Our Miss Jacki Brown continues to grow at an alarming rate. She has also become an Olympic level swimmer and chewer. In order to keep her away from all the lines and wires, we got a trellis to put in front of the wires. It didn't work too well, so we ended up piling the patio furniture in front of the trellis. Oh well, I will use it for plants once Jacki stops ripping the yard apart.
On August 7th, I wore this outfit to work. The top layer is actually a sundress, but it shrunk when I washed it and so I wear a black skirt underneath. It looks like it was made that way. A basic black skirt is a trick I use for items that are too short to be practical.
I accessorized with a wide satin ribbon belt, a white shell necklace and pearl trimmed black sandals.
Next, we have a group of silk dresses that I wore for the work week. On August 8th, I wore a silk shift in red, orange and pink tones. It's done in a plaid pattern.
I wore red and pink costume jewelry with this dress.
On August 9th, another silk dress, this time in a neon floral pattern.
I wore turquoise jewelry with this dress, and pale suede gladiator sandals.
The third silk dress was this blue and green striped shift.
I added a wide band of black lace to the hem because it was very short when I sat down. It looks nice. I wore a lapis and jade necklace and sapphire and emerald rings and bracelets.
Finally, on August 11th, the last silk dress. This is a blue paisley print. I got this dress and the neon one in Denver.
I wore the turquoise jewelry with this dress as well.
This is what I wore to see the Ubuhle Women exhibit at the Bowers Museum. In case it was chilly inside the museum, I wore a blue waterfall cardigan from Eileen Fisher on top.
Jacki is learning to walk on a leash. This leash was given to me by a nice neighbor. It can also be used as a coupler for a second dog.
Jacki likes to lay down on wet grass.
A little lunch picture - toast with labne, avocado and heirloom tomatoes, along with string beans and chicken wings. I made BBQ, teriyaki and parmesan garlic wings.
Back to work on August 15th. I wore a giraffe print skirt from Ann Taylor and a black double-knit top from Nordstrom's in-house brand.
You can see the twist detail at the waist in the closeup picture. The necklaces are from Kohls.
On August 16th, it was very hot out. July was a cool month, but August has been above average for three weeks. I wore a green paisley printed knit dress from INC. I also wore a white collarless jacket from Nine West on top for coverage at work. I wear a white lab coat when I am out on the floors, but I need to wear something professional when I am walking in and out of the building.
This dress doesn't need a lot of jewelry due to the print and the embellishment. There are silver nail heads scattered amongst the print.
On August 17th, I wore a chiffon top from Badgley Mischka with sequin and bugle bead embellishment at the neckline and edges of the bell sleeves. This knit skirt got tossed when I got home - the elastic waist was shot, and I didn't feel that it was worth repairing. That's why it's a little crooked.
Here's a better look at the top. The fabric and trim are very luxe.
Nordstrom Rack had another 90% off sale on their jewelry. You can get great deals on pieces if you aren't in search of anything specific. I got these three rings and a short herringbone chain.
Diamonds on a golden cage ring.
Little pearls and diamond chips.
This open band can be worn two ways.
We were under a hurricane watch on July 20th. Hurricane Hillary went through California, and it was a big deal. That almost never happens. We had high winds and tons of rain. Here's Jacki peering in at the start of the storm.
She stayed outside until it got dark, and then I brought her in. The peak of the winds happened at about 8 PM. All three dogs stayed inside that night, and it was not exactly pleasant. I cleaned up pee numerous times, and also two big Jacki poo piles.
On August 21st, we began remodeling my master bathroom. The crew removed a non-functional door and made the room bigger.
I kept the cabinetry but replaced the countertop. It did have white grouted tile and now it has a marble patterned composite that will be much easier to care for.
I got a Delta shower with lots of built-in storage shelves.
Here is what I put on each shelf. I tried to group similar products together - hair care, skin care, body wash, and assorted products. The end design looks like an Ulta cosmetic store, but now I can see all my products, so I will be more likely to use them.
We were able to reuse the existing tempered glass doors, saving some money. They were custom made and so are of better quality than the ones that are pre-made.
The room was painted, and then my light and my antique mirror were rehung.
I didn't take outfit pix for the week that the bath was under construction since there were plastic bins in my photo spot. Construction and remodeling are very intrusive, and my little routine gets disturbed.
On September 1st, we decided to treat ourselves to a little drive down the coast to Newport Beach and Balboa Peninsula. Newport Beach is the next town south of Huntington Beach. I wore tropical shorts from Banana Republic and a top with an embellished collar, along with sandals from Toms.
We had lunch at Charlie's Chili at the Newport Pier. It was a beautiful day out. This is a look down the pier.
A bird decided to perch on top of the Silver Surfer statue.
After lunch, we checked out the freshly caught fish at the Dory Fleet stand.
My spirit animal, the snowy egret, was waiting there for me!
Apparently, you can't do anything on the Newport Pier.
The view looking north. In the distance is Huntington Beach.
We walked to the end of the pier. It's much shorter than the Huntington Beach pier.
This is the view looking back toward the beach.
This is the view to the south - I always manage to get weird effects in my pictures. I don't know what that white thing is.
This is the Newport Beach Lifeguard Headquarters. The surf was pretty flat this day.
Then we went down to Balboa Peninsula and found this little public pier and bathing beach.
Across the channel we could see the southern end of Newport Peninsula.
This boat had a very tall mast!
I found these Jack Rogers sandals at Goodwill when I went to look for planters for the porch. They were $3.99 and usually cost about $300 in the nicer stores. They were brand new.
Here is the final version of the front porch. I repainted the steps, got new mats, and repotted all the plants.
I got this Welcome sign. It has a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that has a very sweet message.
I also got a new hose and hose stand - no more leaks!!!
I got my August Ipsy bag. Inside, from top to bottom:
1) Mitchell and Peach Flora No 1 Body Souffle
2) OneKind Radical Repair Ultra Brightening Eye Balm.
3) F.A.R.A.H. Eyeshadow Quad in Sunkissed Bronze
4) Ciate London Wonderwand Lipstick in Wanderlust
5) Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops.
I also got my Birchbox and two things from CVS. From Left to right:
1) Floss Beauty The Concierge Cheek and Lip Tint in Marigot
2) Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil
3) Loc Heavy Metal One and Done Eyeshadow
4) Korres Poreless Skin Cream
5) From CVS, Impress Pink nails with white stripe detail
6) CVS Health SPF 70 Clear Spray Sunscreen
So that's about it for now - the bathroom sink is on backorder, but I will show you when it gets installed. I need to touch up the door frame and around the cabinet doors, but that's not newsworthy. Anyway, stay tuned for September's shenanigans, most likely starring our Jacki !!!
