The Emperor's new clothes...

Oh the excitement, the anticipation, the thrill and the delight that greeted me today.  Today I decided to go shopping for some new clothes. To real shops,  with clothes at full price!  The trip to the shops was in response to the hysterical laughter by my endlessly amused and amusing husband over my weekend at home loungewear. I thought it was fine.


Back to today... Have you ever had one of those wonderful days when you woke up in a good mood, showered, dressed and actually felt thin?   Boy, what a novelty for me.  I am not by any stretch of the imagination, thin, but today I felt it.  Whether it was because I was standing up straighter, dressing more elegantly, or just kidding myself, it was and still is this afternoon, a nice feeling. Also, it was an unfamiliar feeling and had me busily singing in the car as I drove to the shops.

Christmas spirit is well and truly up and running and I do mean running.  Today was an ordinary freezing cold Monday morning.  Children went to school, most adults went to work, but lots and lots of women went shopping.  I was once again in a male-free shopping zone and in North London the women are famously fierce.  I have rarely seen such feral creatures so intent on capturing those perfect presents.  The queues to pay were long, snake-like lines in each shop and the shop staff in most places still managed to smile (it was only 10.30am).

I was enjoying the free spirit I felt myself to be.  I had no long list of presents I had to buy and no obligations today.  A truly free day.  I went from shop to shop and tried on completely unsuitable clothing.  There is nothing more likely to give one a wake-up call than a full-length mirror in a communal changing room.  Did I say I felt thin?  Wrong.  The sizing system of all the shops I went to conspired to let me know that my feelings of slim loveliness were just that, feelings with little if any basis in reality.  I am not a svelte,sylph-like creature, but a rather older chunky Jewish lady.  And you know what was delightful for me?  I didn't care. It didn't dampen my mood one bit.  I just fetched bigger sizes and tried on more things I didn't buy.  I did buy one top that is so unsuitable I don''t know that I'll ever wear it, but I love myself for having the confidence to buy it. Maybe this ruffled,layered pale peach number I now own will join my comedy wardrobe of weekend wear.  Who cares.

I had such fun today.  I bought make-up.  Chatted to some shop assistants while trying on eye shadows and had a whale of a time. In the end I hardly spent any money.  The thermal vests I thought I might buy were sold out everywhere as the great British public freezes and panics. I am enjoying my ordinary Monday filled with tiny pleasures. No meditation, no striving for enlightenment, just a simple good day.