Prior to our vacation, wearing stirrups, black tights and ballerinas on a day like this would have been my first choice, not even meriting a second thought. The cold wouldn't have been noticeable, and I might, but probably wouldn't have, felt raindrops falling on my tights-covered insteps, ankles, and ballerina-covered feet. However, our "big discussion" about 2 weeks ago, was quite a game-changer. The bright side of it is that now, I can choose any of my four pairs of sandals, whichever coordinates best with my outfit, instead of just my new ones. And, all my other shoes, including ballerinas, have been gathering dust in the closet ever since.
I commented about that dust issue to my wife, in jest. She thought about it for a minute: "Gee. you're absolutely right - no point in letting them all get dusty. When I get time, I may seal them in a storage box and bury them somewhere down in the basement, since you won't need them again till the end of October - or, if November's weather isn't too cold, till Thanksgiving. But in case I want you to wear stirrups on one of our trips, I'll keep a pair of ballerinas somewhere I can easily retrieve them. That'll make TONS more room in your closet. Thanks for such a great idea!" That outcome wasn't quite what I had in mind...but if it happens, I'm fine with it. It WILL give me more floor space! And also will eliminate any temptation to even try on a pair of ballerinas...
Hearing a possible ending date of Thanksgiving brought up a concern about what I might be wearing at my annual early November three-day sale. Last year it was stirrups and ballerinas. This year I was planning on stirrups and ballerinas again, but now that's seriously in doubt - and for obvious reasons I'm not going to bring the topic up! As far as the folks at the show "in general" are concerned: some of the female vendors, as well as female customers, wear - and look cute in - sandals and capris if the weather isn't too cold. I'd fit right in, and don't think there would be any issues (except maybe the restroom).
The only person I'd be worried about is the guy I share a space with. He's a former supplier to the organization I worked for, is very conservative (a "conservative conservative" as it were), and I'd hate to no longer be welcome to share his table. It would be most inconvenient, and cost me more $$$. We'll see...
A new day has dawned... The first rainy day since we got back, my wife was watching (and saying nothing, other than "See you later, sweetie") as I pulled my black-and-tan jacket over my red sleeveless two-button henley tunic blouse, white capris and tan sandals. I grabbed my purse and car keys, and left in the rain, to do my errands. It was an unusual sensation to feel cold, hard rain falling on, and streaming down. my bare lower legs, ankles and feet. As I sloshed through several unavoidable one-inch-deep-plus puddles in the nursing home parking lot (which my ballerinas used to laugh at, while keeping my feet bone dry), the feeling was much like washing my feet in the bathtub. They wouldn't have been more soaked if I had been barefoot. (And maybe that's why occasionally I see barefoot girls in skirts, walking in the rain while holding their sandals up under their umbrellas...) But the good news is...my sandals came through intact, and an hour and a half in the nursing home completely dried my lower extremities.
Then, on my way back to the car after my visit, everything repeated itself. giving me the new experience of driving with wet legs and feet and in wet sandals. There's nothing wrong with getting closer to nature like that... It'll just take a few more repetitions, to get myself accustomed to those new sensations...
I wonder what difference wearing pantyhose would have made? One thing for certain - they'd have been very wet nylons! Would I have been warmer, or colder? I don't know - yet. But, for some odd reason, I suspect I'm destined to find out...
At noon I went for my appointment to get my nails done. My tech was unavoidably stuck at the doctor's office, so the girls rescheduled me for Saturday at the same time.
When I got home, I clarified my guidelines for wearing different styles of tops. And it turns out that on cold, rainy days, it's OK to wear turtlenecks with my capris at home and around town. On trips, though, sleeveless blouses are the rule. I currently have only 5 nice ones, so I have to keep searching for more that fit well, and eventually end up with enough to allow a full two-week vacation. For now, short sleeve shirts will be OK, to fill out one week, plus a couple extras in case I spill things. "Sleeveless blouses are feminine, but they can make you chilly - particularly in air conditioned places. So, they guarantee you'll be toting a sweater. You've always laughed when I've moved us to a different seat because of cold air. Now, the shoe (oops, sorry - the sandal) is going to be on the other foot (oops, sorry - feet. Yours.) Keep in mind the benefits though: they take less room in your suitcase, and they're comfortable in summer heat."
Segue to Saturday - nail appointment day. It was my best visit EVER!
The tech started my fill, and as part of girl talk, I asked her how she liked my makeup (light application of old - not MAC - makeup, without blusher or eye shadow.) "Is it your first time doing makeup?" "No, actually I do it a lot, just not too often when I come here. But from now on, I probably will wear it." "Do you use a brush, or a sponge?" "A sponge...that's how my makeup artist taught me." Miss Judy told me that I had done an excellent job, and that she hadn't noticed till I mentioned it. "The only thing missing is blusher. You need some color on your cheeks. But it covers your beard very nicely, and your lipstick is a perfect color for you."
Then she confided (since nobody was within earshot) that she's glad I'm wearing makeup now, since many of her customers think I'm female. I told her "I've noticed that, and they often chat with me as though we're both women. It's perfectly fine with me. If I didn't prefer it, I'd stop dressing as a woman." I requested that she and her staff not disillusion them in any way. "And if y'all would be more comfortable addressing me as "Miss (insert my real first name here, though for this blog I'll use Mandy) or Ma'am in the future, I'd be very pleased, and the other ladies would probably feel more comfortable, too. I'll always answer to that, since I don't really look or feel much like a Mr. or Sir." Miss Judy said, "we've wanted to make that change that for a long time, but thought we might offend you!" My response: "No offense is, or would have been, taken. I just wish we could have had this discussion previously...we all would have been very happy much sooner!" Then she spoke in a foreign tongue to the other two techs on duty and I heard "Miss Mandy" mentioned several times as they talked back and forth. When she was done, she told me that "I'll talk to the others tonight. Everyone is going to be so pleased! Miss Mandy, we're glad to welcome another woman into our shop!" "Thanks! It's great to be here!"
She finished shortening my nails again (her choice), and did my acrylic fill with all pink again (no French - my choice). When she finished that, she added a single coat of glossy silver with almost microscopic metal flakes in it, and a shiny top coat (her choice.) It's very subdued - you really can't see the metal flakes except in the sun, but my nails reflect light sources with a silver glow. It probably won't show up well in pictures, but I'll try one anyway, for my next post. She said that for the first few times she applies it, she'll only put on one coat, so that my nails will be less conspicuous. After everyone has become accustomed to it, then she'll apply two coats. As they grow out, and the silver begins looking shopworn, she can renew it without affecting the fill. Which also means if the new color stirs up a hornets nest at home, they can also remove it. She will call the customers who wanted to see my nails - the first time she gives my nails two coats...
There is lots more regarding this nail appointment...but I'll put it in the next installment. Meanwhile, from the archives, a very "autumn" scene:
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