Random Things

OK, so I'm fighting off a spring cold. Given that I haven't had a cold all winter long (this winter), it's not so out of line, but I do hate that puffy, swollen, scratchy throat feeling. To complicate matters, I'm in a busy phase at work (meetings Monday and Tuesday) and I have an exciting dinner plan this evening so I must get better now.

On some sort of crazy whim, this morning I tried oil pulling (I do realize that isn't the most credible link). According to some, it's a means to improve the immune system. In truth, I don't know how swishing oil around my mouth for 10 minutes is going to forestall a cold but apparently it's also good for getting rid of migraines, teeth whitening and hormonal equilibrium. Admittedly, I've known about oil pulling since before Gwyneth P started promoting it, but the idea is so freakin' hideous, I've not been able to convince myself to try it. I also don't know - as a person with fairly significant TMJ - how it could possibly make that condition anything other than worse, but apparently it improves the jaw pain/clicks too. In my 10 minute experience with olive oil (I didn't have sesame or coconut lying around), I will suggest that my TMJ was entirely unexacerbated and my teeth did get whiter.

I don't sense it's going to be a regular part of my day cuz, ugh, disgusting!, but feeling unwell makes me do some pretty crazy things. Especially after this winter.

But to continue a few discussions:

• My Ferragamos have been stretched but, when I tried them on at Novelty, before taking them home, I felt they could use a bit more width. Initially, I requested very subtle stretching, as I was worried about how 20+ year old leather might respond. However, the leather is entirely unphased, so I might as well have all the stretching I like. Alas, they won't be done till Monday so I cannot wear them tonight.

• I sense that Amy Herzog is finally getting to a place that she can clearly articulate the Custom Fit process. In truth, I think this is a cautionary tale about how good ideas can be very nearly tanked by bad communications, but I'm keeping an open mind.

• I finished cleaning the closet. There is one hanging item that is so badly eaten that it may not be salvageable. It's actually the one that started this whole spring cleaning process, one that I've darned before. In fact, it's the garment that got me on the darning bandwagon in the first place. For a sweater I love so much, I don't wear it often enough to keep it from the bugs. In my defense, it's an awkward length to wear under a coat and it's usually too warm when a coat isn't required. It's got a wearing window of, maybe, 2 months a year. For some reason, whatever was in my closet has basically eaten it to shreds and left everything else untouched. (OK, there were 2 other items with tiny holes - one wool and one synthetic?! but really, it's the cashmere "coat" that's toast.) I'm going to try darning one more time, after cleaning it with a shitload of cedar as there are 11 new holes to contend with. Of course, it's probably the finest cashmere in the entire fucking closet. If it cannot be saved, I'm chopping it up and keeping the panels that are undamaged. Mercifully, it's about the size of a small blanket so there should be enough to repurpose into something else.

• A propos of closet cleaning, I've got another 25 items to put on the front walk when next the weather is sunny for more than 3 minutes. While I'm very nostalgic, I am in no way sentimental. At least half of those items are handmade things that I don't wear because a) I don't like the fabric b) I don't like the fit or c) in retrospect, I don't like the pattern. Fortunately, I no longer sew with fabric I don't like, my fitting has improved and I've become rather more selective about the garments I spend my effort on. We'll see if this is the last time I'm so willing to purge handmade items in this fashion - whether I've learned the lesson and now I will make fewer things (perhaps) but wear them all into the ground. Time will tell.

At any rate, that's all I've got right now. Too meh to pull out the exciting stories. Or maybe it's just that things are still in that limbo zone between a horrid winter and whatever comes next. Really, I'm praying for a beautiful spring and summer, but it's hard to take anything on faith at this point.