It is nearly summer and I haven’t worn anything in my summer stash in two summers because I was largish last summer and, well, a girl needs some new duds.
I was running a work errand on foot yesterday and bug is with her papa on Fridays so I decided to pop into a downtown store. It may sound strange but until like last year I actually shopped in the hip part with music like Black Eyed Peas and Christina Aguilera piping. I now realize that my third-decade-of-my-life self doesn’t have any business shopping in juniors. Besides, I have to buy sizes that are like one and a half the size that I normally wear so that sucks. And, I think my post-bug belly could stand some less fitted t shirts. And, nobody over the age of 23 should wear anything called “baby doll.” And, if there is ruching around the breast area, you better be a B cup at the most.
Then I headed toward the stuff made for people with hips and found myself picking things up that I would never have picked up a year ago but I thought, I, well, maybe my style is evolving. I looked up and saw the Misses Sportswear sign and I looked in my hand and realized I had picked up really really ugly stuff. So, I asked myself, nearly out loud, am I just unhip now or are the styles awful and designed for petite pregnant women? (when I posed this Q to Andy he said I sounded like Carrie Bradshaw to which I replied, that might be the greatest compliment I have ever received). The only person who looks good in a large print, empire waist, silky mu mu is a cute prego lady. And, then I was annoyed that it is called Misses Sportswear. What does that mean? That all us Montana women shop there for our cricket attire? I didn’t buy anything.
So after work I met some friends for a beer and then I had to go to a certain box store to get things one can only get there like a baby spoon (that’s right my bug is eating cereal!) and plain t shirts that I won’t mind getting baby puke on. Anyway, my opinion was cemented when I found myself in the Exhilaration and Mossimo section next to a cute girl whose boyfriend was picking out pants for her to wear but shoot! They don’t have a size five! I quickly moved into my age-appropriate area of Merona and Issac Mizrahi. By the way, Target is the HOT spot for pregnant women and new moms on Friday night.
Anyway, my shopping was fruitless and I am much better at buying plants anyway and they are definitely not made in China. I had big plans to start my heirloom seeds in my friend’s greenhouse but it didn’t happen so I went to the farmer’s market this morning alone because Andy would rather be kicked in the shin than be a part of the Saturday morning who’s who scene. I bought some gorgeous tomato and pepper plants and a small bag of local morel mushrooms to go with our local steak and not-so-local delicious bottle of wine my man got me for mother’s day. Tonight after our afternoon recreation (Andy bikes with Alice and I hike with bug), we are having a backyard dinner date in sunny, gorgeous, green, hopeful western Montana.
Our date will be in our backyard with the chickens who are now giant birds. Bossy still scares the poop out of me but I make myself pet her anyway. My mom gave us a sign for the coop that is the perfect addition to the hen palace my darling partner built: The Love Coop.
Love in the coop, my backyard, Montana, bliss.
