about $145.08

day one hundred twenty-eight

i'm always excited to hear about new music. this post is for my sister. i agree with her 100% about early tracy chapman. classic. here's a small sample of what i'm currently into:

* band of horses: i love love love this band. they are one of my absolute all-time favourites. i love the sound, i love the lyrics. i love that you can hear the lyrics over the music. one of my pet peeves is when you can't actually decipher what the lyrics to a song are. this music takes me to another place. perfect for daydreaming. i am beyond happy that they have another album coming out this month.
* she and him: love their sound and, again, the lyrics. perfect saturday afternoon listening.
* gnarls barkley: great albums. original sound.
* fleet foxes: they sing about squirrels. they sing about goats. never heard anyone like them before. these boys can sing.
* adele: one of the best female voices ever.
* feist: she's canadian (you should know by now my love of fellow canadians). everyone's heard of her by now, but i still love her sound. i listened to her a lot when i was pregnant.
* broken bells: i was recently introduced to their sound and really dig it.
* meiko: mellow music. the album we have isn't long enough.
* brad sucks: the original one-man band. extremely talented.
* the eels: i like them so much, my son is named after the lead singer. some of the best lyrics around..
* esthero: another canadian. she's original. great voice. one of the few concerts i've gone to. the whole time i was saying 'this is my favourite esthero song' until she'd sing the next one and the game would start all over again. waiting for a new album - it's been way too long.
* the mummers: their music makes you want to run away and join the circus.

also, tenzin started singing along with me tonight when i was putting him to bed. he's one of the best singers i've heard in a while. you can't help but smile when you hear him sing, so he deserves a special mention on my list.

*****

today's look while movin' and groovin':

green top under dress: gift that my sister made for my birthday last year (free)
jeans: donated by kimberly's deja vu boutique (details below) for this project - thanks! (free)
green crocheted hat: value village, a year old ($4)
brooch worn on hat: jacob, about four years old (about $15)
brown boots: zellers, about six months old ($20)

grand total:
about $39.08

kimberly's deja vu boutique
sommerville centre, 6835 highway 62 north (1 mile off the 401)
belleville, ontario k8n 4z5
613.966.3352