Loose Ends / 2.13.26

❤️‍🩹 A health scare with Marley, why I can't have nice things, and a long list of President's Day Sales worth perusing!

A few loose ends from the week — nothing monumental, but worth filing away.

Just a little note: this post is too long for email. So it’s best to read in the Substack app or in your browser.

Friday Footnote

Happy Galentine’s Day (today) and Valentine’s Day weekend! (And Friday the 13th, too.) I’m having a hard time grasping how January felt like it was two years long, but now February is halfway over?! 🤯 Make it make sense!

I was solo again this week with my husband gone at a work conference, and honestly having a few days to myself is always such a nice little reset for my nervous system. Nothing against Dave at all, but biologically, it’s like my body is always ‘on’ when someone else is in the house. Plus, making the bed is easier when only one side was slept in and I always opt for something quick+easy for dinner, so no cooking or dishes is a nice little break. 🤪 However, Dave got home last night and I told him as we were going to bed… Our condo feels like an apartment when he’s gone, but a home when he’s here. 🥰

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Highs & Lows

This Week’s Rose(s) 🌹

On Tuesday night, I got invited to go to a dinner with American Airlines to celebrate their announcement of a brand new Admirals Club coming to Terminal 3 at ORD. (No set opening date yet, as you know how construction goes.) I hadn’t been to RPM Italian in ages, so it was nice to revisit and even better with great company (and being hosted by such a great company)!

Baked by Melissa sent me the sweetest box of pink mini cupcakes and I had sooo much nostalgia for my New York days. (It was their February Fix box and every flavor was incredible.) I did not know they shipped nationwide, but now that I know how perfectly packaged they are, I will definitely be sending these as gifts. 🧁💌

We had a beautiful day on Tuesday where the temps were in the 40s, which sadly meant all of the snow melted, but that little dose of warm air was so refreshing. (But like I always say… This is why I can’t have nice things. The next day when it’s cold again, it feels SO cold. It’s like my body forgets how to adapt on that rouge warm day.)

It feels like there’s been a little bit of momentum on the work front (heard from a few brands I love this week!), which always feels good.

This Week’s Thorn(s) 🥀

I took Marley to the vet this morning for a little mole check. She’s had this little bump on her forehead pop up within the last year and it seems like it’s definitely gotten bigger recently. Yesterday when it was actually sunny, I got a good look at the speckled coloration and panicked. (I made the mistake of Googling “pictures of skin cancer on a black dog” and saw a picture that looked just like hers.) She wasn’t due at the vet until April for her yearly exam, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to sleep for the next two months without getting it checked out.

Thankfully her vet was able to get her in today to take a look and we now have her little surgery scheduled in a little over a week (2/24) to get two of her bumps (this one on her head and another on her nose that’s been there for years) biopsied and sent in. The vet didn’t seem too worried, but said it’s best to remove them when they’re small and make sure. So hopefully she’s okay, but it’s all just so scary as she gets older. (She turns 12 next month!!)

We actually don’t have pet insurance, and every time I’m at the vet, I’m reminded that we should probably get it. I’ve heard recommendations for Pets Best and Healthy Paws, so I did a quick quote for both and each one seems to be ~$350/month for an eleven year old Lab mix. Ooof.

I’m trying to make the math math… At $350/month, we would pay $4200/year, which is more than we currently pay. For this little surgery, the estimate is $900, plus the $100 office visit we had today. When we go for her vaccinations and blood work in April, it’s usually another $900. Even with her dental cleaning last year ($1400), and surprise $3k emergency vet visit the year before that, it seems cheaper to not have it. But that’s currently… That would obviously change if she had cancer?? You hear of people getting an $8000 bill with an older dog when they start to age.

Dave’s (lawyer) dad always says “not getting insurance is a stupid way to save money,” which, I think, is logic he usually applies towards things like rental cars or opting for extra insurance when given the opportunity, but still a smart perspective to consider.

On the other hand, obviously these pet insurance companies are for profit, so it’s not like they’re in the business of losing money, you know??

I’m word vomiting all of my thoughts on this, but any insight you have on pet insurance would be greatly appreciated!! 🫶

Looking Ahead ✨

It’s supposed to be in the 50s this weekend!! (Granted, still in the 30s in the morning and evenings.) We don’t have any weekend plans and hope to get some very nice long afternoon walks in to soak it up.

I’m also COUNTING DOWN the days until our annual ski trip in a few weeks!!! (20 days!!) I’m so excited to see my KC besties that I haven’t seen in ten months(!!) and spend some quality time with my girlfriends who live here, too!

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🔖 Open Tabs

Open tabs from the week, filed here instead of my browser.

💙 Every February around Valentine’s Day, Diptyque releases a limited-edition jar for their Roses candle. This year, it’s a stunning blue-and-white jar, which unfortunately doesn’t match our current decor in this modern condo, but I wanted to share because it might match yours!! (It would have matched my single-girl apartment with my navy velvet couch so well!) This year, the limited edition jar also available in a larger 3-wick version — I believe this is actually the first year they’ve done the special edition in a larger size. And on the Diptyque website, they have a matching porcelain tray. All very chic!

💎 On my wishlist: these rhinestone jellies.

👜 Obsessed with this tan striped canvas bag!

🌷 So many fun springy finds from Boden (a brand that does elevated basics SO well): this color-blocked polo, these pink loafers, this striped tee, this ruffled collar mariner shirt, this gingham cropped trench, and this ruffled henley sweater.

🏁 Absolutely DROOLING over this checkered Sezane trench. She’s gorg!

🪻 This Zara dress is so pretty for Easter or Mother’s Day! (Or this skirt or this poplin blouse, if you’re more of a separates gal.)

🛍️ On the topic of Zara, should we go through my wishlist?? This fringe top, these suede slingbacks, this suede-like belted trench, this striped dress, this tied-scarf blazer (but more so trying to recreate this look with a long silk scarf and blazer), this flowy shirt, this chartreuse satin top — so maybe a better idea would be what’s actually not on my wishlist. 🤪

💪 Oh, and I low-key wish I had a home gym so I could outfit it with all of these chic weights!!!

💸 The Julia Armory archive sale…. Say less. Most everything is sold out in my size, which is honestly good for my wallet.

Presidents Dale Sales Worth Browsing

🍃 I’ve been buying Cann since 2020 (before it was online and before it was even in Illinois) — Dave and I drove out to California to see his parents and since stores were open (because Covid), we did some sort of delivery service to his parents house and STOCKED UP. 😂 I like how these are a very low dose of THC (2mg) and they even come in little packets (called Roadies) that make them easy to bring along places — great when you aren’t drinking alcohol. They’re doing a ‘secret’ sale this weekend for new customers only — use code RESET for 20% off. I truly love every single one of the (dare I say… elevated) flavors, I’m not sure how I would even rank them. Blood Orange Cardamom or Grapefruit Rosemary are probably tied for first, but if you like ginger, the ginger lemongrass is a limited-edition that they just brought back!

👖 Levi’s is 25-30% off site wide, with an extra 50% off sale items!! (All automatically applied at checkout.) I wear these Ecru jeans at least once a week, even in the winter. I’d recommend sizing down if you’re in between, I have them in a 27. Personally, I’m very interested in these jeans and feel like I need to take advantage of the sale price to test them out.

🛋️ CB2 is having a pretty epic sale if you’re in the market for furniture or decor!! I love this mirror and almost bought it for our dining room last spring, but we ended up taking a vintage piece from Dave’s parents instead. We have these towels in our guest bath, which is basically now Dave’s bath, ha. I’m very tempted with this quilt (in either the green or toffee) because the current one we have (from Target) in our bedroom has faded SO badly from the sun. (Started out green, but is now yellow — I actually have it flipped now so the cotton side is up.) I adore this four-post bed. This one, too. I love chic little cocktail tables like this. We have tons of little trinket boxes like this around our house. This splattered serving bowl is pretty.

👟 Zappos has some great sale items that are an extra 20% off with code EXTRA20 — New Balance sneakers (love the taupe color), a cutie Madewell bag that’s basically free, the perfect brown leather belt, fun blue sneakers for spring, tan slingbacks that go with everything, Splits59 workout gear that’s 45% off + an extra 20% off, a springy Varley knit sweater, and lots more.

🧣 White & Warren is an extra 20% off this weekend with code EXTRA20! Great time to scoop up an extra cashmere piece or two to get us through the last bits of winter. Their travel wrap is a classic and a longtime favorite of mine. It’s on sale in the pretty Ashen Brown color, making it $263. Other colors on sale include: saddle brown, deep teal, sangria, yellow sunbeam, deep crimson, and golden brown.

This green cardigan is what I most have my eyes on! I have a similar long-sleeve cashmere-blend polo from another brand, but this 100% cashmere version looks dreamy!

💌 Rifle Paper Co. is doing 15% off everything, but 20% off rugs, pillows & framed wall art. Pretty much all of my notepads around the house are Rifle, and I love their notebooks, too. So many great giftables!!

Goop is having a 25% off sale for their beauty and wellness heavy hitters: beauty25 is the code! Their Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator is like getting a facial at home in 3 minutes. Pricey, but I only use it every few weeks so a jar lasts me a long time!

BaubleBar has a good sale going — this phone case and this phone case (that I have in multiple colors), this mini hairbrush (that I keep in my travel toiletry bag), and this custom laptop sleeve I have my eye on.

Frame’s sale section is pretty good, including the mens. Dave has this sweater in basically every color — 50% off and under $200.

Mansur Gavriel is also doing a rare sale — up to 30% off.

Ring Concierge is doing one of their biggest sales of the year for Valentine’s Day — 20% off!

Love Shack Fancy is having a big winter sale! This slip dress is so chic, as well as this cami and skirt combo — all a departure from their usual pink. Lots of cute things for babies, toddlers, and girls, too.

A little sneak peek if you’re seeing this on Friday: A few Sunday Riley products will be 25% off at Sephora (starting Saturday) from 2/14-2/17 — Tidal, Aquamarine Melt, and Good Genes (the 30ml)

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Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. xoxo

PS: If you enjoy my Loose Ends series, would you be kind enough to tap the little heart? It’s a small thing for you that’s actually a big thing in the Substack world. 🫶

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