Gathering Speed . . .

So, I completely blew off posting last weekend, but otherwise it was productive. Last Saturday was a milestone birthday for me. Nevermind which one is was; let's just say I'm on the downhill side and gathering speed. . . .

Tool Man said he searched for a gift after I warned him that if he planned a surprise party that I would not be "frisky" for a long, long time. And I also warned him not to spend too much money; I will soon be out of a job, remember? So all he would tell me was that we were going somewhere Saturday morning and had to be there at 10:00 a.m. I waited with baited breath, ready to feel un-"frisky" at a moment's notice.

So on Saturday morning, we wake up, have coffee and tea, shower and dress, get in the car, and . . .

he drives to Shari's. I wait for the balloons, the singing, the pancakes with a candle, anything. Nothing. Just our regular weekend breakfast. Tool Man pays the bill, and we get in the car. He drives to Streets of Tanasbourne and parks in the garage. Then he says,

"I shopped in all of your favorite stores and couldn't find anything special enough for your birthday. So I'm taking you on a shopping spree. You've got $500 to spend on clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Strictly on yourself, whatever you want. I thought this would be something that made you feel better about yourself. You haven't felt well for a long time, you've had a lot crap at work for the last six months, and now a big birthday, and I want you to feel as beautiful to yourself as you are to me."

I cried.

Then I went to Macy's. Hell, I had $500!

And like he hadn't already done enough, he waited in the lingerie department while I got fitted for new bras! Wandering out of the store, with nothing in particular to look at, Tool Man heads for ladies suits and grabs a red (he knows I can't resist it) Kaspar skirt suit off the clearance rack and insists I try it on. Perfect, even the sleeve length. Regular price: $289; markdown to: $79. SCORE!

Next stop: Chico's. There, I picked out this, and this. I've shopped in Chico's enough that the clerks know me, and Tool Man by name. He picks out stuff; I try on the stuff; he waits patiently and critiques. Even other customers ask Tool Man to pick out clothes for them. What can I say, he's got good taste.

Quick pop into Claire's for some earrings. Jeez, Tool Man even picked out earrings for me. I thought for a second about buying some temporary tattoos, to freak out my co-workers on Monday, but he put the kibosh on that. Spoil sport.

Now, I'm on a roll and gathering speed. On to Nordstrom's Rack. I start looking at separates. Tool Man makes a beeline to the suits. I find squat. He finds a sage green silk Kaspar pants suit and a beautiful gray peachskin Kaspar 3 piece suit. Then he grabs a buttercream silk sweater, a black silk shell, a hot pink top (to go with a brown and pink suit I bought a month or so ago and couldn't find a top to go with), and a white silk weskit, and says, go try these on.

By now, it's noon. On Saturday. In May. Right before prom, graduation, and weddings. In The Rack. The line out the ladies dressing room is out past babies, past children's, past boys' and heading towards menswear. I suggest just buying, trying on at home, and returning what doesn't fit. Tool Man insists he'll wait while I try on. Now, he's really earning brownie points. It takes 20 minutes to get to the front of the line; he waits patiently. (Who the hell is this, and what has he done with my husband?) It all fits perfectly. Except of course, the length on the pants, which are at least 8 inches too long. Hell, if I'd known he could pick out stuff this good, I'd have sent him by himself!

By now, I'm whipped. Done. Completely lost speed. Didn't even stay to have the pants altered. Home, James.

But, he was right; I did need the boost. And all of this stuff is what I need to go out and find a new job. Which I've been working at pretty hard this week. I updated the resume, contacted a headhunter, made more phone calls, sent out emails, and put out a notice on the OWLS listserve. I've already had three serious contacts from the listserve, plus two emails resulting from word-of-mouth, a phone call from the headhunter, and two interviews set up for tomorrow. This job search thing is definitely gathering speed.

Think Tool Man would find it was funny if I said I don't have anything to wear?