Travel Wardrobe

Spring weather has finally arrived and it's time to start looking forward to our summer travels. This year we are taking a spontaneous trip to the Netherlands to visit J's extended family and childhood friends, in honor of his aunt's birthday. (I won't say how old she is, because J's mom will be the next in her family to reach this milestone. But it's a big one).

The first time I visited my husband's native country I was a new bride on my first-ever trip to Europe. The year was 1992. My wardrobe included tapered black jeans, baggy sweatshirts, white leather sneakers, and a puffy winter coat to brave the icy winds off the North Sea. Photographic evidence suggests that on the night of the family party I dressed up in a red wool sweater (size XL, no doubt) and a pair of pleated khakis, plus Birkenstocks. I remember feeling very much the odd girl out among J's stylish, sylph-like cousines, who laughed over their discovery that the American word for braid (as in "French braid") resembled the Dutch word for "fat." Ha... ha?

My next visit to the Netherlands was altogether different. By August of 1998 I had been living abroad for several years. I had learned three new languages and my colloquial Dutch had improved to the point where I could follow a conversation. Alas, my wardrobe had not improved at all. Although I don't recall a single item of clothing I wore on that particular trip, I know that my closet at the time contained elastic-waist knit pants and bleached jeans, shapeless jumpers, and a lot of Habitat for Humanity t-shirts in size XL. Oh, plus Birkenstocks.

Our upcoming trip is our longest visit yet, and the challenge will be to pack all of the necessisities in a carry-on bag. In addition to family gatherings there will be bicycle rides, museum visits, and meals with friends. If spring in the Netherlands is anything like spring in Oregon, I will need to be able to layer up for warmth and wet weather.

I'm already ahead of the curve this time, a grown woman with a wardrobe of clothing that both fits and flatters me. Dark jeans: check. Cardigan: check. Cute summer dress: check. Birkenstocks: nope -- I don't own a single pair.

Archivist Fashion in Providence, RI

Yesterday was the spring meeting for the New England Archivists (NEA) in Providence, Rhode Island. Three of my friends and I took the train to Providence on Friday evening. We went to a cute restaurant near Brown University (the meeting site), and then spent all day Saturday at the meeting. The program was excellent, and we looked fabulous.

In fact, the weekend turned out remarkably well considering that, as an April Fool's joke from Mother Nature, it snowed in Boston on Friday. It did not snow a lot, but any snow is too much snow for April. I must say that I was not prepared for the snow. I wore flats, and my umbrella broke. By the time I arrived at the train station on Friday to meet the girls, I was looking (and feeling) rather bedraggled.

I managed to pull myself together on Saturday (which was a beautiful, sunny day) and wore one of my new Ann Taylor blouses (one of two that I purchased on extra clearance). It is a long-sleeved, button up, navy blue blouse with ruffle detail along the neck and buttons. A gorgeous material, cotton-silk blend, was both comfortable and warm for the day. I paired the blouse with a khaki skirt and my gray suede pumps. A small gold necklace with tiny flowers (my sixteenth birthday present from Aunt Sue) was the finishing touch.

One of the best things about archivist meetings are the vendor tables where they have all kinds of goodies. I managed to snag a gold pencil and a silver pencil as well as two miniature boxes: one that would be used for moving books or manuscript collections, and an archival Hollinger box. Score!

Although the girls and I were exhausted by the end of the day, we learned a lot, met some interesting people, and were able to relax. A quick pizza dinner in Providence, and we caught the evening train home to Boston where Pablo and George (husband and cat) were waiting with hugs.


Since we hadn't seen each other all day Friday or Saturday, Pablo and I went for an ice cream date this afternoon. He had coconut chip ice cream in a waffle cone, and I had strawberry ice cream in a waffle cone. Even though it is a bit windy outside, the day is sunny and fairly warm. We sat on a bench in Brookline, held hands, and ate our ice cream. All in all, a lovely weekend.


Happy April, welcome spring... and the here I go for the last month of school!

Dreaming of Spring

If you live in the Midwest or the Northeast, then you understand what this winter has been like. If not, let me paint a picture for you. Six blizzards in as many weeks (fingers crossed- it looks like we get a reprieve this week). Snowdrifts are taller than I am, and the slightly warmer weather of yesterday and today has resulted in melting. Melting is good, you might say...but you would be mistaken. Now there are deep puddles of doom everywhere. Unlike normal puddles, the bottom of these puddles is sheer ice. Winter in Boston has been quite an adventure, and I am at the point where any temperature over 35° seems warm.

Now, I don't want to make it seem like the weather has been entirely bad. The fresh snow is beautiful, and the public transportation runs (mostly) smoothly even during the worst of the storms. I have snuggled with Pablo and George (husband and cat respectively) and drank endless mugs of hot chocolate. I have been resigned to winter's hold, because I am in Boston after all! But, I've broken in my snow boots and turned the calendar page from January to February. In my mind, the heart of winter, deep winter, as a colleague described it, is gone. Yesterday and today, I even felt a hint of spring warmth in the cold. So, I am closing my eyes and ignoring the snow drifts.

Instead, I am dreaming of spring in all of its glory. A spring with...

cherry blossoms (hopefully there are cherry blossoms in Boston too!)

From Sally's Garden in Bush Park, Salem, Oregon

and tulips

From the tulip beds in front of the Bush House, Salem, Oregon

 

If the sun was shining, and the flowers were blooming, I would stroll down the street in a flowery skirt and strappy, kitten-heeled, peep-toed shoes.

Instead, I'll pour another cup of Jasmine Green Tea, wrap my shawl a little tighter, and dream of spring, which is right around the corner.