Mom-Day: Blues, Floyd's, Masks

Unlike my usual sleep-in, today I woke up at 8am and actually got up (vs. going back to sleep). Determined to get an early start on my groceries/Mental Health Walk, I was just about to leave when Mom called. 

"Let's go for brunch, and then you can come over for a visit!"

Stellar idea, Mom! I called her when I got back, and we hung out for the afternoon, until she dropped me back home to await the grocery delivery. 

• Cardigan - Ports, vintage 80s, consignment; last seen here in June over Etro paisley
• Blouse - Sanctuary, thrifted; last worn here in July 2019 with reddy oranges
• Trousers - H&M, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in April for an early pandemic outing
• Boots - Gabor; last worn here (2nd outfits) in pre-pandemic March with blue leopard

I love my blue cardigan - it's 100% wool and is so snuggly. 

And it matches my boots, which I was not surprised to see I haven't worn all season. I kept them out for these very early fall days. 

I forget about things that I can't see, like this windowpane blouse which resides in a drawer in my lingerie chest. 

My space pants are nice and stretchy, plus, duh, they're silver. Why not wear silver pants?

Although I left the cardi on all afternoon, here's the outfit without it. 

I like the layers in this top. 

Masked up. 

You may have noticed my subtle hints about needing more masks...Mom did too. 

I added another one of my scarves to the outfit for visual interest. 

A little leopard is always welcome. 

• Scarf - thrifted

The stuff: 

I knew I'd be tromping around Mom's garden at some point. These boots were made for trompin'!

• Earrings - local
• Lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes

But first, brunch at Floyd's Diner! 

This location is too far from town for L and I to visit, but it's close to Mom's house. 

We had one of our old servers from the downtown former location, Josh. It was so good to see him. 

Mom is looking snazzy in her cropped navy trousers, striped top and red faux leather jacket. She also has a very groovy "volcano" necklace on from the 70s that I covet (it has matching earrings). 

She's having work done on her house and has been dying to show it off. 

She's getting new decks and new fascia boards around the peaks of the roof. See the dude up there behind the tree on the right?

We walked around, checking everything and looking at the garden. 

Those red coral bells are from a plant that was at the house my mom was born in, in 1942. Isn't that amazing? They have moved with Mom to every house - I remember them from the garden of the house I grew up in.

I've already forgotten the name of these flowers, but they are making a break for the lawn. 

Run! You can make it! 

Mom's snazzy new rear deck. 

Oooooh....so nice! 

So yeah, my hint about masks have unleashed a monster! Mom has gone into production! 

She let me have my pick - yay! 

I took the two rows on the left, below. 

We'll have a better look at those in a minute. 

I spotted the pictures behind Mom's head in the hallway in the above picture. These are small, only 5 x 7" canvasses. 

My brother painted the top one, and I did the bottom one - we were both in my mom's summer kids painting classes that she ran out of our house from the early 80s (she actually still does it, but for fewer kids). 

I remember that I painted it in about 3 hours, and didn't have any help doing it. I was about 12 years old - this painting won a ginormous rosette at the Saanich Fair that summer. "It was bigger than the painting," noted Mom. 

Sharing an atrocity with you that I made c. 1978 in Grade 6 in Art class, probably for Mother's Day.

I drew the pictures in clay (a bee, butterfly, dragonfly and flower), and did the macramé too. Mother, this is hideous. Get rid of it! 

Mom wanted to show me her newest clothing purchases (I approved), and I was freaked out by these dolls in her bedroom. 

The doll on the left was my grandmother's; the one in the middle was Mom's (I also played with her); and the one on the right was mine. Her name is Nancy and she is in her original "Scottish" outfit, minus her red socks (I recall being very adamant that I wanted a doll with socks). She is by the Spanish doll company Formosa, and I probably got her in 1976 or 1977. I trimmed her hair into bangs (guilty).

Gah! Nightmare fuel! 

Most creepy doll ever. 

Mom found a little something in the closet - an old vintage hat of hers.

I'm modeling it - it's mine now! 

Here it is in its 1963 glory. 

Mom says she always wore it with the brim up like this. 

She bought it with her "first real paycheque" when she became a teacher in 1963, at Miss Frith's, a swanky boutique store that was in downtown Victoria from before the 1920s up till the early 1980s. Her/my wedding dress was from their bridal boutique that was accessed via a grand staircase. 

No label, but likely made in Canada, perhaps even specifically for the store. It's lined in a minty-green polyester satin. The inner crown has a stiff rim to help the outer crown achieve its "dip". I can't wait to wear this - I have an old vintage coat of Mom's from the same shop (old pic of me showing it off here), and I should really reunite them. 

Here's a better look at the masks I selected. 

On the left, from top: a tree scene, a light version of leopard, purple with black and shiny gold, blue snakeskin, navy blue with gold pattern. 

On the right, from top: black with grey cats, black with silver snowflakes, grey snakeskin, red and white floral (fabric from France!), black/white/red stripes and zebra print.

A better look at the kitty one. 

A whole bunch of cats! I love it, and love them all. Thanks so much, Mom! 

We built another pile of fabrics that I liked for more masks (MORE MASKS). 

Mom in her studio, surrounded by fabric and paintings, art amid chaos. Yeah, sounds about right. Love you, Mom.