The Roaring Twenties

Courtesy Huffington Post

The Roaring Twenties are starting to make sense to me.

After an intense period of war and pandemic, this was an era of economic prosperity that gave us technological advancements in radio, telephone, cars and many electrical appliances for the home.

Modernity was a major theme of these years. Women had finally taken the right to vote and were beginning to claim their place in higher education and the workplace.

It was a period of excess, progress and of modern convenience.

This period also gave us the rise of the Jazz Age, dance clubs and flappers with their bobbed hair, shorter hemlines, silk stockings, fabulous accessories, and high heels.

After years of war, sickness and economic troubles, people just wanted to dress up and go have some fun.

Yesterday, I had nowhere to be and nothing to do when I got there but badly needed out of the house so I ran some errands. It is an exaggeration to say that my usual errand running attire these days is a step above homeless chic. However, it IS fair to say I have spent most of the last year in yoga pants and running shoes.

Yesterday I put on my favorite jeans, a cute jacket, my favorite hat, a necklace AND a shoe with a slight heel. My faux leather lime green purse looked cute with my blue sweater. I know this because I received several compliments and the pharmacist at CVS even asked why I was “all gussied up.”

Friends, it felt good to dress nicely. Note, I wasn’t dressed up. Just dressed better than my new normal. And evidently better than the normal at the pharmacy.

The experience made me want to put on a dress, get my hair done (perhaps a 1920s bob?) and go DO something! Maybe take myself out to dinner or a movie or stroll through a museum!

I am curious to see how this will all end up. Will the new normal be even more casual than before the pandemic? People were already wearing pajamas to the grocery store so it’s hard to believe we could get much more casual.

Or will we swing the other direction and embrace putting our best foot forward? Given how hard it is to buy a nice dress or work appropriate blouse, I suspect casual will win the war. But I’m going to do my best to push back.

And no, don’t look for me dancing on tables in a speakeasy! Just don’t be surprised to see me quietly browsing a bookstore in a dress and fabulous accessories.

Stained Glass

Stained glass is best viewed from the inside. It’s impressive from the street but extraordinary when the light shines in. This window is from this church I visited in Piqua, Ohio last year.

Stained glass has been documented in churches since the seventh century so there’s a long tradition of using this inspirational art. Not only is it beautiful, the imagery can be used to tell a story.

Rain has moved in so today probably won’t be good for adventures or for seeing light stream through the stained glass of an old church. Wherever you are, I hope you enjoy this day.

Stained Glass

Stained glass is best viewed from the inside. It’s impressive from the street but extraordinary when the light shines in. This window is from this church I visited in Piqua, Ohio last year.

Stained glass has been documented in churches since the seventh century so there’s a long tradition of using this inspirational art. Not only is it beautiful, the imagery can be used to tell a story.

Rain has moved in so today probably won’t be good for adventures or for seeing light stream through the stained glass of an old church. Wherever you are, I hope you enjoy this day.

Fool’s Spring

Temperatures have soared and most of the ice and snow have turned to mud this week. I walked the bike path at the lake after work yesterday and was pleased to see so many people out enjoying the sunshine.

Sadly, this is only February and I live in Ohio. Spring has not sprung. This, my friends, is what we cynics call Fool’s Spring.

The sunshine and balmy 45 degree temperatures are just Mother Nature’s way of charming and teasing us with one of her mood swings. Winter will be back so don’t put away those ice scrapers and Bernie mittens just yet.

Lucky for me, I like cold and snow!

A Good Night’s Sleep

My energy level has been low and I have struggled to feel rested lately. One very thoughtful friend sent a special tea to help me feel better. Another sent some lotion with melatonin to aid my sleep.

On Tuesday night, I sipped tea and slathered on the lotion before falling into a deep sleep. It was pure bliss.

Well, it was bliss until 3:28 a.m. when Scout decided that it was playtime. He woke me up, running from one raucous adventure to another. I would get up and hold him, packing him around with hopes he would calm some.

That didn’t work.

I took away the things he was playing with.

That didn’t work either.

I tried taking him to bed, scratching his chin while holding him in a glorified chokehold.

That really didn’t work.

I turned on the tv because he sometimes likes to watch. Turns out Barnaby Jones didn’t capture his attention either.

I eventually passed out from exhaustion while he was foraging through the bathroom trash can. When the alarm went off, he had come to bed and crawled under the blankets to sleep with his head cradled on my foot. It was sweet.

When I got up, he crawled out from under the blankets so I could make the bed. Don’t worry, he repositioned with one of his favorite blankets and went back to sleep a while. He’s pictured staring lazily at the lamp just before I took the hint and turned it off.

He typically sleeps well at night so it was a real shock. The episode was the most cat like of all the cat things he has done in a long time. I’m hopeful he sleeps well through this night.

Wanted

As seen at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. Can you read it? They clearly have their priorities straight.

Have a great day, friends!