Saturday's Child Worked Hard

Saturday I went shopping. Not so odd for most people, but I loath shopping.

My wonderful Mitchell does 75% of the food shopping, only dragging me along every couple of weeks to do a restocking of the pantry. He does the week in-week out drudgery and most of the quick pick ups. It's one of his most wonderful gifts to me.

I can manage a couple of hours of wondering thru cute little shops when we are traveling and the occasional trip to a mall - which I see a lot like going to a museum. "Oh, isn't that interesting. Wonder what "they" did/do with that?" When I need something specific, I'm a run-in-the-door, grab it and go kinda girl. [I do pay, too.]

But especially, I hate shopping for clothes. Too many choices, too many decisions, hovering clerks, and did I mention those telephone booth-sized changing rooms, with not one, but three mirrors. What sadist invented that?

For clothes I turn to catalogs. I can leaf thru half a dozen in an evening; order what I want (usually in two sizes); ship three quarters of it back two weeks later and be perfectly happy. But the combination of three years working at home, losing 17.5 pounds [oh, did I forget the mention that!] and a change of seasons has left me badly in need of some transitional basics. As the pile of things to go to Goodwill has grown, the number of choices in my closet has shrunk and I am not quite ready to pull out the summer clothes in the next smaller size.

So, off I ran yesterday to shop. [The last time I did this was about five years ago. Elizabeth took me to a Liz Claiborne outlet and acted as my "stylist" carrying things back and forth until she found me several very nice things - which I may be able to wear again in a few more pounds!] This time I went all by myself!

Had my heart set on a skirt I had seen on TV. [I know. That was really stupid. The chances of actually finding it and in a size that fit, were - well tiny. But they were also having a sale.] Two hours and many trips to the mirrored telephone booth later, and home I came laden with.... [drumroll, please] ... clothes!

I did find the skirt and it only needs a little altering in the waist. And, tee shirts to match (three), and black pants, and a white shrug and a black and white blouse, and a black and gray tweed jacket. [Ok. That one's a winter piece, but it's a classic that I can wear for years - and I promise I will.]

Now I still want a white jacket, but I have plenty of catalogs to look at, or maybe I can run in somewhere, grab and go.