Porcupine Suits and Flower Arrangements

Yesterday, I stopped by the Salvation Army Thrift Store (we call it Sally Ann's), because you never know when you're going to find something great.

I lucked out!  I found a great long cozy nightgown.  Charles calls my long cozy nightgowns my "Porcupine Suits".  Porcupine or not, I like being comfortable and this one is definitely comfortable.  It even has a hood and pockets.  It's like an ankle length hoody, only not made of sweatshirt fabric.

My mother had a friend named Julia, who used to go to bed every night in a long flannel nightgown, buttoned up to the top button, with a Sacred Heart medal pinned to the collar (in case she felt like a novena in the middle of the night, I guess).  She put her hair up in curlers and removed her teeth before bed.  Every time I come to bed in a Porcupine Suit, Charles asks me if I am going to turn into Julia.

My other great find at Sally Ann's was a lovely vase.  I usually don't buy vases, because I am not a very good flower arranger - my sister Mary is a great flower arranger and has been asked to do the flowers for weddings, anniversaries, banquets, etc.  Flower arranging is not one of my talents.

But today, when I was done with my grocery shopping, I stopped by the floral department and picked out a bouquet and a cube of Oasis, that green foam that florists (and my sister) use.  When I got home, I soaked the Oasis and then got to work.  Voila!  I made a not too awful flower arrangement in my new gold vase!

I like how the shape and color echo the shape and color of the garage sale find candle holders in the front.  And in the back is a print of the icon of the Exaltation of the Cross, which we celebrated a couple of days ago.  Charles painted the icon for St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage several years ago.

I will not be posting a picture of myself in the Porcupine Suit, so don't hold your breath.

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