Winterizing Judy

Handmade felt slippers on the left and my new winter boots on the right

Judy in her new boots and deel

Judy in her inside winter deel

A lady at the business festival

A man at the business festival

A little something for your supper–sheep heads

This was the week to get the house and now me ready for winter.  My woodpile is growing, the windows are getting better, and now I’m being winterized too.  Last Tuesday, two of my co-workers and one of my language class students went to he zaak with me.  We bought materials to winterize my windows and then we shopped for boots.  There are many little places to buy boots—the big knee high ones.  I tried on many of them—trying to dind ones big enough.  I wear a size 8 but that is really big for Mongolians.  Finally we found a pair that I think will let me wear a couple of pairs of sox.

            From there we came back to my house and everyone worked on my windows, putting, putting in panes of glass, even washing the windows.  The only problem was that they had bought some tape to put around the edge of the inside windows where there is a good size gap and about ½ an hour after they put the tape all around, it simply fell off!  Don’t know if it was the wrong type of tape or faulty tape.  So I am seeking another solution.  Meanwhile, they’re better than they were before.  Oh for those snug double pane Anderson windows!

            The following day (Wednesday) we again went to the zak and I was taken to a sewing shop where they make deels (pronounced “dell.”).  There I picked out fabric for what I think they call a winter inside deel.  There are all kinds of fabrics and colors but they are all very rich looking—satiny with cold or silver designs on them.  And everyone takes an interest in what you are choosing.   The pattern is a traditional style and the deel is lined with a quilted flannel-like fabric.  On Saturday I picked up the deel all complete.  It’s quite beautiful although it does nothing for one’s figure.  Looks as if the person wearing it weighs twice as much as she really does.  We also bought a belt and I’m glad to say I didn’t have to buy a sash that some people wear.  The sash gets wound around you about 20 times.  You’ll see pictures of me in this blog. 

            There’s only one problem—I’m not sure yet when and where I’m supposed to wear it.  For one thing, I can’t button it completely by myself though I think I’ll get the knack of it at some point.  All the buttons are the frog type button like you see on some Chinese clothes.  The deel is too nice to simply wear around the house but I find it hard to believe that I’ll be wearing it at the office—and even then I’d need some sort of coat which will never fit over it (it actually fits snugly enough around the chest that you can’t wear anything much under it.   Hmmmm.  I’m sure it will all be revealed to me at some point.  I’ll just be patient.  Anyway, my friends say I am now really a Mongolian woman with my very own deel.

            I’m also posting some photos of some people I took pictures of at a business festival a couple of weeks ago.  A lot of businesses set up tables on the town square (just outside my office) displaying and selling goods or foods they make.  It was easier to ask if I could take some of their photos in that setting so I got a number of them.  It was suppoed to be a 2-day festival but the second day the weather turned very windy and chilly.  I’m told it was postponed but I’ve not seen anything more about it.