How to Find a Winter Coat

This is an amusing story about how a girl from Fiji found a winter coat.

While I was in Minnesota it became evident that I would need some warmer clothing.  85% of the clothes in my suitcase were designed for the summertime - you can't blame me, summer defines Fiji's weather year round... So after discussing several options, we decided that it would be best to find something from the second-hand store as there was no point buying a new and expensive winter jacket for just one season.

The funny thing is that everyone got involved in finding me a winter coat!...

1. Uncle Bob and I hit the Cannon wide Garage Sale on a nice Saturday morning in hopes of finding a coat.  Unfortunately, we had no luck. I had been home for a couple hours when there was a ringing of the door bell.  Guess who it was?  Uncle Bob with a huge faux fur coat that he had just found at a garage sale and that he thought would be perfect for me!!  I was pessimistic about it being practical - my luggage was already overweight and this coat would not help.  I smiled and accepted his gift.

Wearing the huge faux fur coat from Uncle Bob

 2. A few days later, Uncle Bob visited me with another item he thought would be perfect for my winter wardrobe!  It is unclear where he acquired this one.

Unfortunately, this jacket/sweater didn't make the final cut and was left in MN

3. A few days later I was suprised with yet another winter clothing item from Uncle Bob!!! I remember laughing when he called and told me he had something else to give me

Contrary to my expectations, the vest was practical and was a keeper

4.  Realising that the winter coat (Image 1) was just too bulky, Cindy and I roped in her mum, Joan, to do some master tailoring.  We originally discussed shortening the coat to finger-tip length and loosening the elastic in the sleeves.  Joan, who is uber fashionable decided that a vest would be much more stylish!  The new coat caused a bit of controversy but I was thankful to Joan for working hard on it and I decided to keep it.  

Here is the new and fashionable faux fur coat from Image 1!

5. Another one to my collection; Joan also offered me this jacket with sleeves ;)

6. At the same time Cathy, knowing that my new fashionable vest wouldn't give that much warmth, set out to find me something better!  This winter jacket previously belonged to Anna, her daughter.

Warm and practical - definitely good for Oregon

7. Here's another nice one that Cathy picked out especially for me at Goodwill!

I feel very special to have had all these people trying to help me find a winter coat!  (Even people at work were asking me if I had found something yet.) 
I ended up taking the ones from images 3, 4, 6 and 7 with me to Oregon.