A post about water fountains...yes, really.

Life in Corporate America - umm, I mean Casual American Business - has changed in many significant and insignificant ways.

First to fall was the dress code...this has it's good points and bad.  I'm looking at you, young man with the graphic t-shirt that was clearly visible under your button down...although you do get a gold star for trying.

Then came the efforts to make the company more appealing to the younger workers that we are trying to attract.  Wear your favorite team jersey to work day!  Purple shirt for Alzheimer's awareness day!  And, most recently, an email blast was sent out encouraging us to wear a costume to work for Halloween...kinda makes me wonder if we are working at a business or attending elementary school.

Truly, I don't mind - I can see what they are trying to do.  Merge the two different cultures into one and make the workplace fun...which may be a culture that some of the younger potential employees would consider a good fit.

Then, in a move I did not see coming, we got new water fountains.  I was puzzled when I noticed they were installing a new one in place of a perfectly fine, albeit 20 year old, water fountain.  I remember thinking that maybe they should be replacing the one in the main hall as the water from that one doesn't come up high enough to be hygienic.  In other words, you would actually have to put your mouth ON the fountain in order to get water.

And, as most of us (readers of a certain age) were taught; that is something we should NOT do - ever.  The more I think about it, I have to wonder do any of these children that work here even KNOW what a water fountain is?  Have they been wandering the halls ogling these ancient things hanging on the wall and wondering what they are for?

Well, if so, no more are they wondering as we now have these beauties...

Now, if THIS doesn't attract the younger set, I don't know what will!

I kid.  This is actually kind of cool.  That screen on the upper right tells you how many bottles you have saved every time you refill a bottle or insulated cup.  And?  I can now actually fill my cup to the tippy-top since I don't have to hold it at an angle while trying to fill it from the spout.

Difficult conversations...

About a month (?!really?!) ago we were at my mother in law's for her birthday.  Where The Husband had to reiterate what his brother and sister had already told her - she has mold.

We took the bull by the horns and found a company that can remediate the issue but now Mom keeps saying that the house is too much for her to handle...which I totally understand although if she were willing to spend the money to have people in to keep up with things, it wouldn't be an issue - but I also understand that issue - because $$$.  But at the same time, I worry that moving her - whether to Connecticut, Florida or North Carolina (where all the siblings live) - will change her quality of life.

Currently, she is a very active 87 year old.  Regularly, she bowls with gusto, she has a "lunch club", there is the monthly trips to the casino, etc.  While we were there she mentioned, that if she were to move, she would give up driving.  Mom has never been a big driver, as she didn't learn until she was in her forties.  To move her now, would put the nail in that coffin...that coupled with losing the close group of friends she has makes me worry.

I would LOVE to have Mom come here and we have the room for her...but I don't think she would thrive...here, Connecticut or Florida.  I've checked, there isn't any place where she currently lives that would satisfy all of our requirements for her or us.

Ultimately, she will make a decision and we will have to live with it...and I'm not happy with that.

An Awkward Wardrobe Post - I Need Your Opinion

Before we get to the "wardrobe" portion of this post, I wanted to share this picture I snapped at my mother-in-law's house while we were there a week or so ago.

I opened the back door and stepped out, expecting that they would bolt...they didn't.  Instead they looked at me with a "What? WE belong here; you don't." kind of expression.  And proceeded to stay there until I went back in.  The deer in the Poconos have ZERO fear.

And here's a requisite shot of a beautiful sunrise on the beach from our trip to attend a wedding in Hilton Head that immediately followed the trip to Pennsylvania.

That was a great, but long, week with too much time spent in the car!  Now that we've got all that out of the way...

As I've alluded to in other posts, our company has adopted a "casual" dress code.  This has meant that I've been slowly adding a few things to my closet while simultaneously removing things from the closet destined for Goodwill.  This is because I have a new policy regarding my closet - I refuse to buy any more hangers - so if something comes in and there are no available hangers, something must leave to make room.  Besides, I really don't need all the "corporate" clothes anymore.  So slowly, they are going away.

And I am training myself to stop heading to that section of the stores.  Part of the problem is that I am very particular about my clothes and I generally avoid any patterns or florals - of course, I make exceptions for polka dots and stripes.  As a result, a lot of my casual shirts are solids - and are mostly darker colors.

Back a few weeks ago, when Hurricane Florence was flirting with our area, I wandered into a store and bought this shirt.  I can only surmise that the dreary weather made me even consider it - but I do love the square-ish neckline.

The shirt that started it all

And this is where the "awkward" part of this conversation makes an appearance.  Trying to capture a shot by myself.  It's hard to keep it in focus, show the neckline and not have a weird look on my face.

The Husband has RAVED about this shirt.  Every single time I have worn it, he has commented on how much he likes it on me.

A pink(!), striped button down that I bought has also brought compliments.  I forgot to mention that I generally avoid pink - why I don't know.  But it has never been a color found in my closet.  Ever.

These two events got me to thinking...maybe I need to add a little more color and pattern into my wardrobe.

With that in mind, I headed to the store this afternoon - a store which a friend's college-age freshman has declared a store for "old ladies."  But, to be fair, this store was my best source for my "corporate" wardrobe.  But when I take off my "corporate" blinders, I don't seem to find much that I care for - lots and lots of wild patterns and florals.  But I thought, if I was really careful and thoughtful, I might find something.

I added another pink shirt with a scoop neck.  I'm not quite sure what I've had against pink for all these years.

I have to admit, it was still difficult for me to select this shirt over a black one.  But I think I'll like it.

And here's the one where I need your opinion.  I will admit, I accosted a random lady outside the fitting room to ask if she thought this shirt screamed "little old lady" - she said she didn't think so and thought the colors would work well with my dark hair.  Could I rely on the opinion of a complete stranger?  Maybe; maybe not.

I bought the shirt and carefully folded the receipt into my wallet in case I decided to return it.  My plan was to ask The Husband for his honest opinion. He did say that asking a husband for an honest opinion strikes fear into his heart - because what if he hated and I loved it?  I told him, I definitely wanted his honest opinion because this was so far out of my comfort zone.  I tried it on and showed him.  He liked it and said it reminded him of the floral.  So here's where you come in - should I keep it or return it?

Again - what IS that expression?  And what is my hair doing?

Completely honest opinions please.  I am just not so sure this is for me.  But maybe I just need to get used to it?  No comments on the awkward faces or crazy hair, please...  ;-)