Triptychs.

I am very happy to say that Justin is feeling MUCH better.
His nose surgery was a week ago today and he is already feeling a difference in his breathing.
He had a septoplasty procedure to straighten out the septum that has been deviated since he was a child.
So for the last 7 days he has been recovering.

Although this surgery was on a small area and his recovery has been quick, it is a very sensitive area and he has been in a lot of pain and discomfort. Relatively speaking, this is a very easy procedure.
But, Justin would never wish this upon anyone, he says.

Also, I've been camera-less. Not only was I unable to snap some pictures of his nose and the surgery, I haven't been able to keep up with my outfits. Finally today I had a few hours to track down my outfits in the laundry and re-wear them for a small, self-timed photo-shoot.

However, these pictures are taken in the only part of our apartment that isn't messy. But even this corner of the spare room managed to be just as cluttered. So forgive the lack of imagination...
I think I may have forgotten a few outfits along the way, but I managed to recover my memory on a few...

Eleven was worn out and about in Japan. I love window shopping and walking aimlessly through a new store in a foreign country. Sometimes I just drive until I find one that I've never been to before. I got compliments from some cute Japanese women, but I couldn't entirely translate what they were saying to me, but I'm assuming it was good since one of them wanted a picture. Hopefully I don't end up on some website called, What was she thinking when she wore this!?
I'm realizing how tight this shirt is and I'm regretting even putting this up here. Yikes!
Oh well.

The next outfit was worn to a BBQ on one of the hottest days this summer thus far. No joke, I sweated right through this outfit. The BBQ was fabulous, my student and her family hosted this summer get together and cooked up some delicious food. But, just for the record, eating raw fish outside on a hot day is not so yummy. The heat was nothing a few cold beers couldn't cure and the homesickness was nothing a few Japanese mothers couldn't cure.
Oh and don't you love this flower brooch? I'm almost positive it was a gift, but for some reason I can't think of the thoughtful person who gave it to me. Which makes me wonder if it was an impulse buy and the wave of adrenaline those types of purchases send through me has made me forget where and when and how much I got it for. If anyone, especially the person that might have given it to me, can help me put together the pieces on this, let me know!

Number thirteen I wore running errands with Justin. After being complete shut-ins for a few days it was necessary to pick up some supplies and taco rice (of course!). I also made a stop at the library to pick up some more leisure reading for the rest of the summer... I am having an affair with Ms. Picoult and her complicated characters.
&
Oh how I love this necklace... I had been having another love affair with this beauty on the 2nd floor accessory section at H&M. But at $15, it was more than I wanted to spend on it! Well, the mall is conveniently located on the route I take home from teaching. So, I made a brief stop, took some of my teaching money, and went directly to her. I tried her on, thought of all the lovely outfits she would complete, and bee-lined it to the register. It's weird to feel more complete, but I do, so what!

In addition to the time spent with Justin, my other favorite part of my week is the time I spend teaching English. It isn't a secret how much my students mean to me and it is a highlight of my time in Japan to spend time each and every week with such fabulous people. Every since I started this challenge they have showered me with compliments. It's more attention than one person deserves. Never the less, they are sweet. So I up the ante a little on Tuesday nights to show them something they haven't seen before.

Another something that I've come to enjoy is walking over to the coffee shop, ordering my usual, and reading. Most of the time, it's my dry-college-text books that I bring along. But, sometimes it's an old book of poems or a how-to-recover-your-ugly-ottoman article. Even though there are many places off base in Japan that I can go read and drink a latte, it is really nice having something just a 3 minute walk from the apartment! The baristas at the coffee shop are these cute Japanese women who know my drink by heart and ask me questions about my outfits and are shocked when I order something unusual, like a mango-coconut frappacino!
& Take notice of the hair-pin. I made a bunch of these hairpins/brooches from left over fabric a while ago. They are the easiest things in the world to put together and take all of about 20 minutes to complete.

The final outfit I remembered was one that I wore to the commissary. It was the only time that day that I stepped out of the apartment and I needed something easy to put on. Jeans and t-shirt is my go-to outfit for ultimate comfort, though these jeans take a while to get to that oh-so-comfortable state. These jeans are super crisp when the come out of the dryer and take a bunch of awkward stretches to shimmy them up to my waist. But, give them a few hours and they relax a little and make the whole outfit more comfy. Okay, about these earrings. (Maybe my Mom can fill in the blanks). When I was in [Elementary School? Jr. High?] my parents went away on a [small trip? vacation? weekend getaway?] to [somewhere in the North East] and my Dad brought me back a pair of earrings and a bracelet. I have no idea where the bracelet ended up, but I vaguely remember it being too small for my wrist. But, I re-discovered these earrings in a small box in my jewelery box and I almost cried. It's special to find things that remind me of my Dad. It's like the time I found a piece of paper with his hand writing on it, it takes your breath away. I'm so happy to have found them.

Keep an eye out for some more outfit postings.
Now that I have a new camera, I'll be able to post them more frequently.
I'm more than 1/2 way done and despite some mishaps, I'm still on track for the finish line!

Happy Friday-ing!