An Eye for Fashion

A few years ago when my Mom was reorganizing her garage I inherited some of the playthings from my youth; specifically Betsy McCall and her trunk of homemade clothes courtesy of the aforementioned Mother. And like the pack rat I am I saved them. For 'A'. And today she spent a couple of hours playing dress up. Asking me for help with snaps and the occasional pair of slacks or hook and eye challenge. But mostly she had Betsy trying on one outfit after another, even draping a shall around her shoulders at one point. And while it has been clear for some time she is fashion savvy, it really hit home today that she has inherited the 'eye'. While I don't snap pictures the way I once did, I still have a good eye for composition and colour. My siblings are respectively an engineer and an architect, my daughter a graphic artist, and my Mom has a degree in interior design while her sister was an artist and a professor of literature. I believe it stems in large part from my Maternal Grandfather Maynard L Parker, who made photographing homes his life's work - 30 years of it at House Beautiful. He had an amazing eye for light, contrast & perspective that brought life to his photographs of houses and turned them into homes that leapt off the pages where they were published. And this evening watching my granddaughter I was so happy to think of this connection between her and a man I loved dearly.

We had a wonderful afternoon together, she and I; planting in the back yard the seedlings we had started inside earlier this month. Sharing glasses of freshly juiced oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots, ginger and spinach on the back patio. Drawing colourful designs on the stack of bricks in the driveway out front, and finally settling down in the living room to play quietly with the dolls.

I did get some more sorting, dusting, packing, tossing and cleaning done earlier in the day, I am glad to say. Tomorrow should see the last of my 'stuff' moved out from the Master bedroom, and hopefully I will continue in my office the rest of the week. I think someone wrote a book a few years ago on the connection between clutter and weight; we'll see. I'm just ever so grateful that I am feeling pleased rather than morose, as my improved mood continues.

Dinner: Microwave popcorn and a Vicodin. And yes, while I wish my back didn't hurt so much, it does feel good to be tired. To feel like I have accomplished something.