Solstice Tuesday Style. . .

Well, ok. Maybe not quite Minnesota cold, but markedly colder here in Mid-Michigan the last couple of days with, possibly, a significant snowfall in the next few days. We will see what actually transpires.

Besides the usual items (corduroy jeans and Rugby pullover), today's attire includes a very heavy wool duffel coat that I've had for quite a few years, and a long woolen cap, purchased in Røros, Norway way back during February 2000. It comes out at this time of year, and I embarrassed my son by wearing to it to take him to Tae Kwon Do classes this morning -- Like us, he is home on Christmas Break now. -- plus a few additional errands once we finished there.

Røros is inland, close to the Swedish border, and I visited with a few friends for the annual winter festival, held each year in February. A snowy, scenic, and historically interesting town,, but NEVER have I been as cold as I was on that day. I purchased the three-foot long stocking cap as an added layer to have atop my head, over my ears, and wrapped around my neck.

When worn with a Norwegian sweater, the stocking cap makes one look like Julenissen or Tomten, the Norwegian and Swedish elf-like figures that live in the barn, bring good fortune to the farm, and deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve. To keep your nisse or tomte happy, it is imperative to leave a bowl of porridge in the barn for him, so that good fortune continues in the coming year.

If I can convince my wife to stop laughing long enough to take a few photographs, I might just share a picture here that illustrates what one of these Scandinavian figures looks like.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

Comments

J. Press Goodness. . .

F resh out of the UPS box, three examples of J. Press goodness on a Friday morning. These shirts are replacements for three recently worn-through, more than 20-year old OCBDs from Land's End (two) and L.L. Bean (one). They were purchased shortly after I took my first teaching position at a now defunct local college outside of Minneapolis, immediately following graduate school, as the fall semester kicked off in September 2003. While some professional gear hung in my closet already, a few additional items were needed at that point to round out the weekly rotation. Said shirts all finally fell prey to small rips showing up in the now very thin, but incredibly comfortable, fabric within six weeks of each other this winter and early spring. So, time for a few replacements. The old friends will find new life as summertime lawncare shirts. Of the three new items above, my favorite shirt is on the right, but one cannot go wrong with a light blue OCBD either, so we're in good

Time for the Ol' Switcheroo?

W ell, here we are approaching mid-April. And it might just be about time to swap the cool and cold weather attire for warmer weather gear this coming weekend. Mid-70s Fahrenheit yesterday, and low 70s today. Cooler after that later in the week, but I can probably stow the heavier wool items and cords in the cedar closet and safely bring out the warm weather suits, odd jackets, and pants until the fall. Still time of one last hurrah today however. Cooler enough this morning for a tan pair of cords paired with that recently arrived J. Press jacket. The latter is light enough, although it is wool, that I might just keep it handy since we can certainly have chilly days in May and June. While classes end on the April 19th this year, I'll still be on campus occasionally into June, so it's not exactly time for khaki shorts, Madras, seersucker and short-sleeved polo shirts just yet. There's also conference coming up in New Orleans at the start of June, so still some oppor

Job Talk #3. . .

C andidate #3 is, for my money, the person for the job. Considerable experience, broad perspective, well-connected throughout the college and university due to an array of collaborative pursuits of one kind or another, coherent and detailed vision laid out for the next three years and beyond. Yes. I am not on the committee that makes the recommendation to the dean, who will make the final decision and send the letter, but, were it up to yours truly, this is the guy. And he wore an actual suit (mid-gray), dress shoes, white shirt, and necktie as an added plus. 20 years or so my junior, but someone gets it. -- Heinz-Ulrich

Classic Style

Search This Blog