Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Friday Crinkle Skirt Two Ways; Camo Brunch; Boardgame Casual; Groceries in Stripes

Welcome back, Gentle Reader! So good to see you, and I hope you had a carefree, relaxing weekend. We had a busy one, full of plans with friends and each other, and I'm eager to get back to the remaining free time I have left, so let's dive in, shall we? The water's fine! 

For Friday's work outfit, I did snake bookends.

I played around in my closet, looking for things that went with this new-to-me iridescent crinkle skirt, and happened upon my snake-print top. 

• Shirt - Essentiel Antwerp, thrifted; last worn here (3rd outfit) in March with a matching mini, to hang out with our pals
• Skirt - Attitude, vintage 90s, consignment; purchased here for $36.00
• Sandals - Lucky Brand; last seen here (3rd outfit) in September 2024 for a disco party
• Jacket (below) - Adidas, consignment; first worn here in February with green and blue

And it was only natural that I pick out the snakeskin print sandals to go with it. 

I loved how this skirt swirled and billowed as I walked.

It was a rather windy day - as you probably noticed from the Stair Pic.

I layered a half-slip and a pair of wee shorts under this, both for warmth and to ameliorate the unexpected sheerness of the skirt. 

My hair's been driving me nuts lately - I was nearly 3 weeks overdue (Kaitlyn was traveling).

I bused home after work and walked to my appointment. 

Incognito. 

I hadn't planned on wearing a coat - it's officially summer! - but it started getting a wee bit chilly out. 

Accoutrements: 

I didn't carry this purse to work (I use a leather backpack on work-days), but I used it all weekend. 

• Leather purse - Steven by Steve Madden, thrifted
• Scarf - Givenchy, consignment, gift from L

The stuff: 

I walk to and from my hair appointment usually, so while these shoes are comfortable for a day in the office, hopping on the bus and walking home from my stop, they are not good for walking 2+ kilometers to the salon. 

Turquoise bling: 

Most of which is not real turquoise. It's all stone, though! 

• Snake coil bracelet - Whiting & Davis, vintage 70s, vintage fair
• Stone cuff - thrifted, Sidney
• Silver/turquoise earrings - thrifted
• Stone necklace - vintage mall, gift from L
• Silver/turquoise ring - Karen's
• Gold/stone ring - consignment
• Silver/turquoise ring - Glee
• Stone pinkie ring - thrifted

I planned out my haircut/evening outfit along with my office outfit, with the intention of changing when I got home from work.

L and I met up with neighbours Emma and Daylan after my hair appointment, and walked to town for dinner at Baan Thai, followed by "28 Years Later" at the Odeon. 

• Silk camisole - Adagio by Patricia Fieldwalker, thrifted; not tracked, purchased here for $6.95
• Leather sandals - Seychelles, consignment; last worn here in April when my pictures failed

All the rest is the same as earlier. I had the silk cami on under my snakeskin shirt.

Cuffs flipped and scrunched on the jacket, and zipped up a bit. 

A flash of my silk cami. 

Scandalous! Wearing lingerie in PUBLIC. Call the Fashion Police! 

I was pleased with how well this jacket worked with the skirt. 

It has mint green stripes which picked up the aqua tones in the skirt. 

Off we go! 

Did I mention I really needed a haircut? I really did! 

The stuff: 

After my haircut, L picked me up and we dashed home so he could change...and I took the opportunity to do one last change to my James Harden sneakers. 

• Sneakers - James Harden X Adidas, consignment; last worn here in December 2024 at Colquitz Creek with Mom
• Crystal/gold necklace and bracelet - Swarovski, mid-00s, gift from CAB
• Crystal bracelet - thrifted
• Gold/turquoise ring - consignment
• Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
• Stone ring - thrifted
• Pearl drop necklace - thrifted

I checked in on the giant skeleton on my way to my haircut.

The tree she's tending is coming along well. Very verdant! 

L and I had brunch at John's Place - our usual Saturday thing. We missed Nick, who's off in the UK visiting family. 

I played around in my closet, planning around the rain that was pattering down all night. Not complaining, we really need it to help with the forest fires that are starting earlier every year. 

• Jacket - upcycled by Kelsey T, consignment; last seen here in February for Valentine's Day
• Bodysuit - Escada by Margaretha Ley, vintage 80s, thrifted; last worn here with dragonscale in July 2024
• Skirt - Rothco, vintage 00s, consignment; first seen (bought and worn) here (3rd outfit) in February for a Chosen Family gathering
• Boots - Stuart Weisman, consignment; last seen here in March with emerald satin armour

It had stopped raining by the time we were ready to go. 

A misty view of the Castle.

My hair might not look too different - the bangs/fringe are much shorter (as usual), and the sides look the same in front. 

But I've been feeling stale over the style lately. Time for a change! 

Kaitlyn took it right up in the back - it's very short there now. I love not having my hair getting tucked into my collars.

While I was waiting for a bathroom (so much coffee!), a stylish gent admired my "chains and stuff". 

Despite buying a couple of red tops lately, I ended up with my long-sleeved cotton bodysuit for warmth. 

I liked the bright solid colour with the camo skirt. Can't believe I've only worn it once since I bought it! 

Ready for chilly weather. 

I feel like I shouldn't be wearing so many layers in summer...I never took the jacket off. 

Accoutrements: 

The Floppy Beast (as I've taken to referring to this bag) and another thin viscose scarf. 

• Scarf - Zadig & Voltaire, consignment

The stuff: 

"Sick boots!" said a woman to me at the diner. I wore wee shorts and knee-high socks with these. 

Red and silver bling: 

Old favourites. I wore the Frank Turner cassette pin on the jacket's flap pocket.

• Plastic grommet belt - vintage 90s, consignment
• Studded leather cuff - vintage 90s
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Silver earrings - consignment
• Frank Turner pin - tour merch, 2024
• Red enamel/silver ring - antique store, Sidney
• Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
• Celtic S pendant - c. 1994, gift from Mom & Dad

We headed over to Tony and Allison's place for an evening of board games with pals Chris and Alison. I dressed for comfort and lots of sitting. 

Big baggy pants! 

• T-shirt - Adidas Farm Rio, thrifted; last seen here (3rd outfit) in April for brunch
• Acid-wash lace/denim vest - Lola, thrifted; last worn here in July 2024 for a Mom-Day at Finnerty Gardens
• Nylon pants - Cambio, consignment; first seen here (3rd outfit) in April for dinner at the pub
• Sneakers - Ryka, consignment; last worn here in May at Mom's house
• Coat (below) - L'Atiste, consignment, Vancouver; last seen here in May

A tee with a bit of visual interest, and the vest for an extra layer and more warmth.

I've only been to their house once, so I had no idea how cold it would be (it was cold).

I like the surprise back.

The contrast of the lace with the sporty vibe gives "friction" as the Fashion People say. 

Ready to have fun! 

I am not very good at learning new games, so I'd been somewhat dreading a board game night. 

But our hosts introduced us to easy group games (we played Foxy, Flip 7 and Pickomino (or "Worms!" as Allison enthusiastically clapped). 

It was cold enough to need a coat! Summer? What summer?

The stuff: 

I carried the Floppy Beast purse again (it held 3 fancy sodas and had room for more!).

• Frank Turner pin - tour merch, 2024
• Studded leather cuff - vintage 90s
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Red enamel/silver ring - antique store, Sidney
• Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
• Silver earrings - consignment
• Celtic S pendant - c. 1994, gift from Mom & Dad

All my accessories were still sitting out, so I just wore them all again. 

I'm making more of an effort to dress for our weekly grocery shops. If nothing else, it helps me get through my massive dress collection. 

I let my hair air-dry and did minimal make-up - a red lip felt right. 

• Dress - Massimo Dutti, thrifted; first worn here in October 2024 with blue accessories
• Leather sandals - Geox, thrifted; last seen here in September with a now-gone poppy blouse

Nothing too difficult here.

The dress has big slits on either side. 

It was chilly and rained overnight.

Our shopping is always quick. 

L bags the groceries while I pay.

Home in time to finish up this post and then go hang out and play boardgames! I can't get enough. 

The stuff: 

I even made an effort and changed up my purse. 

• Leather purse - Bruno Magli, vintage 80s, consignment
• Bakelite bracelet - vintage 60s, vintage mall, gift from L
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Carnelian/silver pendant - consignment
• Silver/red enamel ring - antique shop, Sidney
• Anneke & Lars silver ring - vintage mall
• Metal rose earrings - Betsey Johnson, swap from Cat

I hope you all had a solid weekend, full of good times! Thanks so much for being here!

Mom-Day at Elk Lake in Orange Bookends

Welcome back, my friends! Mom-Day returns, and we also returned...to the Elk Lake beach side of Elk-Beaver Lake Park. We last visited here in May 2024 - I can't believe it's been over a year! 

It was a humid day, although somewhat overcast. I prepared and dressed for heat and sun, but also to stay warm. 

Orange bookends deployed!

Is that the weekend I see?

• Vest - Zara, consignment; first worn here in December 2024 with a sequined skirt and cropped hoodie
• Frank Turner tour shirt - 2018, Vancouver, not tracked
• Skirt - Love Tree, consignment; first seen here in June 2024 on the previous Day of Indolence
• Boots - Official Mittwoch, Fluevog; last worn here in March to the periodontist

Since the collar of the puffy vest was all up in my business, I wrangled my hair into pigtails (aka bunches for English Vix!).

I wore socks with my boots and wee shorts under the skirt so I could go bare-legged. I also sunblocked my arms.

I loved the bright cobalt blue skirt, even though it's nylon. Such a good colour! 

Elastic waist, big pockets in a spot that doesn't add visually, and an elasticized hem. 

I took the puffer off while we had lunch at the Monkey Tree Pub after our walk.

I had a lot of compliments from people while we were out and about. Folks love colour! 

With my purse and woven paper hat.

I carried on the UK theme - Frank Turner is a Brit - with my purse. 

A nice big slit at the back for walking. 

This was a super-comfortable outfit. 

Incognito.

Do I really have to go back to work tomorrow? Nooooo...

Accoutrements: 

Mom mentioned she was running low on chocolate, so I stocked her up. 

• Purse - Le SportSac, thrifted, Sidney
• Hat - no label, thrifted

The stuff: 

These boots are getting more comfortable. I keep checking for sport insoles to go on sale! 

Bold bling: 

I bought the massive necklace and the skirt at the same time, both at House of Savoy over a year ago. I wear the necklace more. 

• Silver mesh bracelet - consignment, Sidney
• Orange plastic cuff/ring - Italian, vintage 60s, vintage mall
• Steel/Lucite ring - Calvin Klein, thrifted
• Silver earrings - Israeli, consignment
• Necklace - M, consignment
• Kilt pin - vintage 50s, Mom's

Are you ready for some perfectly hideous scenery? The trees are ginormous, and the park and path we followed - to the right on this path - are framed by plenty of greenery. 

Let's go! 

The aforementioned path.

Lots of dogs being walked, with a preponderance of poodles. Why? And such large poodles.

I noticed that these trees are being taken over by the ivy.

Lots of tall evergreens here. 

Sometimes they fall over. 

As we were admiring this fine specimen of a root system, a couple and their three-legged dog walked by. 

"Are you looking for the gnomes?" she said. GNOMES?? She explained that someone locally made these and hid ten of them along the path around the lake. 

This one was tucked behind the root tendrils. So many people barrel along here at such a speed, they don't stop and notice things. We told another walking couple about them - passing along the good gnome news.

Salmon berries! We picked and ate one each. 

These are a west coast delicacy. As you can see, they don't grow too many berries. We chatted with a lovely young woman who was collecting some in a cloth bag - she'd grown up here and her dad had taught her. Aw! 

Just like me and my mom (and her dad).

The bench at the end of the tunnel. 

I got a Sharp-shinned Hawk today for my "Life List" on Merlin. I have 52 species total, which is amazing. I'm not even really trying.

And a Western Flycatcher was also new for today. The Song Sparrow was in great form, really putting on a concert for us.

Such a pretty view of the lake. 

Most of it is obscured from the path, but you can hear the roar of the cars on the Pat Bay Highway that runs along the eastern side. 

Many strangely shaped trees were on show today.

The small lump in the centre, for instance. Mom thought it looked like a sea lion. 

This tableau looks like two kids fighting on the left.

And the mother trying to calm them down. "He started it!"

Another gnome! Sorry it was a bit blurry - I had to zoom in. 

The woman had told us there was another one on the way to the "twisty trees." He's got a white beard! 

Mom, check it out! 

I love that someone has done this. It makes it even more magical. 

A glimpse of the lake through the trees and underbrush. 

It's swampy near the edges. 

There are the lovers. 

I've seen these sexy trees every time we come here and I always take pictures of them, but today I noticed something for the first time.

They are two different types of tree. The gnarly one is a maple tree with bright green leaves.

The slender smoother one is a cedar. And yet they are entwined. So romantic! 

A field of horsetails.

No bugs this time of year, thank goodness. 

Time to head back - we were hungry! 

It was lovely to amble along. 

I was surprised to see cherries on this tree.

I didn't know they grew in the forest??

The tree on the left looks like it's snoozing, doesn't it?

So many faces and personalities.

We're back at the bench.

We sat and took our selfie and texted it to the fam. Hi, fam! 

You could launch a small boat from here, like a canoe. 

The water lapped against the edges.

Swallows swooped over the water, catching insects.

Dragonflies buzzed about. I also saw something large "blurp" and surface in the lake...apparently the lake is stocked with cutthroat trout and rainbow trout, plus bass, specifically for fishing (blog article here). I did not know that! 

Two nattily-hatted ladies.

Thanks so much for the lovely day, Mom. I needed that. I love you! 

I often stopped and just looked up.

Little rays of sun coming through the leafy canopy.

Goodbye, Gnome! 

See you next time! 

Back at the picnic area.

And off we went for lunch.

The Monkey Tree Pub has become a favourite. Mom had fish tacos and clam chowder and I had quesadillas - both excellent! 

Mom's necklace was a gift from her friend Carole - it has every shade of blue in it. Love the sleeves on the top too! 

I bussed back to town, and had a quick peek in the WIN Boutique. Eh, summer clothes aren't as interesting to me.

This deep red top will be a useful layering piece. I like the side-ties and it's a thin sweater-style knit.

It's by Anne Klein, and I blinked at the "Made in Hong Kong" on the label - this was older than I thought, has to be pre-1997. 

I thought $14.95 was solid for a top I'll probably wear often. 

And there you go, my friends, time to sign off for the weekend. 

Thank you so much for dropping by, and please check back on Sunday night for tales of adventure!