How can you tell I'm still excited?

Gee, how can you tell I'm still excited?  Maybe because I'm still posting...    Continuing the prior post:

As Miss Judy was working on my nails, the elderly lady who had come in just after the end of our "preferred gender" discussion, began chatting with me  (idle talk, nothing special.)  One of the other techs had her 2nd grade daughter with her at the shop in for the day...a cute, well-mannered little girl who recognizes me, and previously has seemed very shy and reserved.  But not with the women. She talks with them all the time.

Right after the boss's "Miss Mandy" discussion with the techs (the little girl understands whatever language they were using),  she came right over, sat down next to me and began chattering like a magpie.  We talked at some length about the her school, the 'paper boxes' she was making, and the many things she might use them for, even while Miss Judy worked on my nails.  Seems she must be more comfortable around women, and hearing from the adults that I'm really Miss Mandy has helped a lot.  I just wonder what questions (if any) the adults got from her, after I left?

Guess I'll never know...

It was time to pay.  I stood up and reached around my chair to the bench behind me for my purse. A thirtysomething lady was sitting on the bench waiting her turn for a pedicure (they had become very busy and customers were filing in.)  She said "please let me see those nails, Miss" and grabbed my hands. She held them gently, in that way women do with each other (but never with men), told me how gorgeous they are, and asked Miss Judy about them...  Between Miss Judy's explanation and being able to see my nails, it was a successful "show and tell."

Then she asked about shellac nails...and since I was wearing sandals Miss Judy asked me to hold up my feet for her to see.  She liked what she saw, and instantly became a first-time-shellac customer for Miss Judy.  The day was a first for me, too.   I walked out of the shop very pleased, having been affirmed as a woman, by many women.  YAY!!!

Now, I know they'll be happy to see me in a skirt or dress and heels.  That can happen...once my wife leaves for her relative's place in August.    It's no wonder I had a fabulous time...but wait, there's more!  The fun wasn't over quite yet...

Last stop for the day was Willy's.  (Goodwill Industries Thrift Store, for the uninitiated...)  It was the day of their big sale, and I wanted to check for anything that might fit, for half off.  Unfortunately I couldn't get there till well after lunch, so the place looked almost disheveled, compared to normal. People were everywhere, and things were flying off the racks.  All but two of the blouses I've been watching were already gone.  So I put those two "lone rangers" over my arm and off I went, to the dressing room.

It was an easy decision.  One clearly didn't fit - its empire waist hit my small bustline in the wrong spot.  The other was perfect - a pink floral "blousy blouse."   (Unfortunately, it's not something I'll wear around my wife "yet.")  I'll try to get a pic as soon as possible. So I continued to hold the good one, lest it disappear, while combing through the racks of dresses.

As I was looking, two women were rifling the rack a few feet away, and moving toward me.  The younger of the two was pulling black dresses off the rack and holding them up to herself.  She asked her older friend what she thought.  Since I wasn't involved at that point,  I wasn't listening to their conversation.  But when I heard "Excuse me - Ma'am - Ma'am?"  I turned toward them and smiled - they both smiled back.  The younger one asked, "Do you think this looks OK for me?"    My response: "Yes, Ma'am - it's lovely. (And it truly was.)  Just the perfect length for you, and it doesn't show too much up top.  Do you have a necklace to go with it?"  That opened the flood gates.  The three of us talked dresses for probably three or four minutes, or most likely more.   I wasn't watching the clock.  They also held a couple of their black dresses up to me and checked me out.  "Here, this would look cute on you...and show off your legs." etc, to encourage me to get one, too.  Meanwhile, I noticed two dresses in my size, from the mail order house that I use...it was a great chance to return the "favor."  I pulled the blue floral maxi dress off the rack, held it up to me and asked if she thought it was too long.  "No, sweetie, it's perfect for you.  That's a pretty floral pattern, you should be able to wear it anywhere.  Don't forget your heels with it, though..."  Then I pulled out the traditional blue denim dress and asked which they thought was better.  Unanimously, "Oh, the floral one for sure...every woman has a long denim dress...you'll wear the floral one everywhere you go."  I thanked them profusely and started looking for more dresses as they took their selection to the dressing room.  I was soon interrupted by another woman at the end of the plus-size racks.  She wanted my advice on a skirt and two blouses she was holding.  In addition to being accepted as a woman, I must look like a fashion expert...I didn't realize wearing silver nails, capris, a sleeveless blouse, sandals, and carrying a purse, could have that effect!  But I'm not arguing...

Finally, the interruptions ceased.  I took both long dresses, the black dress, and the floral blouse,  and headed back for the fitting room.  My lady friends with the black dresses apparently had finished and were gone.  I was next in line...and thus had to continually answer "Yes Ma'am" to every woman with an armful of clothes who asked "Excuse me, Ma'am - are you in line?"  Surprise - no men needed to try anything on!  Guess that's part of the so-called "male privilege" that I've willingly given up!  And the line grew behind me...

Once I finally got a fitting room, both blue dresses in my size fit, but were too snug, and the black one, while pretty and fit well, left room for too much "that I don't have yet" up top.  Bet the blue ones in my size fit just fine when new, but both were all-cotton, which shrinks in the dryer.  I'm apparently right on the edge of a step up in size so, I'll have to be careful.  If I buy something new in cotton from that online source, in the bigger size, I'll have to shrink it in the dryer, then have my seamstress girlfriend alter it.  I've done that before - unfortunately it's the expensive route.  So I'll continue to watch the dresses in Willy's...finding a pre-owned dress that's too big, will be cheap enough that I can afford to have it altered.

Finally I was on my way home. But there were still two surprises awaiting.  If you recall, my wife told me that I should get a bracelet.  I had been wearing my grandfather's crude handmade copper bracelet - yes, daily, in front of her.  It's supposed to help joint aches and pains (and it seems to - grandpa and my father both swore by it.)   I decided to buy a real copper bracelet by mail order, and it arrived today.  What a surprise...it fits! And my wife's OK with my wearing it.  Even paired with the silver necklace...  And she said if it continues to help, I should buy one for my other wrist.  Wow...   (Wonder if I said my ear lobes hurt, whether she'd have my ears pierced so I could get copper earrings?  No, I don't think I'll ask...)

And the last surprise is that so far, there has been no comment about my new nails.  That's an encouraging sign that I might be on the right track with them.   Here are pictures of my nails "today."  You can see the beginnings of a lovely silver sheen.  When she eventually applies two coats, it will be much more pronounced!  And you can also see my new copper bracelet...