Thank you so much, Merry!
A beautiful wish and compliment. Makes me happy!

Not skin colour itself, I can actually appreciate that. But different skin colour also means different cultural background and that is a reason for concern.
And not because it means having something against that culture but because it can mean it isn't congruent with yours.
Been there, done that, and we both were Caucasian but from different countries and thus cultural background. Was not easy while both were Western cultures let alone how difficult it can be with another one.

Thank you so much, Soufie!
And yup, me loves the boots as well, hihi. They're actually riding boots, but I got them because I like them.

60 is the new sexy!
Today is my 60th birthday!

To me it really feels special. A milestone.
And oh-so different from when I turned 50 which I had dreaded for 2 years prior. I didn't like that one bit.
I think at the time I was more focused on what I didn't have than what I did have.
And I think mostly disappointed that I didn't have a partner, something I had expected to have by that time.

This time around is entirely different!
I feel good, happy, sexy, feminine, joyful.
Yes, I'd still like a great partner by my side, but I don't need a partner in order to be fulfilled.

In a way I feel like I'm turning 6 for the 2nd time round!
You know, when you're 6 you're generally joyful, open & ready to learn. Eager & ready to venture out in the world! You already know quite a bit, but not nearly enough yet.
It's an expansive energy.
That's how I feel too.
I know a lot, have a lot of wisdom, but still eager to learn as there's always more to discover!

In that sense it feels similar to The Fool tarot card, which happens to be one of my favourite cards.

In any case, I want to share some of my joy by sharing some of the photos I took Saturday in my beautiful new dress. Which I bought especially for today.

Thank you so much, Grumpy Witch!

Hihi, I have a sneak peak for ya.
Will post more on my birthday!

It was a lot of fun to do, took a long time as I had to do it myself with the timer.

Feeling... a little bit dizzy, dammit!
Real bummer as I want to feel good, had planned to put on my dress and take photos outdoors as today is the only warmer & sunny day.
Rest of the week is going to be colder and rainy.
So it's today or not.
Fingers crossed it's going to work out!!

Absolutely wonderful, Merry!!

Feeling... okay, just having had my tea and now sipping coffee :)

Thinking... how the heck am I gonna sort the prickly endings of the strips of shirring elastic???
I had not counted on even more work before I can comfortably wear my dress, grmble...

Be very PO: I just bought me this gorgeous dress I've been wanting for years to wear on my birthday next week!!

As for the rest... I'd do what Soufie said, and Zeena. Not sure in what order, haha.

And once dressed look in the mirror to find out if I'm a grower or a shower.

I get that, Slim, but you probably don't know that most British are convinced this is only happening to their country.
I do happen to know that as I've had & still have a number of UK friends.
When you tell them it's the exact same over here, or even worse, they don't even believe you.
I guesstimate the OP thinks along the same vein, hence me adding the extra info.
With a couple of UK friends we noticed they didn't know a lot of things that were happening in the EU or the rest of the world.
I think the news is highly censured in the UK, and prolly everywhere.
But it was shocking to learn how little they knew of what was then contemporary in the news. They knew nothing of it whatsoever.
They were shocked about it themselves.

Not an oxymoron at all.
Turn it round. What if our religion(s) would change their culture and habits in their countries? Would they allow that to happen? I think not.
We, however, have to allow that to happen because of laws and chit we came up with ourselves. Equal rights this and that, freedom of religion and so on.
And those things are okay in themselves but when they were created they didn't (have to) think about the problems we're dealing with now. Like the mass influx of M refugees in our countries and the impact of that.

We have come to accept them and all they bring and are, but most of them do not do us the same courtesy. What it comes down to is that they use the laws that were created to protect people against us and force us to change our own culture, rituals, habits, and so on.
And that isn't right. We could co-exist but they don't seem to want that. They want to change us and our entire way of being and living.
And they don't hesitate to use violence to get there. Young girls and women aren't safe anymore, they get pulled off their bicycles, threatened with knives, verbally & physically assaulted & harassed.
Where's the gratitude for being safe, having a proper house and all the luxuries that come with it, smart phones, as good as free healthcare while the Dutch pay a fortune per month, and so on?

And if they choose to live and dress the way they do & want according to their religion in their own country, I ain't biotching. Their country, their rules.
That's why I said, I have no problem with it.
When I visit a mosque I have to put on a headscarf. I do that out of respect for their culture.
In many of their countries women have to cover their wrists. Even Caucasian women must do this, and they do.
Where the reciprocity in respecting our ways and our culture? It doesn't exist.

Who would work the less paid jobs? Not so well educated people usually and often also people who choose to do that work and are simply okay doing it. Over here also Eastern Europeans.
Pay that equals slavery doesn't exist in The Netherlands. We have set minimum wages, and by law a set number of days off per year (average of 23 days, some jobs 28), unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, and oftentimes pension.
Low income groups get rent and healthcare allowance. The amount depends on income.

Everyone who works automatically gets these things.

That's not to say that having low income means you live a life in luxury but certainly not close to slavery.

That's easily sorted, Slim: just don't gamble!!


Feeling... ermm... mixed feelings. Happy I got the strip of elastic on the dress, but my head & neck are letting me know they are not impressed with me sitting bent over.
I actually need to sew a 2nd strip on but that's gonna be for tomorrow. Going to enjoy the evening now :)

Feeling... mildly stressed. Busy sewing the strip of shirring elastic on my dress and dang, it ain't easy!
There's already shirring elastic on the dress which is the reason it's so difficult. But that elastic isn't strong enough, the strip I want to sew on has way more resistance.

And I miss my good ole Husqvarna sewing machine that I was so accustomed to.
I'll get there but I've been cussing a lot so far, hihi.

True Lies - 1994
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis.

Such a great movie, action and the right amount of humour here and there.

Also, the striptease by Jamie Lee Curtis is epic!
And unbelievable that she improvised it, didn't use any choreographer. And she wore her own bra and string.
Apparently Arnold was present & watching the striptease as it was filmed, so he was sitting in the chair as she danced, and he truly dropped the tape recorder at some point, which they kept in the movie.

Thinking... the day went by unbelievably fast?!
I had wanted to sew the shirring elastic in my new dress but most of the afternoon got into sorted out the stench in the dishwasher.

Sewing machine is set up though. Tomorrow. Maybe. Hopefully!

The Rock - 1996
With Sean Connery & Nicolas Cage

Currently watching a lot of great 90s movies :)
This one is just really great, good cast, good acting, lots of action.

And Sean Connery using the F word a great number of times, haha. Makes me feel he actually enjoyed being able to do that.
Only bummer is that he had to speak BrE as he's supposed to be an ex-SAS.
I much prefer Scotsmen speaking with their own Scottish accent :) Sexy as sin!

Thinking... it's unbelievably quiet? Now that is not unusual in itself in this village but I don't even hear birds?
Kinda weird.