September 12, 2016

Returning home today


A few days ago, in my last post before we zipped off on holiday, I mentioned that we'd be returning home on September 11th, however, having so enjoyed overnighting part of the way through our journey to Edmonton, we decided while there to do the same on the way home.

Though not technically the halfway mark - or even really that close to it - between Edmonton and Penticton, we settled on a city that I love with every fiber of my being, Calgary, for a quick pit stop last night before heading back out on the road this morning.

Getting to see my favourite Canadian city (okay, technically it shares that spot with Victoria, BC, which I adore equally so, though often for different reasons) , even just for a few hours, is always A-okay with me and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do so on this final leg of our trip.

A little later in the morning today, we'll be packing up our car once and for all on this holiday and settling in for the eight (plus a bit more with the occasion rest stop) hour drive from Calgary to Penticton.



{The start of fall's changing landscape and many a long stretch of open road await Tony and I as we head home from Alberta today. I really enjoy lengthy drives, so am quite looking forward to this one - especially with the first jewel toned autumn leaves starting to appear around us. Vintage image source.}


We'll get into Penticton this evening after twelve wonderful days of travelling. Though the weather wasn't always ideal (the first few days in Alberta were unseasonably cold and rainy), we managed to get in numerous outfit shots and I'll be sharing each of those with you in the coming weeks and months.

I know that many of the details of my first ever trip to Edmonton will unfold organically in those posts, so I don't want to recap too much right now, but I will say that we had a really lovely time on our trip.

Edmonton is a fascinating and beautiful city of over a million people. Within hours of being inside of its farmland flanked borders, I was struck by how much it made me think of what a place might be like, were it possible for Vancouver (minus the Pacific Ocean) and Calgary had a child, with elements of Toronto swirled into the mix, too.

Like most locations that one has long wanted to visit, it was both very similar and somewhat different from how I'd imagined it to be - and that's a good thing, if you ask me. I love it when a town or city surprises and delights me - and perhaps most of all, when it leaves me wanting to return again, which Edmonton most certainly did.

Over all we had a great, fun filled time in Edmonton that included multiple meetups with fellow vintage folks (some of whom will appear in the aforementioned future outfit posts), lots of sightseeing, some shopping (vintage and otherwise), exciting rural countryside exploring, peaceful walks, and plenty of fun photo opps along the way.

I wholeheartedly want to thank all of you who have left blog comments on recent posts during my absence, very much including those on the three fantastic guest posts from Nicole, Elizabeth, and Tanith, respectively, that appeared here last week. I know that each of those talented ladies appreciates your kind comments a great deal and I can't thank them enough as well for helping to keep things buzzing here while we were on holiday.

Aside from starting to unpack, it will be back to life and work from tomorrow onwards, very much including on the blogging front. There will be new posts coming down the pipeline this week (and of course, beyond then, too) and I fully expect to be back to my regular online ways in full force this week.

To give you a taste of what's to come here on Chronically Vintage in the near future, I'll be blogging about topics as diverse as my time spent with The Travelling Dress, shining the spotlight on dozens (seriously!) of recipes for one of fall's most classic and beloved ingredients, telling you about my all-time favourite fictional couple, and starting to write up a storm on all things Halloween related, while also sharing plenty of outfit posts and the latest entries in the fun ongoing Meet a Fellow Vintage Blogger series, amongst lots of other exciting topics.

No time of the year speaks to my soul as much as autumn, nor does any season light my blogging fires quite as much, so you can bank on an action packed, engaging, informative, and just plain cheerful slew of posts here on Chronically Vintage this autumn (coupled with, I hope/plan, a bevy of recently acquired new vintage and antique items appearing on the shelves of my Etsy shop).

A point that will be bolstered along all the more by the recharging of my batteries and clarity of mind that came with our lovely trip to Edmonton this month.

Travel, as I've talked about before (in posts such as this), always houses many wonderful blessings and surprises, and having a chance to unwind and, at the same time, plan for the future while away is most definitely one of the very best of these.

60 comments:

  1. I very much enjoyed the guest posts while you were away but likewise, I am looking forward to your return and the posts you will be sharing here.

    I'm so glad you had such a wonderful holiday. Enjoy your trip home and your overnight stay xxx

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Melanie. We had a really enjoyable time in Edmonton and are easing back into life as usual here at home now. It never fails to floor me just how quickly holidays zip past.

      Many hugs & happy wishes for these final days of summer,
      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Oh, I am glad you had a good trip. I think road trips are fun. I do enjoy going to new places, and it is interesting how you think something will go, and things not turning out that way. One roadtrip for my family was delayed by a blizzard. We had to make an unplanned stop for a few nights. Needless to say, that was an adventure.

    Sarah
    www.sewcharacteristicallyyou.com/blog

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    1. Goodness, I can just imagine! What a harrowing experience for you guys. I really hope that everything worked out okay for you in the end. Hailing from Canada, I'm quite used to winter weather altering our plans, but to date haven't had it hugely disrupt travel plans like that.

      Many hugs & thanks for all of your great recent blog comments,
      ♥ Jessica

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  3. Lovely to hear from you, Jessica! It sounds like your trip exceeded expectations and the weather didn't dampen your spirits.
    I'm so looking forward to a host of outfit posts in spectacular locations and learning more about the places you visited. xxx

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Vix. I'm genuinely excited to share more about our travels with you and hope to get my first such post up in the final days of September, with plenty more to follow soon its heels throughout the fall (and perhaps into the winter, too - just depending on how things unfold).

      Big hugs & happy end of summer wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. Dear Jessica, hope you had a wonderful time. Can't wait to see what you have in store on your blog for fall, especially the Halloween related ones, as that is my fav holiday!

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    1. Hello my fellow Halloween fanatic, isn't it awesome that there is only 1.5 months (to the day!) left to go until October 31st is upon us again. I love the autumn time lead up to it nearly as much as the big day itself. My mind is teeming with ideas for this year's festive posts and I can't wait to pen them in the coming weeks.

      Wishing you a fabulous start of fall!
      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  5. Sounds like you had a great trip! Can't wait to see your Halloween posts! :)

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    1. Thank you very much, lovely Laurie. I'm uber excited to share them. From outfits to recipes, a look at a much adored festive song to what we end up sporting for the big night itself, things are shaping up to be an another awesome Halloween here. :) I look forward to reading any and all seasonal posts of your own that you share with us, too.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. I'm glad to read your holiday was great fun, and I'm already looking forward to reading about the details. Many hugs, Ann xxx

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Ann. I must say, looking back, that I'm thoroughly pleased with how many shoots we were able to get in, even with the weather frequently being uncooperative. Lots to share here now - with Halloween related looks swirled into the mix, too - in the near future. So looking forward to it!

      Lots of hugs coming right back at you,
      ♥ Jessica

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  7. I hope you have a lovely time in Calgary, and best wishes for a safe trip back home too!
    The Artyologist

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    1. Thank you very much, honey. We got into Calgary with biting cold rain and wind, but thankfully the weather turned around the next day and our drive back to BC was flat out gorgeous. Even though we were there for less than a day, it was wonderful to see Calgary again as part of this trip.

      Many hugs & happy Friday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  8. Welcome back! I cannot wait to read and see all the fantastic posts that are to come about your trip :) Glad you had fun!

    On a side note, Edmonton is a great city. I have only been there in the winter but it was still pretty awesome.

    Have a great week!

    Liz :)

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    1. It really is a terrific place. I found it to be relaxing, beautiful and very welcoming. It took 32 years to get there for the first time, but I will definitely be trying to get back again a whole lot sooner than that (there's so much we didn't have enough time to do and see on this trip).

      How lovely that you visited Edmonton once so far, too. I hope you're able to make it back there as well. Who knows, maybe we'll even find ourselves there at the same time one day. Stranger things have happened! :)

      Big hugs & happy tail end of summer wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. I hope you both enjoyed the trip! Glad to have you back and look forward to hearing about your adventure!

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    1. We really did, April, thank you so much. This trip was definitely a welcome note to wrap the season up on after a bit of a rocky (at times) summer. I'm (we're) hoping it will lead into a smoother, more easygoing last leg of the year (fingers crossed).

      I hope that you're doing well and having a beautiful tail end of summer, sweet lady.

      Many hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Welcome back from your time away with your husband, I'm glad you had such a lovely holiday...looking forward to viewing/reading your upcoming blog posts regarding your holiday! :)

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    1. You're such a dear, Camilla, thank you very much for the cheerful welcome home wishes. It's genuinely hard to believe that our long awaited journey to Edmonton has already come and gone. We both had a really nice time and are eager to get back one day (I didn't even make it to all the vintage and antique shops in the time we had there, so that alone is more than enough to make me want to return pronto! :)).

      Big hugs & happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. Good to hear you had a fun and beautiful holiday!

    -Kati

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    1. Thank you sweetly, darling gal. We really did! Edmonton was a wonderful mix of lowkey and exciting, and ticked many of the boxes we look for when we travel. Tony and I agreed that we'd love to return in the future and look forward to hopefully doing so.

      Big hugs coming your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. So glad you enjoyed your getaway and can't wait to read all of your new posts!
    <3 Jackie @ Let's Go Thrifting

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    1. That's really nice of you to say, lovely lady. Thank you! I'm equally eager to pen and share them here. Travel, autumn, and Halloween posts all in the same time frame - I'm in blogging heaven! :)

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  13. I am so glad you had such a great time, dear Jessica! I am eager to see Edmonton through your eyes and I didn't know that Calgary was that great, as you described! Worth staying a bit there, of course! I would also see the vintage stuff you bought while in Edmonton! I think autumn is such a great time too, so I am glad you will be enjoying autumn soon - or even now, are already enjoying it! Looking forward to reading the new posts after the holidays! Hugs and regards!
    DenisesPlanet.com

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    1. It was awesome to Calgary again, even if it was for less than a day. Even with all the expansion that has happened there since I lived in that city (13 years ago), I still know it like the back of my hand and returning really feels like I'm "coming home". Hopefully the next time we're in that neck of the woods, we can stay longer (we spent several days there in 2013, which was the last time I was there for more than a day). If you ever get a chance to see either or both of these big, exciting Canadian prairie province cities, I highly recommend doing so.

      Scores of hugs coming right back at you,
      ♥ Jessica

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  14. Sounds like you had a lovely time! Welcome home wishes to you and Tony!

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    1. You're such a dear, Inky, thank you very much. It's always amazing, isn't it, that one dreams about a trip for months and then it's over at the speed of light. Thankfully the memories of such linger long after and will definitely be fun to reflect back on (and blog about) as we head into the chilly half of the year.

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Kate. We definitely did! Lots of fun happenings, some really terrific blogger meetups, amazing prairie province scenery and oodles more filled our days (and soon some of my blog posts :)).

      Wishing you a stellar tail end of summer,
      ♥ Jessica

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  16. Welcome back, Jessica! I know that myself (and probably all of your readers are) delighted at your return and looking forward to your future posts about your lovely trip! And your guest bloggers held forth quite excellently in your absence, by the way! ;-)

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    1. That is tremendously kind of you to say, sweet Grace. Thank you so much! We had a terrific trip, but it's good to be home again, too. It's all I can do not to post three times a day during the fall, as there's so much I want to cover each time my favourite season rolls around. Having travel posts to swirl into the mix this time around makes things all the more enjoyable. :)

      Many hugs & happy summer-into-autumn wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  17. So pleased you had a lovely time, Jessica and look forward to seeing and reading about it. (I just clicked on The Travelling Dress link you've highlighted and got very excited about the idea of the dress travelling around the world - typed my comment and then looked up at the comment above and saw 2014! Is there likely to be another one of these happening?)
    I also realise I didn't acknowledge Elizabeth directly for I Know Where I'm Going but as I said, I loved the film and the post about it. Thank you Elizabeth.
    I have very happy memories of Calgary even though it was mid November. It's such an easy place to get around and I hope to go back in the summer next time. I can understand why you love it. And so now you're back, all the best for brilliant good health for the coming colder months. xx

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    1. Hi lovely Elizabeth, thank you very much for your great comment and question regarding the travelling dress. After winding its way around much of the world for two years, the dress is wrapping its journey with me. My understanding is that Joanna (the wonderful lady behind the project) isn't planning to send this dress out again, but perhaps someone else will start a similar project. I've been thinking for a while now of doing one of my own starring a standout piece of costume jewelry (as of yet to be determined). Numerous other items could do the trick as well, too, from handbags to scarves to vintage hats. Definitely something to think further about in 2017.

      That's so very thoughtful of you to do and say regarding Elizabeth's guest post. I'm sure that she adored and appreciated your comment on it. Interestingly, I've yet to see that classic British film myself. Trying to track down a copy on this side of the pond as we speak. :)

      It's awesome that you have fond memories of Calgary, too. It really is a true favourite of mine and a city that, if the chance arose, I'd move back to faster than you could say the word "stampede!". :) I really hope that you're able to make it back there again - and of course, if you're ever on this side of the Rockies and visiting the Okanagan Valley, please let me know. It would be a sincere pleasure to try and meet up with you.

      Big hugs across the miles,
      ♥ Jessica

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  18. Hi Jessica, I'm looking forward to reading about the adventures you had whilst travelling. That photo you included of the couple in the yellow car has got me longing to visit a countryside or forest! I too love long drives, and I hope you enjoyed yours. Xxx

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    1. Ooohh, so do I! The drive is a huge part of the joy of traveling for me. I swear, had my life gone in a massively different direct (pun scarcely intended), I could have happily become a long haul truck driver, as lengthy road trips bring me serenity and happiness alike. I hope that you're able to get out and enjoy a splendid trip of your own soon, too, sweet dear.

      Big hugs & many sincere thanks for all of your terrific recent blog comments,
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. welcome back home! :-)
    i´m very happy that your trip to edmonton was such a gorgeous one! i cant wait to see all the pictures you made!
    i´m always impressed by the scale of canada - we can cross our country from border to border in 8h easily!
    sorry for the weather - if i had known this i´d send you some of our wonderful late summer weather...
    :-)
    huge hugs! xxxxxx

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    1. Canada really is a gigantic country (it's the second largest in the world and for a while, when Russia was fractured into the USSR, it was technically the largest) and there's more corners to it than I think anyone could ever see in a single lifetime. Having visited a whole new area this year really makes my travel adoring heart happy and leaves me wondering what's next on the exploration of Canada front for us. :)

      Tons of hugs & thanks for your lovely welcome home wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. Welcome back, dear Jessica! Can't wait for your upcoming posts about your trip. <3

    Many hugs,
    Sandra

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    1. Many sweet thanks, my dear. I'm equally excited to post about them. Despite the often uncooperative weather, we managed to get in numerous outfit shots (including two with fellow vintage adoring gals) and I am sincerely looking forward to posting about such in the coming weeks and months.

      Big hugs coming right back at you,
      ♥ Jessica

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  21. On coming home:
    I can write pages and pages on coming home. I seem to be at my emotional peak when I'm coming home. After a weekend absence I feel the "weight off my shoulder". After a week or ten days I sob from joy (yeah, THAT strong bond, somewhat strange - I know.. that's what you get when you let your roots). After my one-month absence few years back I stood silent. I could not bare the overflowing joy; it was everywhere: my lungs, my ears, my entire skin..
    So, yeah - this is me saying: I'm glad you had a great trip and welcome home! :)

    Marija

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    1. What a powerfully moving comment, dear Marija. Thank you for speaking so eloquently in regards to the process of returning home. I wouldn't have said no to another week (or month!) on the road, if such were possible, but it wasn't this time around and I am glad to be home once more - especially with autumn mere days away. So much to do, wear, celebrate and blog about in the coming weeks. :)

      Scores of hugs & sincere thanks for your wonderful comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  22. Sounds like a great trip! I missed your guest posts unfortunately due to illness, but I'll try to catch up sooner than later. You're making me want to visit Canada! XO
    Lauren-Blair
    www.gracerock-kellyroll.com

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    1. I'm deeply sorry that you've been going through such a rough time on the health front lately, dear Lauren. Thank you for sharing that fact with me/us here. I hope that you'll soon be feeling much more positively and that you'll be able to enjoy all of the perks of fall time.

      It would be awesome if you were able to visit Canada one day. It's a huge, friendly, inviting, diverse country with countless things to do and see from coast to coast (complete with zillions of great photo shoot backdrop locations).

      Healing hugs & well wishes coming your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. Sounds like you had a wonderfully enchanting time away. So glad to hear too that you decided to spend an extra night in Calgary on your way home. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip and to seeing your outfit posts! :)

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    1. Thank you very much, darling gal. I was super happy when Calgary made its way into the fold, too. My love for that big, beautiful city knows no bounds! :)

      Scores of hugs & happy end of summer wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. It sounds like you had a most enjoyable time on holiday. I'm looking forward to your future posts about the trip, and seeing the pictures you took.

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    1. We definitely did - a really welcome mix of downtime and plenty to do. A week and a half in Edmonton was a great amount of time to get a feel for the city and to see and do numerous things, while still leaving plenty to explore on future visits.

      Many hugs & thanks for your lovely comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  25. I'm glad you had an amazing time on your trip! I can't wait to hear more about it. :)

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    1. Thanks so much, honey. I'm sincerely looking forward to sharing oodles more about it here in the near future. Intertwining fall and Halloween posts with travel ones is my idea of blogging heaven! :)

      Many hugs coming your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  26. I know you've been back for a while at this point, but since I'm just catching up, welcome back! I can't wait to see what you have in store, and hear all about your amazing trip.
    Also, the sisterhood of the traveling dress! I loved participating, I had no idea that it was still making the rounds! I can't wait to see what you did with it.

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    1. Thank you sweetly, my dear friend. It's awesome that we were both able to zip off for vacations this month. I hope that you had an absolutely fantastic time on yours. Save for some (unrelated to the trip itself) pressing worries/stresses that I couldn't seem to turn off while away from home, I (we) had a great time in Edmonton and I'll be sharing my first outfit posts from our travels here right near the end of the month, then continuing to do for several weeks to come.

      It is exciting for sure! I'll be sharing my Sisterhood of the Travelling Dress post here this week on Wednesday. Sooo looking forward to it. I've adored seeing how everyone else has styled it up until now and feel honoured to have spent a bit of time with this elegant, special garment.

      Big hugs & happy start of autumn wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  27. Aah, good times are coming. Jess, you spoil us in the best way. I simply cannot wait to see all your outfit posts, all your autumn and Halloween goodness, and Etsy shop updates. I have to save for them, since I always (!) find something I cannot live without, sigh. I hope you are home safe and sound, and not too worried anylonger. I send you all my best vibes and will reply to your mail soonest. Have a lovely day, my dear friend. :) XOXO

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    1. You really do leave me the sweetest, most cheerful comments, dear Sanne. Thank you so very much!!! I recently acquired several dozen pairs (including some Lisner stunners) of new-to-me vintage earrings for the shop, which along with some other recent finds, are starting to land in the shop from this week onward, as we embrace fall's return. There's at least a couple of green pairs in the mix and they instantly made me think of you. :)

      Tons of hugs & happy Wednesday wishes!
      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  28. PS: Don't wish a Corvette when travelling. It has almost no trunk. Ha. :) My vintage car has the smallest trunk in the world, but as DH always loves to tell people, I managed to squeze in 12 pairs of shoes. He is so funny.

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    1. :D Love it! Our previous car had a very small trunk (but was otherwise decently roomy), so I can definitely relate. The need for (way!) more cargo space was one of the main reasons we traded in and purchased our new (and first ever) SUV last December.

      ♥ Jessica

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  29. I'm glad that you enjoyed your trip away. It sounds like you got up to a lovely mixture of activities. I look forward to reading more in further posts. Happy start of Autumn, just the best season!!

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    1. Thank you, my sweet friend. It really is the best season, IMO. What's your second favourite? I think that over the years, each of them has held that spot for me. Lately it's been summer - save for this super rainy one, it's usually so great for taking outfit photos in! :)

      Many hugs & happy Sunday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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    2. I think that Spring is my second favourite as I like to see all the flowers and the bright but still not too hot days and I like all the lovely fresh looking green that is around in nature then.

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    3. Great choice for your second favourite. It's my mom's favourite (and also when her birthday falls), so I adore it all the more for that reason. It's often the shortest lived season in Canada though, so in a way it almost feels like the one that I know the least intimately, if that makes sense. Definitely one of my favourite elements of spring is pastel hues, which I like to wear from March to May.

      Many hugs & thanks for our lovely back and forths here,
      ♥ Jessica

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