The 15-minute swimsuit caper

There is an outlet store very close to my home.

Surely, they will have swimsuits there, I thought. Probably oodles of them. And there will be ONE that fits and that I like, and that is somewhat comfortable.

But, no.

Store after store after store. No swimsuits. At all.

When you don't have a suit -- make do with a dress!

With my vacation to Phoenix coming up soon, I absolutely had to find at least one. 

On my way to lunch today, I noted that I was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Enough time to stop in at a store and look for a swimsuit!

Not enough time, you say?

You don't know me! I thought I could do it, and so I did.

When I turned into the mall where the restaurant was located, I saw that it practically shares a parking lot with a Kohl's store. Bingo!

I parked, went in, asked where the suits were, grabbed two, found the fitting room, and pulled them on just enough to see if they would fit over my bum. Success!

Lucky for me, they were 30 percent off. And... wonder of wonders, if I signed up for a charge card, I would get another 25 percent off. So of course, I took the extra three minutes to do that. I had about 30 seconds to spare when I sprinted out of the store, threw my purchases in the car and strolled over to the restaurant to meet my lunch dates.

That's the thing, I think, about living in your body for 50 or more years. You get to know it! So it wasn't too hard to quickly find a couple that worked.

Here's a picture of the swimdress I bought! Click the image to check it out at Kohl's.

And here's the top of the other one:

The bottom is like a short pair of shorts.
Soon I will have some pictures to share of the fam in Arizona... until then, happy almost-the-weekend!

Beautiful Young Men

"Beautiful men" was the title of a blog post I wrote a few weeks back.

Now, let me address some beautiful young men.

First, some background. I collaborate with three teen librarians as part of my job at my local library.

This past Saturday, we had a "Say Yes to the Prom Dress" event in order to offer teen girls the chance to snag a formal gown in exchange for a canned good.

I talk a lot about the screwy weather in northern Illinois, but Saturday's weather was the weirdest I have seen in a long while. The temperature was hovering around freezing, winds were gusting to 50 mph, and bright sunshine was displaced every half-hour or so by sideways snow showers.

It also was the last weekend of spring break for local kids.

And yet... eight teens showed up at 8 a.m. to help run the event.

Among them were two young men who seemed like they felt a bit out of place. They may have been pondering why they had signed up to help at this event at all.

Still, they moved clothing racks full of dresses and helped stage the area so everything would be ready when the girls started arriving at 9 a.m.

They even volunteered to man the table where the girls would check in. This meant they needed to explain several things, including how the sizes were arranged.

Thanks, guys!

When they joked that they had no clue about girls' dress sizes, I told them it would be a good thing to become familiar with clothing sizes so that one day, when they are shopping for a gift for their girlfriend or wife, they would have an idea about what size to buy. (No woman likes to be gifted with a dress that is four sizes too big or small.)

So they went about their task with all the sincerity they could muster. They stayed until the end of the event at 4 p.m., and then helped move all those clothing racks into storage, ripped paper off the windows in the room that was used as a fitting room, and replaced all the chairs and tables that had been moved to create the pop-up boutique.

Their only reward was a few slices of pizza for lunch.

Young men like these give me so much hope! They can be goofy and rambunctious, but they also can be gallant and remarkably helpful.

They are becoming beautiful men who will in turn make others feel pretty, and in some cases, even beautiful.

------------------

Some of the girls who said "yes!" are pictured below.

 

 

 

The 30-minute vacation

If you are like me, you have a job you love, but you live for your vacation time.

In the past few years I have learned that "vacation" doesn't always mean a 10-day trip to Ireland or five days at the all-inclusive in Cancun. 

It can mean three days in Dallas or a half-hour at the spa.

Last night was the "half-hour at the spa" vacation.

A local spa is having a special on microdermabrasion (just $30!). I jumped at the chance and called for an appointment. Of course, many others jumped at the same chance, so my appointment time was set for 8 p.m. on a Thursday night. (A bit later than I had hoped.)

I bypassed going home after work and instead met a friend for a little bit of shopping and some dinner before my appointment. 

Ready for my 30-minute vacation!

One Anthropologie dress (okay, two) and a filet mignon slider later, I was lying on the couch in the spa room, my friend right beside me.

Dana, the aesthetician, was cool with my bff in the room. We talked like three old friends while Dana slid the microdermabrasion tool around my face. For those who are wondering, it feels like the sandpaper-y tongue of a cat licking your face very vigorously. And there is a vacuum on the tool, so you feel a sucking sensation as well. It can sting a bit, but like anything else, if you relax, it's 100 times better. (I have only had two treatments, but I can say it makes my skin look brighter and feel smoother.)

Because it was later in the evening and I was heading home and to bed, I knew I didn't have to apply any makeup before I left. 

So although the whole treatment lasted only a half-hour, it was just what I needed to complete my mini-vacation.

Now, as I face a late working night tonight and a full day tomorrow (we are giving prom dresses away at our library!), I am de-stressed and ready for action.

Happy weekend!
 
 

Pretty (and happy) on the road

“Life is like a road trip – enjoy each day and don’t carry too much baggage.” –-Anon. (And "Amen.")

Not being home on a holiday can be a bit sad, unless you are at home no matter where you are. (I am striving toward that goal!)

I wasn’t home on Easter this year. Instead of having ham and deviled eggs for dinner, I had a bbq brisket sandwich and a side of slaw at a place called "Booger Red's Saloon."

And then I hopped on a longhorn steer and posed for a picture.

Happy Easter!

Instead of being in Aurora, Illinois, I was in Fort Worth, Texas.

Not a typical Easter Sunday for me.

Before that good Texas barbecue, I attended a rock & roll Easter Sunday service surrounded by the cutest tiny humans ever.

And I learned something.

The pastor told those gathered that the thing that stands in the way of our happiness usually is us. We are the biggest obstacles to our own happiness. We stand in the way of our own joy.

There are many, many things in life that can get in the way of our happiness, health and well-being. The way we react to them is what can bring us peace and even joy. 

Last Thursday afternoon, I was excited to get home from work, change into my blue jeans and hop a flight to Dallas with my bestie.

I was almost home when the driver behind me didn't stop when I did. That car hit my car, which pushed my car into the car in front of me.

It was raining and it was chilly. And the road was crazy busy. But I got out of my car, anyway, and walked to the car behind mine. I could see the driver's airbag had deployed. I opened the door but couldn't see the driver. I asked if he or she was OK. No answer. Then I looked back and saw that a police car was pulling up, so I went back to my car.

The officer performed his duties and because my car was drivable, I was free to go. I then met my friend at her place, we got to the airport, made our flight, and safely arrived at our destination by midnight.

Yes, it's sad to know that my car now has thousands of dollars worth of damage. But aside from some sore muscles, I am OK. And the other drivers are OK, too.

I was able to put the accident aside for a few days so I could fully enjoy my trip. The weather was beautiful, I saw two performances of "Cinderella" by Texas Ballet Theatre, did some antique-mall shopping and ate some really good food.

Now it's time to deal with all the challenges a car accident brings.

I will try my best to remember that I am the maker of my own happiness. And that traveling with as little baggage as possible is the easiest way to get from Point A to Point B. Or from Chicago to Dallas. Or from a rainy intersection to home.

Bass Performance Hall

 

   

   

  

The program

Antique Mall find

Pretty in (Ballet) Pink

Today, I am told, is the first day of spring. The temperatures tell me otherwise, but such is life in the Chicago suburbs.

But next Sunday is Easter! I had a stay-at-home plan in mind for Easter until two days ago, when my beautiful ballerina friend asked me if I wanted to go to Fort Worth with her to see Texas Ballet Theatre's production of "Cinderella." (Her son and his girlfriend will be performing in the ballet.)

So my Easter dress may turn into the dress I also wear to the ballet. It is ballet pink, after all, so...

Spring dressing is crazy here. Last night I attended a phenomenal opening night production of "West Side Story." Knowing that the temperatures would be dipping into the 30s, I decided to wear a long-sleeved wrap dress, tights, boots, winter coat and fuzzy scarf. The after-party lasted until past midnight, so I was glad to have all that gear for the walk back to the car.

But today! 

I put my Easter/ballet outfit together to see what I would need to pack, and I thought I would share it.

By the way... if you have young children, take them to the theatre and ballet and symphonies. Of course you have to consider the age of your little one and the appropriateness of taking him/her into certain venues, but you and your children will so enjoy sharing the exhilaration of live performance! And, it's two hours of powered-down cellphones! Sweet bliss.

Thank you to my daughter Heidi Roth for taking my photos today!

Dress by Anthropologie.It comes in this light ballet pink and also a darker peach.

Necklace from Evereve

Shawl from The Salvaged Heart, Batavia

See some ballet-themed shoes that would look great with this dress.

Have a wonderful week and if you are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, go see "Cinderella!" 
 
 

Pretty in Pancakes

I have my outfit for tomorrow all planned! I will be wearing a bright green T-shirt with a stack of pancakes on it, jeans, pigtails and comfy tennies.

It's Pancake Day! It will be my second time helping out with this Kiwanis event -- our biggest fundraiser of the year and one of the most enjoyable. Peanut Day can be fun, too, if it's not raining cats and dogs.

I joined Kiwanis almost two years ago because I liked the members of the club and its mission to help children.

So tomorrow I will be pouring orange juice and coffee and generally making sure that people have enough butter and syrup.

Even though it's not an event I will put a lot of thought into style-wise, it's one of those times where looking good is not as important as serving well. These things come up all the time for me -- especially in my role as a grandma. My little guys don't care if my hair is clean or my nails are done or my leggings are plain or printed. They just want to play!

And the lovely thing about it is that I still feel beautiful! What a blessing to be able to spend time with people you love -- whether it's passing out pancakes or reading "Dangerous Dinosaurs" aloud for the fiftieth time.

A perfect outfit for play!

 When I get home from the pancake extravaganza, it will be time to shower and curl my hair and do my makeup and put on a pretty dress.

It's opening night at the theatre, and I want to look the part of an excited audience member. I would never wear old ripped jeans and a sweatshirt to the theatre. I want to express to the cast that I recognize all the hours of hard work they have put in to entertain me for a couple of hours. (I cannot tell you the number of times I could actually see a man's armpit hair at the theatre during my daughter's ballet performances. Not acceptable.)

On that lovely note... I will happily take on the role of a proud Kiwanian in the morning and a grateful audience member in the evening. 

Have a lovely weekend!

 


 

Saturday night bliss: movie and mason jar pecan pie

Saturday night with a friend:
Appetizers and conversation before settling in at the movies with a large popcorn between us and two Diet Cokes at our sides. Then back out into the good night for pecan pie in a mason jar!
 

One of the best parts of the evening was wearing a light jacket and not having to contend with mittens, hats and scarves!

But as temperatures dip back down into the 40s and 30s and below before we're through with winter, I'll keep the heavy wool coat in the front of the closet.

Last night, though, I was comfy all evening (even in the chilly theater) in my Anthropologie field jacket.

Under my Minnie shirt by Tylho (also from Anthro) is one of my trusty Free People Mock Me tanks. (I own 5 colors.) They are easy to throw on under just about anything for a small color pop and an extra bit of warmth.

So here's to good friends, good movies and Daylight Savings Time. Once I get used to it. (Yawn.)

The movie we saw? "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" with Tina Fey. Read more about it on Rotten Tomatoes.

Have a good week!

All photos (except pie!) by Donnell Collins