So back in the spring I wrote a post about my fondness for the asymmetrical hemline. However, I have to tell you that despite my best intentions, I don’t think that I was necessarily using the right terminology when I tried to describe the object of my fashion obsession (though I do have a couple of cardigans where each side is a different length, so I think those would in fact qualify for the asymmetrical moniker).

Anyway, I think what I should have said is that I was smitten with open front cardigans in general and handkerchief hemlines in particular. And I still am smitten with them – mainly because I still feel like I’ve met my fashion goals for the day if I get dressed in the mornings and bear some resemblance to Maude. And let me tell you: there is nothing that will help you achieve Maude-related fashion goals faster than an open cardigan. If there’s a handkerchief hemline, then all the better.

I want to assure you, though, that I’m going to try to practice Maude moderation this fall since I’m well-aware that combining my beloved open front cardigans with all the new palazzo pants possibilities may be too much Maude for the average citizen to bear. I mean, I’m all for looking to Maude for some fashion inspiration, but I’m not necessarily interested in looking so much like her that people start to hear a certain theme song when I walk by.

Yesterday we had our first little tiny hint (tease) of cool in the air, which naturally made me want to look for all manner of cute, Maude-ish clothes for fall. Some of these are what Martha would call “transition pieces! they’re transition pieces! you wouldn’t wear them in the winter, necessarily, but they’d be perfect in September and October, you know, when you go to breakfast with the girls! They’re just adorable for breakfast with the girls!”

So here are a few (or 12) of my open cardigan favorites, and then I’ll be all done with talking about clothes for a very long while because I think we’ve already established that the extent of my fashion expertise is, well, dressing like Maude. And it probably comes as no surprise that the demand for such a skill is practically non-existent.

This one from Loft is oh-so-versatile.

This plus-size Awake Rosette Trim cardigan (on sale!) would look good with just about anything; you could dress it up or dress it down.

This Style & Co. cardigan = great price, great colors.

And you can’t beat this one for when the Maudes of the world need maternity clothes.

This striped cardigan, in sizes 14 and up, is super cute.

I found the love’s sweet innocence curvy plus cardigan when Melanie linked to Ruche on one of her Fashion Fridays. Love their vintage looks – very fun and girly.

The Rolla Coaster Open Cardigan? It’s a rolla coaster of love is what it is. It’s also out of my league budget-wise, but it’s so cute that I had to include it.

Technically this Style & Co. ruffled vest (plus) doesn’t have a handkerchief hemline, but it’s on sale and a great layering piece for fall.

Gorgeous though it is, I would never, ever pay full price (or even half price) for this Balkhash Shawl, so I look forward to the pretend day when it’s marked down to $20. My imagination and I will be so happy when that happens.

This tie dye cardigan (petite) is a kicky variation on stripes. I’m such a fan of tie-dye in moderation, by the way.

You may have noticed that I have sort of a thing about stripes. I LOVE THEM.

This Hive & Honey Cable Tassel Cardigan makes me long for chilly mornings. It’s Maude-esque, for sure – but 21st century Maude. In fact, I think Maude would wear this sweater to Starbucks with jeans and tall boots.

And she’d look FANTASTIC.

Have a great Tuesday, y’all.

Well, we’re home from the beach.

And that’s pretty much all I know.

The end.

Oh, I’m kidding. Sort of.

We spent most of Saturday in a post-beach haze (I did a lot of staring and gazing, but I like to think that I stared as well as gazed with great purpose and intention). The haze was intensified by the fact that I have decided that I’m going to have to break up with summer. Oh, summer is nice enough and all, and I enjoy summer’s more laid-back pace as well as its kicky family activities, but summer has worn me out with the heat. Honestly, I don’t know if summer really even understands how smothering and stifling it’s been for the last few weeks, but regardless, I’m out. Done. ADIOS, EL VERANO.

I always know that summer and I have had enough of each other when I decide that 68 degrees is a perfectly reasonable indoor temperature (my husband prefers a balmier 74, so the Thermostat Wars, they are alive and well in our house). This shift in indoor temperature preference almost always coincides with a constant certainty that the air in my car must be broken because IT’S NOT COOLING VERY WELL AT ALL, I CAN’T SEEM TO GET IT TO COOL, HEY DID I MENTION THAT I DON’T THINK MY AIR IS WORKING.

The air in the car is fine, of course, but I’m frustrated by the fact that it doesn’t cool as quickly or as sub-Arctic-ish as I would prefer. That is understandable since it’s approximately 115 degrees on the pavement at any given point in time, but there’s just something about August that makes me impatient and demanding with the climate control.

Clearly I am a delight and also a blessing to others.

Yesterday morning we were running a little late for church (well, we were actually running on time, but I’m a fan of running A LOT early, so in my mind we were running late), and by the time I walked in the sanctuary I realized that the area where we normally sit was pretty full. Since D was taking care of some stuff and wasn’t going to be in the sanctuary for a few minutes, I made the decision to break out of our routine and go up to the very top row (CRAZY, SEAT-CHANGING CHRISTIANS! WACKY!). I tried to pick a section where it would be easy for D to walk in and find me, and then I settled in for the service.

Well.

It only took about three minutes for me to realize that I had unknowingly stationed us underneath The World’s Most Powerful Air Vent. Seriously. It was STRONG. And it was CHILLY. And I was so happy, y’all. In fact, there were several moments during the sermon when I could actually feel my hair blowing in the air vent-induced breeze, and at one point during communion I leaned over to my shivering husband and whisper-screamed, “THESE ARE THE BEST SEATS EVER!”

“I-I-I’m v-v-very c-c-cold,” he replied.

And then he sneezed. Twice.

Bless his heart. It can’t be easy living with a woman whose hormones seem to have been driven into BLAZING HOT REBELLION by the August heat.

But listen. That air vent in church was some sweet relief. So maybe next Sunday we’ll pack him a Snuggie or something.

Hallelujah and amen.

So.

Yesterday afternoon I remembered that the 2011 Miss Mississippi pageant is going to be broadcast live on the web this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

You have no idea how deeply this bit of information touches my heart. Because the Miss Mississippi pageant isn’t just a pageant – it’s an institution. In fact, when I lived in Mississippi, we would have Miss Mississippi parties on the final night of the pageant and hoot & holler just like it was a football game.

IT’S A PAGEANT THAT MEANS SOMETHING, PEOPLE.

In fact, in some deep, dark recesses of some deep, dark cabinet, I actually have VHS tapes of Miss Mississippi pageants from 1989 (-ish) to 1996 (-ish). It’s a treasure trove of memories, especially in terms of the talent competitions. There’s baton twirling, ventriloquism, xylophone playing, magic acts – really, it’s almost more joy than I can take. So good.

I would encourage you to tune in. Don’t miss a blessing.

In other news, I thought I’d update y’all on my ongoing dental drama since it seems to be a theme in the summer of 2011.

A couple of weeks ago my temporary crown popped off – AGAIN. I was out of town at the time, so I used one of the quick fixes my dental hygienist suggested and figured I’d be good until I got home. Sure enough, I called my dentist first thing that Monday morning – only to find out that the office would be closed all week while the staff attended continuing education classes.

Which was really no help at all.

Late in the week one of the girls from the office returned my call and said that everything should be fine, and since my permanent crown should be in the next week (which would have been last week), I could probably just make do with the quick fixes as long as I wasn’t having any trouble with the tooth.

Well.

The dentist called me again this past Wednesday to tell me that the permanent crown was in and to call them for an appointment. The only problem was that I spent most of last Wednesday on the road; I drove to my hometown to pick up my mama so that she could come back here and stay with the little man while I was in Lincoln and D was at work. Thursday and Friday weren’t options for an appointment because I was going to be out of town, so clearly the permanent crown was going to have to wait a few days. Sure enough, when my flight left Thursday morning, the temporary crown and I made the trip to Lincoln together. Since it was holding on and fighting the good fight, I did my part in terms of trying to keep it affixed and also in terms of avoiding crunchy and/or sticky foods.

Oh, my temporary crown and I were very considerate of each other. I like to think that we’d forged a real friendship.

The temporary crown and I got back in town late Saturday night, and quite frankly we were exhausted. Sunday morning I noticed that the crown felt a little loose-y goose-y, so I actually took it off before I ate breakfast. It was as precious a moment as you might imagine, and I felt that it was a special way to remind my husband how much he’d missed me when I was gone. I mean, nothing really says Fourteen years later, I’d still marry you all over again like popping a temporary crown off of a back molar and then gingerly placing the crown on a napkin before you bite into a McDonald’s sausage biscuit.

Who says romance is dead?

Anyway, as best I can tell I forgot ALL ABOUT that temporary crown after I ate breakfast. Didn’t give it another thought, really, until I was fixing lunch and realized Oh, my. I think my crown is missing. I looked for it everywhere. I couldn’t fathom that I’d thrown it away, especially since I’ve been trying to be so careful with it, but apparently that’s exactly what I did. And after I’d searched the kitchen for the 18th time, I looked at D and said, “Well, I guess that’s it. I lost it. Or threw it away. Or something. Because I can’t find it anywhere.”

“So am I to understand that you’re 41 years old and have in fact misplaced and/or thrown away one of your teeth?” he asked.

“That’s exactly right,” I replied. “I’ve never been more proud.”

And for the record, I never found it. I get the permanent crown this afternoon.

It won’t be quite as pretty as the one that the new Miss Mississippi gets Saturday night, but FINGERS CROSSED that it’s a keeper.

So I’ve really had the best of intentions about keeping things current and updated and happening and now in this particular little neck of the bloggy woods, but unfortunately I seem to have been seized by a colossal case of adult-onset ADD that renders me incapable of giving anything my full attention for longer than approximately 4.7 seconds.

Maybe 5.2 if it’s reallllllly interesting.

I just have had all these projects and to-do lists and THINGS that I’ve wanted to accomplish during these blessedly schedule-free summer months, and instead of buckling down and tackling one bullet point at a time, I’ve been embracing the stop and start method, my long-standing strategy of getting four percent of a project twenty-two percent finished and then NEXT, PLEASE! TIME TO MOVE ON! MAMA SEES SOMETHING SHINY!

(However, I’m proud to announce that I did manage to finish watching all thirteen episodes of “The Killing” in just a little more than 24 hours, so clearly I’m pouring all my time and energy into the most productive outlets.)

(So I think the bottom line is that if you’ve been looking for an expert on time management, look no further! I’m your girl!)

Today I did make a concerted effort to be more efficient and productive, and I actually got a lot done. I dropped the little man off at his sports camp, and then I went to the bank, the bookstore and two (2!) grocery stores. I spent most of the afternoon cooking stuff that my people can eat while I’m on a little trip this Thursday – Saturday. Then I worked on the e-book, picked up the boy, fixed supper, answered emails – and I’ll have you know that by 8 o’clock tonight I felt like I’d been running around like this all day:

Only without all the sequins. And not quite so many “WHOO!”s.

I guess I’m just starting to realize that the summer, it is movin’ along. In a week we’ll all be staring July in the face, and BY DIGGITY I don’t want to waste this stretch of time. Because when I look at the trips and commitments and set-in-stone whathaveyous that are on the calendar, I know that I need to make the most of the days when we’re just hanging out at home.

BUT.

I don’t want to spend the rest of the summer running around like a clogger with my tap shoes on fire. And because of the aforementioned trips and commitments, I especially don’t want to feel bogged down when we have the luxury of not having to stick to a schedule. So, all that to say: I’ve whittled down my Summer Must-Do list to two whole things, and in the interest of accountability I will share them with the wide world interweb at this juncture.

1. Finish the e-book
2. Finish this project (I still haven’t found the right pillows, and I need to move around some of my furniture)

Listen. If I can get those two things done in the midst of the trips and the gallivanting and the neighborhood young’uns that make our afternoons so full and happy – and still have plenty of time with my people and a small of window of TV-watching to stay reasonably up-to-speed with the summer programming on Bravo and Food Network?

Then I will consider Summer 2011 a smashing success.

What about you? Anything you’re hoping to finish (or start) this summer? Any big projects or plans? Any – dare I say it – GOALS?