7 Quick Takes Friday - June 5

1. Why is it that late winter and spring drag on and on forever, but when you actually get into summer and look at your summer calendar, it seems as if summer will be over in a blink of an eye? I feel that this is my experience every year and it bugs me. Is it because I have too many expectations? Is it because I live in Wisconsin and have to take advantage of every nice moment before it's back to cold and snow? Just wondering if other people feel this way, too.

2. I am sooooo sick of clothes without sleeves. This has been going on for far, far too long. I honestly think that in a year or two, it will be 10 years that the fashion world has dictated that every dress manufactured, whether for cold or warm weather, be sleeveless. And ditto for any summer tops. I admit I have fat, flabby arms and wouldn't be caught dead in something sleeveless unless it's like 90 degrees out there. But even if that weren't the case, since when has a fashion trend in the western world been so pervasive for so long? The fashion industry thrives on changing little things like "sleeves" and "no sleeves."

Quite frankly, there's quite a few women out there who should NOT be wearing sleeveless anything, but still they do because it's "in." (Newsflash - "in" doesn't necessarily equate with "looks good.") But even then, aren't these people cold once in awhile? Aren't these women sick of searching for cute cover-ups/sweaters that match their sleeveless clothes when they go somewhere? And constantly shaving their armpits? Or trying to hide the chicken fat under their arms in a bra that won't show with the sleeveless dress? Personally, I think it's time for a big change, but I'm afraid that the "change" of Michelle Obama is going to extend this trend for even longer. (Because isn't she all about showing off her toned arms?)

3. My husband and I follow the traditional calendar of wedding anniversary gifts. You know, paper for your 1st anniversary, silver for your 25th, etc. This can get pretty tricky, especially where men are concerned. Last year, for our 3rd anniversary, it was leather. That was easy: hello new belt or wallet. (He gave me a beautiful hot pink leather purse.) But for our 4th anniversary, which is in about 2 weeks, the traditional gift is fruit and flowers. What do I do for that? Next year, on the 5th, the traditional gift is wood. (I know this because I messed up thinking that this anniversary is wood and have racked my brain trying to find something, only to just recently discover that I should've been racking my brain for a fruit/flower gift.) I know, some people would say to just dump this whole gift-giving scheme. But I like the challenge of it, and I also like the idea that we are perpetuating long-standing traditions that other people have left by the wayside.

4. This is kind of a weird question from someone who formerly worked in a department store cosmetics department, but here goes: What are the latest, most popular fragrances out there? In the early 1990's (when I worked in cosmetics), the trend of releasing new perfumes right-and-left was just beginning, and it wasn't too hard to keep up. But now, when I look through magazine ads or walk through the fragrance department, my head reels at all that's out there, including all that I don't recognize. Plus add in all the spin-off perfumes. For example, there's now how many different versions of Clinique Happy? Estee Lauder's on that bandwagon too, what with 3 kinds of Beautiful and White Linen, etc. I'm asking about this because I feel like trying something new, but I don't want to have to do the work of wading though the vast ocean of choices out there. (It wasn't like this before the 1990's - perfume was either the Walgreen's variety or the department store classics.) I feel so confused that I find myself longing for the old familiars from the 1980's like Dior's Poison or Lancome's Tresor - you know, the ones that everyone wore, to the extent that you'd go places with alot of people and it would smell like a sea awash in the same fragrance. But isn't it kind of fuddy-duddy to not want to try something new and hip?

5. It's tomato time! As in, plant your tomatoes. I'm excited to select my plants this coming week. And I can't wait to harvest them. Last year, our 8 plants supplied us with tomatoes for more than 3 months - we had tomatoes up until the beginning of December. How is that? Before the first frost, I picked all the green ones and ripened them in the house. All money considered, planting our first crop of tomatoes was a great investment, especially since we go through tomatoes the way some people go through milk or bread. Thus, I'm hoping for a nice repeat this year.

6. Rhubarb. Love it or hate it? I love it. And I'm looking for some new, tried-and-true recipes to use it. Skip the rhubarb bread recipes, I've got those. What else have you all got? Feel free to post an entire recipe as a comment.

7. Not liking the gladiator sandals trend. Period. Just have to say it. Know why? I'm now officially old enough to have been-there-and-done-that. There was a small gladiator sandals thing back in 80's. And guess what? Because of that, I know how long this trend is going to last: not long. And I also know how everyone will look on these sandals once this flash-in-the-pan trend is over: "What was I thinking? Those looked terrible!" Trust me.