Adjusted Expectations and Overdressing

Perhaps not as much "back in it, on it and all over it" as I had hoped to be this week, but things are looking up and getting done. Just dragged away by an unusually tasky week again, so I hope you'll continue to be patient. I'm anxious to have more time to get around to see all my favorite blogs, and will begin catch up some tonight. Our little town has it's very largest wine festival happening this coming weekend (less fun than you might imagine in our industry) so I'll be able to carve out more time after that. Fingers, toes and eyes crossed.

Dan's birthday was Saturday, so we celebrated Sunday by driving north to a bigger Big City to dine. I had a little time to shop at the Pinnacle Hills mall Promenade, self-described as a "retail lifestyle center."

Well.

I had been there a few years back when it was new and tony, and at that time it boasted some nicer stores (Gap, Coach, Aldo, Fossil, Banana Republic, Loft, Sephora) but over time it's switched its focus to a younger crowd with the same-old Forever 21, Charlotte Russe and Payless Shoes as we have here. Sad ... all the interesting shoe stores are gone, and although it's still a pretty outdoor mall, post-modern and charming, only a couple of the better stores remain. I left Dan and his Kindle happily entertaining a hoppy IPA and a plate of calamari and took off on a tour around by myself.

 I was so overdressed. I chose this lacy little maxi with comfy-but-cute chunky sandals, a tote and minimal jewelry to take me shopping, but I stuck out like a sore thumb with everyone else in cutoffs, flips and tanks or tees. I was also the only old lady out and about, and most disconcertingly, the only woman shopping alone. Aside from a few moms with baby-buggies, everyone else was in a pack or in pairs.

Odd.

I was still empty handed after an hour in and was heading back to collect Dan for dinner when I found a Soma Intimates store. ( Does anyone else instantly think of the happy-drug called Soma from Aldous Huxley's Brave New World ... "a gramme is better than a damn" ? ) Arkansas is lousy with Victoria's Secret stores, but I didn't know we had the more upscale Soma. I've been looking for a good molded-cup minimizer bra to keep the boobage in check for a long time but have had no luck. Bingo! On a "twofer" sale, in my size and color and with a brilliant fit. Doesn't get better than that.

Before dinner and quick-like-a-bunny, I put on mixed-pair dangly earrings (fun!), changed into dressier coral d'Orsay heels and took the clutch out of my tote ... and voilà ! Fancier for dinner! Again I was overdressed, as I so often am, but I felt fabulous and Dan was pleased.

Everything just tastes better when I'm wearing heels and a pretty dress.

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A final note: I was pleased and surprised to find that this is my 100th post.  Time flies when you're having fun.

Thank you all for letting me feel like I have something

worth talking about!