Kilts!

COLD weather!

Notice the Japanese maple is coloring up nicely. A perfect backdrop for the perfect crisp fall weather attire, the kilt.

Last night I wore my *new* James Pringle kilt to work.
I picked up two weeks ago on ebay from the UK for a mere $30 USD. It's the purple and grey kilt between the sage green kilt, and the gray and peach kilt.

It is so nice, so soft, and long too. It hits mid calf.

I have ten kilts. Two I got in London in 1984. The peach and gray on the far left and the bright green and navy on the far right. Those don't really fit just now (I'm still working on it though...down 9 1/2 lbs.)

My mom got the Lindsey plaid kilt on the same London trip. It is the maroon red and navy and forest green kilt that is sort of center in the shot. It has a matching triangular shawl, and I wore that with a white long sleeved blouse to the Kirkin' in SLC last weekend.

The Royal Stewart bright red kilt and the navy/forest kilt(peeking out behind the light blue and brown kilt at the bottom) I got on a trip to Scotland with my daughter and mother-in-law a year and a half ago. We had SO much fun, even with snow falling and freezing weather. Those two kilts are my "Humidity Sanity" kilts, as they are a poly rayon, and are cool enough to wear in summer with a sleeveless tee shirt. The deep navy and small red plaid is a long calf length rayon poly too. I wear it a lot when it is fall/winter and still blooming hot. It lets me "pretend" to have fall preppy wear.

Weird, I know, but I just have always like kilts in the fall. I like that they make my tummy look flat, and the pleats make moving around easy.

I had a red Royal Stewart kilt in elementary school. I loved wearing that kilt. We didn't have a school uniform, as we were a public school. I feel sorry for those who had to wear the private school plaid and can no longer stomach plaids and pleats.

I also had a McMillian plaid kilt dress in high school. There were like maybe four days when it was cool enought to wear it.

Kilt days were rare in balmy in southern California. My friend Michelle McIntire splurged on a midi kilt while we were in high school. Ordering a custom long kilt costs a staggering amount, but hey, if you are of a clan, why not? I think she got to wear it one time that I can remember.

I sewed a poly rayon kilt in high school home economics. Navy and green, it never fit the way I wanted it too.

One kilt, in the far back left (your left) is made from a black and cream suit fabric, not a plaid that is noticeable, but it still has the buckle and pleats going for it. It is from Marks and Spenser. Nice, and lined too.

That kilt and the rest of the kilts I got off ebay. There are usually a lot to choose from, as people pick them up on a trip, and then decide they really don't care for kilts, or gain too much weight to wear them. Waist size 26-28 is a really common size that is up for grabs.

The UK ebay has a lot of kilts for sale. Most of mine are from the UK. Someday though, I'm going to have a kilt custom made for me. I know what shop in Scotland I want to do the work, and the reason I want one custom made is because I am tall, and I want one that is floor length. Now that is my idea of winter at home wear. Sitting in front of the fire, with a cup of tea, and a slice of fruitcake (I'm getting a fruit cake again, right Dad?) is my idea of a perfect way to spend a winter evening.

But right now, I'm just happy to be wearing a kilt, and a cotton sweater, and plan on getting another 5,000 words done on my story.

Here's a funny short story: Last night at reference desk a young woman came up to my co-librarian who is a woman about my age. The young woman asked some question, which was answered, and then out of the blue asked my co-librarian "How long have you been married?"

That question had absolutely nothing to do with the prior reference question. The answer was "Ten years". The young woman said something like "Oh, that's nice" and wandered off.

She should of asked me. I've been married almost thirty years, and my parents have been married sixty years. At that rate, so, whadda ya want to know?

I wonder what prompted that question. Good reference work always includes asking questions before giving an answers to clarify what kind of information the person is seeking.

Now we'll never know what that was all about. Ah yes, yet another mystery in the library.

The best mysteries are not always on the shelves.