Council and Costuming

Things had been a little slow since I got back from my trip, but happily, they picked up yesterday. After Kimball and breakfast, I went out for spinach and blueberries, ate lunch, showered, then dressed for the Venura Council for Seniors planning meeting.
This consisted of just Suz, Lori (with yours truly, officers of VCS), and Debra Mansfield. We spent about an hour coming up with ideas for VCS programs and one was--ta dah!--me doing an entertainment spot, probably inprov. This won't happen until 2018, so I have plenty of time to plan.
Went home from there to change, then drove to town. Lynn W. had said I could be the greeter on September 1 (and that's coming right up, folks), then start my full-fledged docent stint in January. I dug out some of my stage accessories, now reduced to just a hat, some gloves and fans, and a few other minor items. That meant I had to find a full costume of--say, the 1890 period.
I looked on-line at "Recollections," which Lynn had recommended. This outfit custom-makes costumes and they're very attractive and quite authentic. They also run about 200 smackers for a dress, seventy-five or so for a blouse. Anybody who knows me knows I'd pay that for a (volunteer) docent job as soon as I'd slide down a White Sands dune like the kids did the other day.
What to do? Of course, I looked at the thrift stores in town. I found a long black skirt with buttons down the front at one and a long-sleeved white blouse at another. If I add a string tie, brooch, and flowered hat, I think it will look Victorian (or Edwardian), so will do for Dudley House.