I'm wearing dresses... end of story

Dresses. Yup. I said I was going to wear them this year and I am going to ... come hell or high water.

I've always loved dresses...especially the pretty little sixties styles donned by Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. I've just always pretended that I loved jeans and hoodies more. I am proud to say I have gradually evolved from the hoodie and I'm on to cardigans and jackets now. I realized that I feel one thousand percent better when I'm wearing appropriate apparel in any given situation. For years I was the girl wearing heels to the backyard barbecue. Or a black hoodie as a pitiful and embarassing attempt to dress up an outfit. I would have on a t-shirt and vest shoveling snow during a blizzard - no gloves, no hat - just a stupid vest and probably a double ear infection. I just didn't seem to care. But deep down I always wished that I had the body to wear the clothes that I loved. The trends and the pretty things. Who doesn't want that???

Well, this year I've adopted a new motto - F it. I am never going to be a size two. I'm not going to reach a height of 5'9" ... or even 5'2". My sprouting days are long gone and I am what I am. A stocky little shrimpo with hair that's probably too long for my age and pink shoes that are too young for me. What's that motto again? Right. F it. So my torso isn't very long and I have hips, my boobs are too big for my frame and my legs are wicked short. I'm wearing these dresses, end of story. I refuse to live the rest of my life worrying that people will whisper behind my back. Can you believe she's wearing that jacket?? She looks like a linebacker! What about that skirt?? Her hips look enormous! She shouldn't wear scarves - they just make her double chin look bigger. People may or may not say these things - I'm pretty sure it's mostly me who thinks about this crap anyway. Regardless, it's time to move on.

I have bought four new dresses so far this year! I haven't worn any of them. In my defense it's been too cold... and two of them are sundresses... and I can't reach the zipper on a couple so I can only wear them when Gregg is home! Shut up, I'll wear them soon. And you'll be the first to know.

it's a snail's pace homicide!!!!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!! Join me in getting pissed off about our mattresses for a sec, won't you? I am of course assuming that you have sleep issues due to an out-of-shape mattress past its prime. Even if it's your pillow that is causing you strife (because I'm with you on that one as well) let out your 'argh'. It's well-deserved.

I've HAD IT!!

Our mattress is slowly murdering me.

Well, Us. It's slowly murdering Us. Gregg and I have been complaining for years about our stupid, dummy jerk mattress. We haven't bought a new one for a very stupid reason: it's not that old! We bought it in late 2008 (I think). But it's a king. And it was super expensive. And it should last us until we are ninety-seven. Or so I thought in my naive, little mind. Just shortly after we bought it - the "ditches" showed up. I KNOW I should have called and exchanged it. I know!!!!! Ugh. But I didn't. So here we are. And after four years of buying pillow after pillow pretending that was the problem - it has become quite clear that we need to take action.

I miss the old mattresses - ya know the ones you could flip over AND rotate. This one goes counter-clockwise on our box spring about twice a month these days. It doesn't matter. At the end of the day no matter which end is up we are each in a ditch made initially by one of us, made worse by both of us a million times. We recently decided we'll go look for one of those foam toppers. Like the four inch thick ones that look heavenly/cloud-like. However, for the past two weeks I have been in agony. Tossing and turning allllllllllllll night. My hips and back just screaming. I've shifted into every position possible and tried different pillow combinations... and let me tell ya, none of my pillows are saving the day either. So now I'm siding with Gregg - we HAVE to get a new mattress. And I'm not falling for that 'buy the frame and box spring and pillows and mustache wax' deal. I want a GREAT mattress and nothing else. So help me God if we get that slimy salesman with the shiny tooth who thinks he's got one on the line. I'll shove that line right up his ugly suit-wearing bum I will.

Wish us luck, friends! 'Luxurious night's sleep' blog post soon to follow...

What a Wonderful World ...

 "... I hear babies cry... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more... than I'll ever know
And I think to myself... what a wonderful world"

{What A Wonderful World  written by Bob Theile and George David Weiss 

and made famous by Louis Armstrong}

I just love this song - and this verse in particular. It gets me every time. During each listen I see the same image... 

A man with many, many years behind him, gray hair for proof of those years, sitting on a park bench watching children play. Possibly his grandchildren, possibly his great grandchildren, possibly strangers. With a smile on his face, he remembers his own youth. He only remembers the good in his life, forgetting the hard times as they aren't worth storing in his mind. He remembers his mother, his father and their grace. He sees his family gathered around holiday tables and birthday cakes. He recalls the pride he felt when he learned to ride his bicycle, brought home an "A" paper, graduated from high school and looked to his future with ambition and excitement. He thinks of the carefree times that he spent with his friends, running around town - being young. He remembers his own children when they were small. Their eagerness to learn new things, their loving hearts... their wonder. He never loses his smile watching those children play. He sees in them all of the wonderful things that have made up his life. Their bright spirits, kind souls and unblemished innocence fill his heart and bring peace to his mind and tears to his eyes. His life has been a gift, he realizes it now and prays for the children of this world. That they may see beyond the newspaper headlines, the wars, the  horror, the drugs, the greed, the diseases and the hate. That they will make their way with hope for better times and the power to make it so. He knows their potential is limitless. 

What a great song, huh?