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Scenes from a Friday night…

We started at @littleblackbirddc a new wine bar in Cleveland Park where we had great food, drink, and conversation into the evening. We then headed down the street to @atomicbilliards for a whole different experience and to keep the conversation going. I treasure my friendships with @sylviacolella (who had a birthday recently), @districtofchic, and @blonde_inthedistrict they’re the real deal 🥰

My dress is @adamlippes borrowed via @renttherunway and Cheetos with Sauvignon Blanc is a really fun pairing!
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Night and day…

Met three dear friends for an early dinner that went on until after the sun set. Great food and conversation with some great women!

The dress is @adamlippes and I borrowed it from @renttherunway. The bag is @jcrew and a splurge but I regretted not buying it the last time they offered this bag and this color is SO me. I mean, look how great it is with these many years old suede heeled sandals? Meant to be!

This color combination makes me so happy, and this dress was comfy even after a decadent meal. We all deserve to experience comfort and joy with our wardrobes! 💛🩷

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If @thechicks are in town you can bet @debbiefaye78 and I will be there! So when we heard they were coming to @merriweatherpp we were so excited. And their concert did not disappoint. As always, a phenomenal show! If The Chicks come to your neck of the woods I highly recommend you go!

Okay I know you want to know about what we’re wearing! 

My sister’s caftan is from @anthropologie (bought this summer so maybe you can find on resale sites).

I’m wearing a @bananarepublic dress also from this summer with the @universalstandard denim chore jacket and a hat I got from a @madewell collab a year or so ago. I glammed it up with some gold chains and gold drop earrings, but kept it comfy for a night of standing and dancing with @birkenstock sandals.

This was my first big outing since my eye surgery, and with a pocketful of eye drops I felt good (and grateful we splurged for good seats!).

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For years I’ve trusted @somaintimates for the right bras and the right fit but it had been a while since I visited a Soma boutique to try on all the styles they currently have for a large bust. I must say I was impressed! Knowledgeable staff, extensive collection in larger sizes, and some of the most comfortable and innovative bras in up to H cups! Each body is different but what I loved:

- The Stunning Push-Up: targeted for the DD+ customer gives amazing lift and great shape under fitted knits.

- The Unbelievable Lift Scoop Balconette: sexy, supportive, and so lightweight!

- The Embraceable Wireless: I’ve recommended this wireless bra for large busts for years and was in need for a new one! 

- The Stunning Support Smooth Balconette: this is the perfect t-shirt bra for large busts with padded straps and disappears under knits

- The Stunning Starlet Multi-Way Strapless: recently improved for more support and more comfort, this wireless bra stays put and gives fab shape

I also picked up some of Soma’s iconic Vanishing Edge panties which keep you line-free. The whole Vanishing collection is genius. I loved being able to donate my gently used bras at my local Soma boutique to give to those in need. We all deserve a lift and Soma strives to achieve that. It’s why I’ve been a fan and customer for years and am honored to partner with them. Soma is the perfect fitting bra solution. Visit the link in my bio to shop and to find your local Soma boutique! #SomaPartner #SomaBraFit #SomaStartsWithMe
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If I close my eyes you can’t tell one is still bloodshot 😜

Still recovering from my eye surgery but feeling more myself. Getting dolled up helps me feel me. Bright colors and bold jewelry have been signature Alison since I was a kid! 

Sweater: @favorite.daughter 
Earrings: Amazon
Necklace: @_jennybird (old)
Ring: @realmfinejewelry 
Bra: @lovebravissimo 
Lipstick: @glossier 
Pins as “cufflinks”: vintage

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It was so funny and so quick I couldn’t not share! I bought this @hulkenbag a year ago and use it all the time. Carting shoot supplies, groceries, packing for road trips, and carting donations. This weekend @thenewdealcafe in @cityofgreenbelt hosted a community clothing swap so I made sure my family and I went through our summer wardrobes to gather that which we no longer needed or fit.

This wasn’t the first clothing swap and folks in town know my style (and my job) so there were some waiting for my arrival. Look how fast I cleared out this big bag! Speaking of the bag one other swap attendee said she got herself a Hulken after seeing mine in action!

It’s so great to know our old clothes are getting a good life and this bag makes carting them to the cafe so easy! I got my Hulken on Amazon, it comes in other colors and sizes too: https://amzn.to/48iTY4Y yep the bag is as great as all those ads you see on social media, I’m a big fan!
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I had to see… I asked my husband how often he thinks about the Roman Empire, and then asked our 14-year-old 😂
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Oscar was a rescue and came with some… quirks. Over the years we have come to understand him and he has come to trust us. He’s a diva, a snuggler, he could play catch for hours, and he’s my husband’s shadow. 

We’ve never had a small breed dog before and it’s a whole different experience. But we adore Oscar and couldn’t imagine our life without him! Thank you for coming into our life Oskie McGoskie! 🐾❤️
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Fitness, Health and Wellness · June 1, 2022

And For My Next Challenge… Learning to Scull

This article may contain affiliate links; if you click on a shopping link and make a purchase I may receive a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Sharing my experience taking a learning to scull class at Washington Rowing School in Bladensburg, Maryland
Challenge accepted! At the end of Day 3 of my Learning to Scull class.

Before lockdown, I was going to a gym five mornings a week lifting weights. I did this for a little over two years, and it really showed me that it’s never too late to start something new. As we get older, our bodies may not be as durable or flexible or capable, but a lot of that is not due to our age but our lifestyle. Starting weight training after being non-athletic and relatively sedentary for most of my adult life proved this. I gained flexibility, strength, muscle tone, but most of all a relationship with my body and self-pride.

When the world shut down, I stopped going to the gym but honestly, I was ready for a change. The gym changed my perspective along with my body, but I was looking for something different… a new challenge. I had ordered a Peloton bike just before lockdown and it arrived that first week at home. It worked out to be my perfect next challenge.

You may also like: I got a Peloton bike and I'm neither rich nor thin

Over the past two years, I have had a few injuries (torn meniscus) and body issues (lower back pain that sent me to a chiropractor), and a lot of sadness, anger, despair, and frustration. I think many of you can relate to this. Just as there seemed to be hope on the horizon, something would happen in our country, the world, or our community that would knock us down again.

I’ve still been riding the Peloton a couple of times a week, I still do regular stretching, but I’ve lost a lot of the strength and flexibility I had as recently as last summer. That has added to my low feelings. And I remembered how low I felt when that gym slid into my Instagram DMs and invited me for a free session that launched a whole new lifestyle for me.

You may also like: what I wore to lift weights

I realized I was ready for another challenge, and I couldn’t wait for it to come to me. And like the gym, I could not use my current fitness status to hold me back.

Ready for my Next Challenge… Learning to Scull Class

I began a bucket list of things I have always wanted to do, regardless of cost or ability. Then I looked at the list and figured out which of those things I could realistically afford and fit on my schedule in the next few months. And the one thing that really stood out to me was rowing.

I have always been intrigued by rowing, and think if I had a different college experience, I would have joined the rowing team. I like kayaking and canoeing, but only do it a couple of times a year. But I see those boats gliding down the Potomac River and racing so elegantly in the Olympics and I always wanted to try it.  

washington rowing school
What was in my head when I signed up for a learning to scull class: quiet serenity, gliding down the river. Image via Washington Rowing School Facebook page.

So I Googled learn to row classes near me and found a couple of different rowing schools and one was The Washington Rowing School at the Bladensburg Waterfront, which is ten minutes away from where I live in Maryland. The school offered a three-day intensive Learning to Scull class over Memorial Day weekend. I knew we weren’t going anywhere that weekend, and I signed up so fast I couldn’t psych myself out.

The first day of class, the weather could not be more perfect. It was 73 degrees, fluffy white clouds, and only a subtle breeze. There were nine of us in the class, we ranged in age from high school to I’m guessing mid-60s. There were bodies smaller than mine and larger than mine, firmer than mine and softer than mine.

Half the group has some sort of experience, whether it was taking a previous sweep class or being on the crew team in college several years ago. The other half of us had absolutely no experience but were excited to learn something new.

learn to scull maryland
Taking care of my zephyr boat at the end of Day 3. I think trying to get those oars on and off the side of the boat farthest from the dock one of the hardest part of sculling (I had to lie down across the boat to reach out there because of my height). That and trying to get into the boat (getting out I just ungracefully move my ass/hip to the side and squirm to the dock).

Scull boats come in three sizes; we each got a Zephyr, which is the widest option of the individual rowing boats, best for learning. We grabbed oars and carried them to the dock, then went back and in pairs, carried the boats down to the water.

There was the coach, but she also had a handful of assistants from the club. They showed us how to connect the oars, how to get in and out of the boats, and they also went out on the water with us to offer guidance and teach skills. While on the water, the coach pulled up next to me, adjusted the distance of my footrest and recommended I try shorter oars the following day.

The whole experience was fantastic – I felt secure, challenged, relaxed, inspired. We washed our boats and put everything away and I headed to my car with a spring in my step.

The second day, we immediately paired up and grabbed our gear from the boathouse. It was still a sunny day, but no clouds and about 10 degrees warmer. Now that we had basic skills, we could actually row a distance.

bladensburg
This clearly isn't me. This is Gabriel Horchler from a 2016 article in the Washington Post about Horschler's commute to work which included rowing from the Bladensburg Waterfront to the Anacostia Boathouse five miles away. Here he is ready to go under the New York Avenue bridge followed by the Amtrak bridge. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Four of us rowed from the waterfront to a pair of bridges a mile away. The first bridge was part of New York Avenue, right where it connects Maryland and DC. It’s a road I have ridden and driven on hundreds of times and remember looking down as a passenger and seeing scullers just like me rowing merrily along. Inside the channels of the bridge, crew teams from local colleges and high schools left graffiti and it felt like I was part of some secret club to see it.

793px amtrak anacostia river bridge 1977
Another view of these bridges but from 1977; the one in the foreground is New York Avenue, the one in the center is the Amtrak bridge. This is a Wikipedia photo used in this article from Ghosts of DC about how in 1933 the original train bridge failed, a train fell into the Anacostia, and a man on that train swam to safety and walked back to the Mayflower Hotel where he was staying.

The second bridge was for the Amtrak train, which luckily wasn’t racing by at that time because the noise from the auto traffic under the first bridge was already quite unnerving.

I went through the two bridges fine, turned around, and went through them on the other side. I got a little flustered under one bridge; I was in the last channel and got a little too close to the bridge piers and had to stop and do the scull equivalent of a three-point turn to get out.

But that was okay, it was part of the challenge, I made it. And while I was the last one back to the dock, I was only one of four of us who rowed out that far. I felt proud. The coach told us at the end of the class to be certified, the following day we had to go around the bridges I had already accomplished.

The third and final day was even warmer by ten more degrees, and it was slightly hazy. I was running a bit late (okay, late for me is on time but with a class, I like to be early to get settled before it starts). The waterfront was packed and I had to circle the lot and finally found a parking space far from the dock, which made me feel flustered and behind schedule, even though I was on time.

bladensburg maryland rowing
No surprise, my 5'3″ self did better with the short oars, which I am putting away after my class.

The person I paired up with the day prior, she and I were similar in ability and appeared to be within a decade of the same age. She also had on an Athleta tank I also owned so I decided she would be my class buddy. We paired up again and went to get our oars.

The coach asked if we were ready to step up from the Pienert Zephyrs to the Maas boats, which were a bit more narrow. I was tempted, but already off from the morning, I decided to stay with the Zephyr. My buddy went with the Maas.

types of single rowing boats
My Zephyr is the one at the bottom right of the rack, but this photo shows you the different widths of the boats available.

Even though technically I didn’t have to row all the way to the bridges again, I had decided the day prior I was going to. A second opportunity meant a chance to improve. I was the second person in my class who left the dock that morning and my plan was to head straight for the bridges, get through, and then have a more leisurely row back.

And I powered through and got to the bridges in pretty good time. Already at the point of trying to angle myself just so to get through the right channel, one of the assistants called out and asked me to stop and return. I came back to where she was, and where she had gathered two other students and taught us some skills to get out of hairy situations.

While she was teaching these skills, I didn’t realize I was slowly backing into the shore, surrounded by tree trunks sticking up in the water, branches from the shore hanging down like a curtain. The other students in our group headed to the bridge and I saw other classmates also catch up and head to the bridge, while it took me a while to use those skills I just learned to get out of that mess on the shore.

You may also like: Quitting vs. Giving Up

It was a physical and mental effort, sweat dripping down my face, sweat making my hands slip on the oars, sweat fogging up my sunglasses, my classmates already finished and rowing back to the dock. But dammit, I was going to go through those bridges again.

rainbow over the anacostia
A photo of folks rowing on the Anacostia under a rainbow. From September 2021 via the Washington Rowing School Facebook page.

Rowing is a mental sport, and if you’re not in the right mindset, it’s hard to get your hands and legs and everything in sync. And on top of it, you’re going backwards and just like any sport, wherever you look is usually where you end up heading.

I headed into a wall, righted myself, got through both bridges, struggled to turn around even though I had become comfortable with that maneuver, and almost headed into a wall on the way back. An assistant was with me the whole time, not telling me what to do but there to make sure I didn’t crash. And we finally got back to the dock.

beginner sculling washington rowing school
This time it's me in the boat! Rowing back to the dock.

I’m a strong rower (when going straight!), and even with all this I got back not long after other students. And on the dock was my husband taking photos with his phone. I was sweaty and maybe cried a bit behind my sunglasses, but I made it and I felt just as exhilarated as I did on that serene first day of class.

I’m so glad I took on this challenge, and I hope the experience buoys me for a long while. I don’t know if I want to continue with sculling. I inspired my husband to take the same class and then we can go out together, or maybe sweep together.

You may also like: What's the Difference Between Not Giving a Sh*t and Having No F*cks Left to Give?

alison gary rowing
What I wore the last day of class: this Athleta top (which was in this capsule wardrobe), a pair of Nike running shorts I got from a thrift store last year (these are similar), Bombas socks (it was a rough morning, same style different colors) and my EVA Birkenstocks because you don't wear shoes in the boat. I wore a baseball cap and polarized aviators for the sun and a bandana to mop my brow/wipe my sunglasses. When on the boat you carry nothing that isn't attached to you and you're okay with getting wet.

I look forward to my next step. I think I’ll take a sweep class or learning session to experience the difference, and I’ll go out again in a one-person boat with Karl in one nearby. I’m not going to let this be a one-time thing I tell people I did one time ago. And this is the continuation of many challenges I will choose to face, as challenges help us grow and get to better understand ourselves.

Because even if we are grown-ass women, we’re not finished growing. We know a hell of a lot, but we have a hell of a lot more to learn.

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In: Fitness, Health and Wellness

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Comments

  1. Zaeobi says

    June 3, 2022 at 9:07 pm

    This is awesome – you look happy but challenge here!

    In the UK, we only sweep (not scull), so it looks a lot more intimidating (since it’s necessary to pair up)…

    Reply
    • Sarah P says

      August 21, 2022 at 6:02 am

      Not true! I have done both in the UK (at Oxford) and you’ll see people sculling on the Thames in London. I found sculling was super hard from a coordination POV, but I love sweep.

      Reply
  2. Jax says

    June 2, 2022 at 2:34 am

    I got a rowing machine and started doing quite a bit of indoor rowing since 2020 — it’s a great back-up exercise, if I didn’t make it outside or during wildfire season in Cali. I really love it (you have to be present/mindful rowing, even indoors!) and I find I already generally really like online rowing trainers. They seem more down-to-earth and they have these great, strong, solid bodies (no matter what shape or how tall/short they might be), esp. the women. Since I’ve started doing it, I’ve been thinking it’d be great to row outdoors too. Only thing is, I’m not a great swimmer! Find your story inspiring! Good for you!

    Reply
  3. Johnna Michaelsen says

    June 1, 2022 at 6:49 pm

    Loved your story. I’m 52 and I started rowing 5 years ago. It has definitely changed my life for the better. I encourage you to keep at it.

    Reply
  4. SusieG says

    June 1, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    Yay, you! That is so cool, Alison. And your timing is perfect for inspiration. I live next to the Potomac in Maryland, near where all the kayakers launch their boats. Sometimes the kayak traffic can be a bit annoying, truthfully. But then I thought, why not join them! I’m 54, my kid will be a sophomore this year, my husband is an avid cyclist. Time for me to stop being an indoor cat 🙂 You’ve inspired me and I signed up for kayaking classes today.

    Fun side note? The photo from “Ghosts of DC”? I am friends with the guy who started that blog and Twitter account. He and his work are fantastic 🙂

    Reply
  5. Erika Otter says

    June 1, 2022 at 4:01 pm

    I love this. I feel like with my kids getting older and my body still (relatively) young – 51 – there is space and time to get some new skills and I am super excited about it. I’m learning handstands. I agree rowing looks so gorgeous and graceful! Congrats on learning.

    Reply
  6. Di says

    June 1, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    Once again, you’re inspiring me! My 15yo joined a rowing club last fall, and quickly found her groove. She’s training in 4-person sweep right now and is joining the competitive group! I hope that her club (https://rownewyork.org/) has a parents’ day so I can try it out myself!

    Reply
  7. Elizabet says

    June 1, 2022 at 11:26 am

    Thank you so much for sharing this!! I’ve been feeling a little down lately and couldn’t pinpoint it, but just felt a little lost and stuck. As I was reading this, I realized that I keep talking about wanting to learn to ride a real bike, not just my peloton, and after a quick google, I realized that New York City offers free classes to adults, so guess who signed up before she could second guess herself!

    Thank you for sharing your ups and downs with us. I’ve been a reader for a while and your perspective has always been really valuable to me.

    Reply
  8. Susan L says

    June 1, 2022 at 10:31 am

    Good for you!!

    Reply
  9. Michelle says

    June 1, 2022 at 10:25 am

    Congratulations on trying something new & thanks for sharing it with us! I think you’re right about the need to challenge ourselves as we age. Not always easy but usually worth it. In the past few years, I’ve taken surfing lessons (I actually got up a on the board few times & my husband even got video & photos of it!); I was so nervous, but I did it. It was exhilarating & hard (to me). On the same trip, I tried stand up paddle boarding & really enjoyed it. Did I fall off several times, sure I did! But it was fun & I found it enjoyable to sometimes just sit on my knees & really take in the beauty around me. Last summer, I kayaked on the Chicago River—5 miles. It was the longest I’ve ever kayaked & by the last mile, I was so tired & wanted to cry. But I had to get back to the dock & I did. I’m not athletic so all of these feel special to me.

    Reply
  10. Cindy says

    June 1, 2022 at 10:14 am

    I see rowers near where I live all the time and often thought I’d like to give it a go. But being shy and feeling I’m a bit too old/out of shape, I’ve never felt like signing up on my own. Maybe it’s time to face that challenge. Well done and thanks for sharing your experiences.

    Reply
  11. Bette says

    June 1, 2022 at 9:55 am

    Prior to the pandemic, my boss (in DC) rowed from Bethesda to Arlington every day. I was impressed, but scared for him. The whole “going backwards down a busy waterway with unknown hazards” freaked (freaks) me out.

    Good for you for giving it a try!

    Reply
  12. Eileen says

    June 1, 2022 at 9:34 am

    Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  13. RJ says

    June 1, 2022 at 9:15 am

    This is so exciting, my favorite blogger is now a rower!! I’ve followed you for years but never commented, however, I’m thrilled that you learned to row. I’m a former college rower who recently came back to it after 20 years. I love (and sometimes hate) the challenge of it, but in my opinion, there is nothing like it! I will say that I find rowing in boats with other people much more enjoyable so I’m looking forward to seeing if you find the same.

    Reply
  14. Charlotte Whetstone says

    June 1, 2022 at 8:43 am

    You inspire me! Thanks for the honesty.

    Reply
  15. Linda says

    June 1, 2022 at 8:41 am

    I am so jealous! Ever since reading the book Racing Odysseus, I have wanted to learn to row. The closest venue to me is an hour away, so I can’t do it right now, but it’s on my list. Good on you for giving it a go!

    Reply
  16. Ruth Slavid says

    June 1, 2022 at 6:59 am

    Well done you. My friends convinced me to go paddle boarding in September (they had booked it as a surprise). I am really nervous about my balance, and I didn’t stand up (I was too worried that if I fell in I wouldn’t be able to get on the board again – that is hard). I was pretty scared the whole time, and staying on my knees was hard on them. But really pleased to have at least tried it. It’s definitely good to push beyond your comfort zone.

    Reply
  17. Karen says

    June 1, 2022 at 6:27 am

    Congratulations! I’m so impressed with you!
    My learnings this year are more around new technologies at work, but at 58, almost 59, it feels good to be pushing my team/colleagues into new technologies. But like you I’m ready to start a new fitness something, just not sure what as I’m still not ready for heading back to the Pilates studio

    Reply

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Sep 26

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Scenes from a Friday night…

We started at @littleblackbirddc a new wine bar in Cleveland Park where we had great food, drink, and conversation into the evening. We then headed down the street to @atomicbilliards for a whole different experience and to keep the conversation going. I treasure my friendships with @sylviacolella (who had a birthday recently), @districtofchic, and @blonde_inthedistrict they’re the real deal 🥰

My dress is @adamlippes borrowed via @renttherunway and Cheetos with Sauvignon Blanc is a really fun pairing!

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Sep 23

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Night and day…

Met three dear friends for an early dinner that went on until after the sun set. Great food and conversation with some great women!

The dress is @adamlippes and I borrowed it from @renttherunway. The bag is @jcrew and a splurge but I regretted not buying it the last time they offered this bag and this color is SO me. I mean, look how great it is with these many years old suede heeled sandals? Meant to be!

This color combination makes me so happy, and this dress was comfy even after a decadent meal. We all deserve to experience comfort and joy with our wardrobes! 💛🩷

Follow my shop @wardrobe_oxygen on the @shop.LTK app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!
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If @thechicks are in town you can bet @debbiefaye78 and I will be there! So when we heard they were coming to @merriweatherpp we were so excited. And their concert did not disappoint. As always, a phenomenal show! If The Chicks come to your neck of the woods I highly recommend you go!

Okay I know you want to know about what we’re wearing! 

My sister’s caftan is from @anthropologie (bought this summer so maybe you can find on resale sites).

I’m wearing a @bananarepublic dress also from this summer with the @universalstandard denim chore jacket and a hat I got from a @madewell collab a year or so ago. I glammed it up with some gold chains and gold drop earrings, but kept it comfy for a night of standing and dancing with @birkenstock sandals.

This was my first big outing since my eye surgery, and with a pocketful of eye drops I felt good (and grateful we splurged for good seats!).

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https://liketk.it/4jcBL #ltkmidsize #ltkover40 #midsizestyle #genxstyle #usinthewild #concertstyle

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Sep 19

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If I close my eyes you can’t tell one is still bloodshot 😜

Still recovering from my eye surgery but feeling more myself. Getting dolled up helps me feel me. Bright colors and bold jewelry have been signature Alison since I was a kid! 

Sweater: @favorite.daughter 
Earrings: Amazon
Necklace: @_jennybird (old)
Ring: @realmfinejewelry 
Bra: @lovebravissimo 
Lipstick: @glossier 
Pins as “cufflinks”: vintage

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https://liketk.it/4j0LM #ltkmidsize #midsizestyle #over40style #ltkover40 #genxstyle

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Sep 11

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Happy gotcha day, Oscar! Four years ago he came into our life and we are so happy to have in our family!

Oscar was a rescue and came with some… quirks. Over the years we have come to understand him and he has come to trust us. He’s a diva, a snuggler, he could play catch for hours, and he’s my husband’s shadow. 

We’ve never had a small breed dog before and it’s a whole different experience. But we adore Oscar and couldn’t imagine our life without him! Thank you for coming into our life Oskie McGoskie! 🐾❤️

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Sep 8

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I can see clearly now…

Actually I can’t, but things after my retina surgery are much improved! My next appointment is in a month and I’m cleared to get back into the world (with some restrictions to protect my eye).

With a sclera buckle, it changes your eye shape and now I am nearsighted again (I had lasik a few years ago). Once the eye is stabilized I can get glasses or contacts but until then I’m 20/20 in one eye and right now 20/60 in the other. But the eye is healing beautifully and I feel positive!

And I could see clearly enough to fall for this poppy-colored cotton jumpsuit from @pistoladenim. It comes in a few colors but this one is my favorite. I went with XL (im@a 14, sometimes 16) and likely could have sized down but I enjoy the relaxed fit and the drawstring waistband to create shape. And hello zipper closure making it super easy to get on and off!

My husband took this photo right after my eye appointment, I think it reflects my positive attitude and feeling of hope! 🧡

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Sep 5

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I’ll be a bit quiet on here and other channels because I had eye (retinal) surgery this past weekend. I was having what I thought were ocular migraines but come to find out I was experiencing lattice degeneration, which is thinning/holes in the retina. I had surgery Saturday for my right eye and later on they’ll work on the left eye, which isn’t as bad and can be remedied by laser, in office.

I share not because I’m Mrs. Frizzle meets Iris Apfel as I recuperate at home, but because this whole thing has been a lesson on trusting my gut. And I want to remind you to do the same.

As we get older our bodies can feel like strangers. Things are constantly changing and it’s easy to just assume your annual physical will catch anything wrong. But if you slow down and listen to your body you’ll know when things are just a sign of aging and life and what seems unusual. That nagging issue may be something more serious.

And if you’re seeing flashing lights, floaters, spiderwebs or other odd eye things get checked out ASAP. It may be nothing but take it from me, it may actually be something. ❤️

Okay, going back to my big sunglasses caftan recuperation life!

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Aug 30

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Ladies who lunch…

While in Savannah, I made sure to get lunch reservations for me and E at @theoldepinkhouse she loves the color pink, historic homes, and ghost stories so it was a perfect choice! 

Built in 1789 on Reynolds Square, there are stories of guests seeing ghosts, cutlery and wine bottles moving along with an elegant and truly delicious dining. 

While we didn’t see any apparitions, we did have a lovely lunch with impeccable service and after toured all floors of the home. I highly recommend a visit if you’re visiting Savannah!

My dress is from @cosstores (no longer available); hat is @furtalk and bag is @talbotsofficial (no longer available).

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Aug 29

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Scenes from a week in Savannah… 

The three of us (and our dog Oscar!) had a warm and humid but wonderful time exploring Savannah, Georgia earlier this month. Our daughter visited this gorgeous city last summer with her @girlscouts troop but wanted to return to experience more. We let her choose our adventures and play your guide and it was awesome. We cannot wait to visit again, though next time it won’t be August 🥵

For more of our trip check the “Savannah” highlight on my profile page!

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Aug 28

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Stripes are always right…

Y’all know I love stripes and when @universalstandard came out with their Breton-stripe dresses and tops I HAD to try them! As expected, the quality is stellar, the fit boosts my confidence, and I appreciate the range of colors (5 different stripes to choose from) and sizes (00-50). For reference, I’m wearing XS but preferred S for the top and I usually wear a 14 or XL in other brands.

The tote is @able and it’s a soft yet durable leather that just looks better with time. This color (cognac) is one that transitions nicely from summer to fall. 

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#usinthewild #bretonstripes #midsizestyle #midsizefashion #size14 #over40style

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