I was so charmed by all of your responses to my latest round of icebreakers. If you’ve not shared your responses yet, please do; I delight in reading all of these. I like to pore over them while enjoying a cocktail (think I’ll be making this classic tonight), reading my favorite bits to Mr. Magpie. Even this narrow routine reminds me of something I love about Mr. Magpie: he is my number one fan, and has usually read all of the comments on my blog posts before I have — ! He will often say, “Did you see what Aoife wrote today?” (Lol! Hi Aoife!) Because of this, I’m usually repeating things he’s already read, but he’ll sit there and listen again, and laugh, ever-game. Anyhow, I treasured all your recent responses (“Sweet potato fries – why? Just have the real deal”), but I especially savored the strange things you find attractive about your spouses and wanted to share them all here. A poetic patchwork of weird, wild love. A reminder that love is always looking for us, often where you least expect it —
The way he notices when I’m almost out of my favorite shampoo and orders it for me
The way he looks in scrubs
How he puts crushed red pepper on almost everything – because it’s just him
How he wears a backpack; in the past I’d tease him, but now I love seeing him getting ready to go places, and the level of organisation in the whole system
That he’s aging — I think we tend to fetishize youth in our culture but the fact that he needs glasses now, he’s bigger and hairier and has silver temples and laugh lines is so attractive
How his speech changes slightly when we visit his family; I love hearing his childhood accent come out
When he tells me about farm equipment (his grandfather had a working farm), heavy road equipment (that same grandfather worked for the state road dept), and metal working (his other grandfather worked for the railroad)
His innate ability to get the silliest songs or ditties stuck in my head
How he wears a ball cap
The way they consume information – constantly, earnestly, unapologetically
The layer of dried salt on his arms when he comes home from fishing
How warmly and effortlessly he hollers a big “Hello!” to each neighbor we pass on evening walks; I love to ride on the coattails of his extroversion
****
“Riding on the coattails of his extroversion” could be the alt title for my relationship dynamic with Mr. Magpie — ha! And co-sign on ball caps. Did you know there’s an entire TikTok/Insta trend where women post videos of their husbands wearing no caps, caps with the bill forward, and caps with the bill backward, demonstrating the crescendoing appeal of each look? Ha!
Post Scripts.
+That day Mr. Magpie gave me an envelope containing the world.
Shopping Break.
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+Sephora launched one of its tiered sales events — VIB Rouge get early access starting today. All of my beauty faves from Sephora here. Two items I am waiting to order at a discount — this makeup setting spray I can’t live without (just finished my last bottle and I notice an ENORMOUS difference when I am not using it) and this concealer, which I am very, very impressed with. Cle de Peau (<<actually 15% off here) is probably the best on the market but it’s so $$ that I find myself alternating with less expensive options. This one is my current fave.
+I saw Shannon wearing this pleated chocolate brown skirt and I think I need it, too — styled exactly how she’s wearing it, with a chunky turtleneck sweater in the same color. So chic! I couldn’t find a good look-for-less option in the exact shade of brown, but you could recreate in a different color by wearing tone-on-tone burgundy or camel with this skirt, or olive with this skirt. For the chunky sweater part, you might consider this Gap or this J. Crew.
+I love The Great’s funky patterned fleeces for a little of the unexpected/whimsical. Toss on with your navy leggings and Uggs for a “low key cool girl” vibe. Get the look for less with this J. Crew fleece.
+Veronica Beard just discounted a ton of their current season pieces, presumably to make way for holiday. Tempted by this plaid blazer and these drop-hem kick flares.
+This would be a fun dress for a city affair — tea at the Ritz, dinner at Polo Bar, etc.
+Pretty sure everyone’s heard of the brand Megababe before, but people go crazy over their clean, rose-scented deodorant. They also have really clever products like this shave bar (just ordered to try; also ordered L’Occitaine’s almond shower oil, which so many of you have rec’d as an alternative to shaving cream over the years), in-grown/razor burn apres-shave balm, and “bust dust.” The products are all so thoughtful and niche, and I love the packaging, of course.
+This burgundy button-down is en route to me now.
+Cute alternate to a goody bag for a girl’s birthday party.
+Eyeing one of these corset tops in fire engine red for the holidays. Imagine with velvet trousers or skirt?!
+Think I’m going to order one of these matchbook ornaments for Aspen to commemorate our trip this year — but they have lots of cities available!
+Swooning over this cardigan/jacket situation from J. McLaughlin.
+The chicest packable wool hat — omg. I wish I’d had this for Napa last fall. Perfect!
I’m an author, and one of the first rules is never ever read the Goodreads reviews. My husband would read them when I first published and bring them to me, incensed. “She gave it three stars for being short! It said novella right in the title!” And I’d always have to stop him from responding. I think I said it in your green flags post, but I live a “wife guy” (of any gender). Unabashed enthusiasm for the person you spend your life with? Love it, tell me more, let me be a fan of your spouse too.
Love this note so much. “Never read the Goodreads reviews” — !!