Monday Musings- Packing Again and Masking Up
Happy Monday, ladies, I hope you had a great weekend! BTW…I sewed the bunny ears on so fiercely that I had to cut the entire top off the hat and rip it back several inches to get them off. Luckily, I have another skein. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you might want to sign up for my emails to get my Sunday newsletter.
Packing again
I can’t believe we’re leaving for Portugal in less than two weeks. Eek! I feel like I just unpacked from Canada, and the ironing isn’t finished. We bought this trip at a Lung Cancer Charity Gala last November, and it just seems to have snuck up on me. We’ll have a condo in Portimão and are going a few days early to visit São Miguel Island and Lisbon. Have you been? I think the major tourist season is over, so it should be quiet and restful.
COVID seems to be on the uptick these days, and several friends have gotten it, so it feels smart to go back to being extra careful again. I hardly ever see people wearing masks these days, but it’s not a bad idea. I never had so much as a sniffle the entire time we were all wearing masks. Did you? I still have a good supply of these N95 masks, which don’t seem as ugly as some other masks. The neutral color is easy on the eyes, and I never feel claustrophobic in them.
Carryon
We plan to go carryon only as usual so I upgraded my handheld to this medium-sized Everywhere bag. I sure hope they arrive in time because my old one has gotten pretty ragged-looking. I love bags that slip over the handle of my suitcase, and square ones seem to hold much more than other shapes.
Quiet Luxury Splurge or Save
Quiet luxury has taken the fashion world by storm. Just kidding…it’s simply a new term used to describe fashion that focuses on understated elegance, high-quality materials, and impeccable craftsmanship rather than flashy logos or overt branding. It’s characterized by simplicity, timelessness, and a subtle sense of sophistication. It’s also available at all price points, so let’s play splurge or save.
Quiet luxury is characterized by clean lines, simple shapes, and a focus on timeless, versatile pieces that can be worn for many seasons. It’s often in neutral colors which stand the test of time. If I look in my wardrobe, many things qualify as quiet luxury.
This outfit starts with a lady-like structured blazer, a simple white tee, some beige pants, a camel/brown loafer, and bag, and is finished with textural gold earrings and a bracelet.
The splurge outfit comes in around $1,738 and the save outfit runs $448. What do you think? Is the more affordable outfit obvious? What tipped you off? Which do you prefer?
Walking in another woman’s shoes
A reader complained when I mentioned my weight gain last week. Another reader thanked me for being transparent. I didn’t take either comment to heart because until you walk in another woman’s shoes, you don’t really know her story. So I’ll take this opportunity to tell you mine.
In 2015, I fell and cracked my femur in two places and tore my hip labrum. What the doctors failed to mention at the time was that my labrum was very thin and wearing out. I endured months of excruciating pain but avoided a hip replacement because the doctors hoped (and they were right) that I could heal without one and get back to life as I liked to live it.
I’ve been walking, working with a physical trainer, and doing yoga at home. A few months ago, I began having weird hip pain, so went to a fantastic physical therapist. He fixed my IT band pain and the stiffness in my back, but my hip remained “weird.” It suddenly dawned on me that the pain was in a deep spot in my joint, reminiscent of when my labrum was torn.
I was finally able to see my doctor last week. She’s sending me for some additional tests but believes that my labrum has just worn out. I asked what could be done for that, and she said nothing but a hip replacement. She noted my weight gain since I’d seen her last and suggested that losing those extra 8 pounds might help alleviate some of the pain until we see what’s going on.
So, while I dislike how tight my clothes are, I’m frantically trying to shed those extra pounds (which have also caused my blood pressure to tick up a notch) in the hopes of alleviating some of the pain.
It reminds me that every woman I meet has a story to tell, and I should not judge her on my standards. That woman whose hair is dirty could be caring for a spouse with dementia and have zero time for herself. Or she could be dealing with a terminal disease that doesn’t show on the outside.
We need to support others without knowing their whole story, which is not easy but a worthy goal.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident.
Thank you for sharing, Jennifer, and God Bless.
I am here to say your determination will get you through, I’ve been there and am sporting a new hip since 2020…all is well and daily exercise is now my friend. God bless you and hang in there!😇
Sandra
Thank you Sandra.
Jennifer, that’s precisely why I love your blog! It’s not just about clothes and beauty. It helps to hear from “real” down to earth bloggers. I fell and shattered my femur 1 1/2 years ago and was housebound (after having a rod put in hip to knee) and after fully recovering I just broke a foot. The first fall was a freak accident in my kitchen, the last was tripping while taking a walk. I’m sorry for your issues of course but you keep it real. Have a great trip!!
Oh Carol! I’m so sorry. I hope your foot heals quickly. That’s rough. It’s just amazing what doctors can do now.
Thanks Jennifer, hope you’re pain free in the near future! Safe travels!
I suffered with hip and knee pain for years, but mostly knee pain. 4 years ago I finally went and had them both checked out and found out my hip was totally worn out and that was also causing my knee pain. I now have joined the legions of people who say they wish they had their joint replaced sooner rather than suffering so long. Now if I could only get relief for my mid back pain…..
My left knee is acting up all of a sudden too. I never connected the two. Sheesh! I hope it’s not related.
Very thoughtful post! I’m afraid that compassion for others seems to be waning. My husband was once accosted for wearing a mask, which he does to protect my health, which is nobody else’s business. BTW, I like the look of the mask you showed. It’s not N95, though, as far as I can tell. Maybe an acceptable mask for now, with only a small uptick in cases?
Oh darn, you’re right. They stopped making my beige ones in N95 so I’m glad I have some left.
I don’t think the price difference was obvious except for the shoes. Both outfits are really great. Thanks for sharing your story about the weight gain and the message it contained. I think it’s something we need to remind ourselves about on a regular basis. I know I’m guilty of being judgmental more often than I would like to be.
I know I am too so I needed this reminder as well!
Love your heartfelt post regarding our individual concerns/difficulties. I was a caregiver for my late husband for many years. I gained an enormous amount of weight, put my appearance on the back burner and just bought clothing in first the large size and then the extra large size. After his passing, I lost my appetite and began to drop pounds. Unfortunate that weight loss, though looking good on the outside didn’t address the loss of muscle mass. So now I’m trying to regain my muscle mass and let me tell you, that is not as easy as the printed information claims.
But you are absolutely right, we tend to judge other people on our own experiences, which in a word can be very insulting to anyone. So now, I try very hard not to judge and simply direct my attention to myself and feeling and doing those things that feel good to me and help me be a better person for myself and those around me.
Thank you for sharing your story, Rhoda and reminding us how important muscle mass is, not just how we look.
Good morning, Jennifer!
Thank you for being so upfront about your daily stresses both here on the blog and in your Sunday emails. I think of this as a community, because of your openness and the way commenters are willing to share their experiences. Whether it is skin care, book titles or yes, worries about weight, I am the richer for the exchange.
Please please continue to detail your packing process for your upcoming trip to Portugal! I spent this past weekend wringing my hands about the best shoes for 2 weeks in France, mostly because I fear I don’t have the right pair of sneakers. I am letting the perfect be the enemy of the good here and not getting on with things. Like you, I want to pack “carry-on”–if I can copy a list, so much the better.
Ladies have been telling me here how hilly Portugal is so I’ll be packing sneakers too!
Several comments – the link to the mask does not go to an N95 mask. Please find a comfortable certified N95; they do a better job of protecting yourself and others. And yes, that khaki color is nice! I agree with you that it is wise to start masking again (sigh); we too have friends with recent covid.
Thank you for the reminder to withhold judgment and practice compassion with each other. Some of our stories are doozies but not obvious. Re: hip — I had a torn labrum a few years ago. It was very painful, really reduced my mobility, and it took more than a year to heal. Several good manual physical therapists got me through it! I am impressed by your activity level! Also, husband has had a hip replacement (as well as two knees and two shoulders)…these joint replacements are doable. Staying on top of pain meds and then the rehab are both important and mobility is now so much better and pain free. So, onward! Hope you have a wonderful trip.
Wow, your husband is amazing!!
Wishing you all the best on your travels Jennifer.
Thank you for your sincerity and transparency.
Love your blog and this topic is one of my favorites..save or splurge!
Thank you for being transparent. I’m caring for my husband on hospice while having a knee replacement a few months ago. It’s not easy and you don’t have time for yourself but with God’s help I manage each day.
I’m so sorry, Beverly. I’m sending you hugs and prayers!! Hang in there. xo
We were in Portugal in June. The food is really good and the local wines are delicious. We hired a tuk tuk for a private tour day tour- I highly recommend that. As well as a food tour…we had fabulous foods that I probably wouldn’t have ordered at places that we might have missed otherwise. I usually use Viator to book.
Thanks for the recommnedation. I’ll check it out.
Best of Luck with the hip! I have had three hip surgeries, as one of my replacements wore out and I had a revision surgery four years ago! The surgery does make a difference, but a warning that the physical therapy after the surgery seems more painful than pre-surgery! (Ha – really, it’s all worth it!)
Just got back from a trip to Alaska – I had taken the masks that you suggest and wore them a lot, but still came back with “covid.” (Just because I was wearing the masks didn’t mean that the people around me were! Germs are everywhere!)
Great point! Most poeple on our cruise weren’t wearing masks either but ALL of the staff were.
Oh Jennifer- you’re a better woman than I am! Packing, unpacking, packing, flying, planning for weather changes-eeeek!
The bonus is traveling to Portugal! So many people I know have visited and loved it ( not much said about Lisbon itself though) but Algarve? And one other popular area. I’m sure you will love it too.
I don’t know why anyone would take issue with you saying you gained a few pounds. Most of us have some weight fluctuations. And, sharing part of your real life with us is a big part of your blog. It makes you seem like a friend, not a stranger with a magical life as most influencers appear.
I’m sorry your hip is giving you pain. I know the feeling as I wait for my surgical date. I have lost weight and continue to walk every morning and do the physical therapy exercises given to me by the occupational therapist. Both of those will help me keep my mobility and flexibility, therefore recovering quicker from my surgery.
Another grand baby to love on. How wonderful! You must be excited.
It’s so hard to have to wait for a surgery date. I hope it comes sooner than later Joanna! I am sooo excited for a little one to snuggle.
This time I really liked the splurge outfit. Love the Nordstrom jacket. Both outfits are really my style. I like simplicity. I’ve been having hip issues but nothing compared to what you’ve been going through. I just had some inflammation I suspect from golf. Keep us posted and thanks for sharing.
I know you love your golf, Rosemary!! Hope your hip calms down.
Your comment to support each other resonates with me. Thank you for the reminder. Let’s realize that people are doing the best they can and give them a mulligan. Good luck with your weight loss.
Sorry about your hip problem, so frustrating. I also am starting to get some pain in hip. I notice when I wear certain shoes there is pain. Maybe a change in shoes will help. A lot of friends have had knee, hip, and shoulder surgeries. I think getting older is a real challenge. Thank goodness we live in a time that we can get the medical help to repair our joints.
I hope you can get some much needed rest . Enjoy your trip, and be safe.
Blessings
I have been opting for sneakers most days just to get some extra cushioning. It’s changing my style quite a bit, but you gota do what you gota do:)
I hope you love Portugal. Try to get to Sintra, about 15 miles outside Lisbon. Quaint city with an amazing and eclectic Royal castle. Unfortunately, Portuguese food is wonderful, especially the cream cakes. Nit do good for your diet! Good luck with all you are doing for your health. Oh yeah, I liked the saver outfit best. Such a great jacket.
Sintra sounds magical. I hope we can.
Thank you for the reminder regarding not judging. As you said so well, we often don’t know the true story of what they are walking through. To show love and honor can mean so much to someone struggling. I appreciate you. ❤️
I appreciate you too, thanks Jacquelyn