You may be wondering why my posts have been a bit sparse lately. In addition to the yearly problem during the winter of "noplace to go," I've been having some medical issues, leading to a number of doctor appointments and tests. (Which so far have all come out "no problem" but still awaiting a few results.) At one point, though, I was seriously concerned that it might lead to hospitalization.
Well, now - that's not a very good situation for someone whose wife is still not "with the program" at home. What's a girl to do? I wasn't willing to purge, and my wife finding a suitcase full of women's clothes in the basement (she's prone to doing periodic clean-ups) wouldn't be a good thing. So, even though my mother and I aren't currently the same size (at one point we were, since I'm able to wear her stirrup pants), several months ago when this all started, I added my clothes to the ones Mom no longer wears (the ones we've been storing for her since she became a resident at the home several years ago.) Sounds like a plan so far - right?
Well, maybe not so much...
Last week, along comes my wife, in major clean-up mode once again. (Spring Cleaning?) She goes through Mom's stuff, pulling out a bunch of her things that "haven't been needed", for donation to Charity. And I noticed that the places they were stored (along with my stuff) were now empty. All gone. Fortunately, the donation bags were sitting in the corner, awaiting a trip to the donation center.
Yours truly was not happy...first, and most importantly, Mother COULD wear some of her things if necessary, like if there was a major disaster in the laundry at the nursing home, which ruined some of what she has there. At least they were hers. And commercial laundries are notoriously hard on clothes. Even if they don't ruin them immediately, eventually she will be needing them. Second, I know how tough buying new clothes for Mom would be, on both of us, since she can't go along and try them on. Buy and return, buy and return. And lastly, I was concerned that my own skirts and blouses were included in the donation bags (which they ultimately were.)
This little incident was not the high point in our relationship...definitely not a banner day for either of us. I pointed out that they were not her things, or mine, to clean up - they belong to my mother, not us, and I never so much as touched her mother's things when we had them in our house. After much "lively" discussion and some hard feelings, the end result is: Mom's clothes (yes, including mine) are are all piled back in the basement, pending putting away. And I'm just glad I intercepted the donation before everything went away. "A close shave," to say the least...
Hopefully, my wife's future clean-up efforts will be limited to items we have acquired but no longer need or use, and she'll keep her mitts off Mother's (and thus my) things. Fortunately, the hard feelings lasted only one day...that's the good part. But with my things now commingled in piles with Mom's, and at the moment in plain view, I don't feel comfortable ruffling around in the piles to find an outfit for my next weekend.
So, what's a girl to do? Retail Therapy! Off to Willy's (Goodwill - Willy's, get it? Bad Pun, Sorry!) In my size, they didn't have anything with a "pop of color." That was disappointing. But calling my name was this outfit...which to me looks sufficiently business-casual for traveling, and nice enough for an evening meal. It should work with flats or my Mary Jane heels, and look nice with not only black tights, but also nude stockings.
Best part about the skirt is that it was brand new, for $12. Very comfortable.
This would also look nice with stiletto heels, I think....
I'm contemplating my silver link necklace and bracelet, and silver clip-on pearl earrings. What do you think?
Now all I need to do is find a place to wear it....and I'm working on that.
Mandy
Mandy
ReplyDeleteI think that 'close shave' is a concept full of dual meanings for CDs. Of course, we do not even contemplate starting our dressing and makeup until the shaving has been done as close as possible. The other concept is also on target. There have been plenty of times before the kids were gone when I thought I had a few moments to dress and someone would come home before I had converted back. Additionally, during those years I had all of my cloths hidden in various places, sometimes under other cloths, sometimes under my workbench, often in assorted duffle bags. Eventually my wife found all of my good hiding places and being as smart as she was figured things out fairly well. Her big fear was that the kids would catch me in a dress or that I may go out of the house having not adequately wiped of the makeup. to this day she thinks that the kids 'must' know about my dressing. I had close calls and was sort of caugt by one of the kids one time but I do not think that they see me as a CD.
Close shave...you said a mouthful.
Pat
Could have been an unmitigated disaster if everything had gone away. (An unintended purge?) And the atmosphere was a bit tense for a while...but everything seems to have settled out - at least so far. She says she will pack "Mom's stuff" in the cedar chest. Time will tell. (And I will verify.)
DeleteNever thought about the dual meaning, but you're right, it's there. I was thinking only about the one! (Guess I take close shaves - with a razor - for granted.)
Mandy
PS: based on this, maybe the best place to hide a tree really is in the forest...
In reading your reply I am reminded of a bit of a partial purge caused by my wife several years ago.
ReplyDeleteShe has long known that I had stashes of womens clothes and her big fear in those days would be that the kids would find my stash. She often found them and one day she hit the mother lode of stashes under my work bench and she took it upon herself to toss out the stuff.
Most of the stuff was easily replaced but I had a lovely navy blue dress with a built in slip and a light floral design that I really liked. It was the dress that I wore the first time that I had gone out to a civilian establishment while dressed as a woman.
It was on Halloween in the late 1990s and I added a black beret to my jet black page boy wig, grabbed a few cigars and went out dressed as Monica Lewinsky. For me that was the perfect Halloween costume.
I found a nice bar that was having a Halloween party and I had a great time. I was able to talk with many of the other patrons and my costume went over very well. I have never seen another dress like that one. It fit well and looked good.
Thanks for giving me a reason to think back to a fun night out and about in a dress.
Pat
Glad to help you recall some pleasant memories! Sounds like you had a really nice costume, and obviously it went over well. Wonder how many readers will have to google "Monica Lewinsky" now? (LOL)
DeleteI've verified that my skirts and blouses are unceremoniously packed away with Mother's things - so that should keep them safe at least for a while.
Maybe I need to amend my little saying "The best place to hide a tree really is in the forest..." to "The best place to hide a tree really is in the forest...as long as someone hasn't scheduled the loggers to do a clear-cut then next month."
Have a great day!
Mandy