Okay... so, obviously, we want to know what the men want! And why the one man's eyes slightly widened at the sound of her voice! Yes!

But, I want to know more about the lady. Sometime in the past couple of decades, I took to wearing two skirts at a time, too, usually a solid-color "underskirt" instead of a slip under a regular skirt. Six at a time seems a bit much, but I can understand why she might do it. And, I have sewn some of my own skirts, too. I love how you said she would: "need her armor of handmade skirts to keep her grounded" and how she grabbed her pile of skirts even before she sniffed the air for the smoke of a fire, thus instilling how important they are to her. I can easily picture her in her winter shawl, walking to the door, skirts aflutter, after the "ritual" of dressing.. love this!