Guides and Mormons

Well!  My day was made when I discovered the 50th anniversary edition of "The White House: An Historic Guide," is now available.  I ordered it pronto from the White House Historical Association.  I collect these guides, the first of which was published by Jackie Kennedy, and I now have a representative guide from every administration since.  My collection was completed when my friend Judy Hanlon scored a Kennedy adminstration guide recently among donations to the Berkeley Public Library.

This will be the first guidebook published since Obama became president.  I've learned not to order the guide too early in a given administration, or they send the one from the last First Lady. I've ended up with three Reagans and three Bush II's because of this, and in exasperation finally contacted the White House photographer via e-mail to make sure I was getting the next administration's guide.  Stayed posted for updates on Michelle's decor.  (Ardent Democrat though I am, I think Hillary Clinton's decorator was the worst of the lot.)

Also: After watching a scene from "The Book of Mormon" on the Tony Awards, I decided to see what Mormon women wear as missionaries (the men we know: dark pants, dorky short-sleeved white shirt, black tie).  Without much trouble, I found a very specific description online of what's acceptable.  So in case you ever want to be one:

1. No black bras;  beige or white only
2. Nothing tight
3. Nothing loose
4. Nothing casual, wrinkled, or faddish
5. Conservative hair "adornments" only
6. Flat-soled shoes or shoes with a low heels, except on Sundays, when you need "dressy" shoes
7. Skirts must cover top and front of knee when you stand or SIT.
8. Don't even think about sleeveless
9. Ditto spandex
10. Overall: don't draw attention to any part of your body

Now you know.  See more at: www.mtc.byu.edu/doc/sisters.pdf