Tonight I got a rare treat – dinner and shopping with daughter #1, better known as Tammy.  I’ve been so swamped at work all summer that our time together has suffered so I was thrilled when she mentioned Steve was out of town and she’d love to get together for dinner and a run through the mall.  Fortunately we both love the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday’s where we created our own low-point feast and commisserated over what for me is a never-ending battle of the bulge.  I’m now an official drop-out from Weight Watchers – about 5 pounds over my goal weight and at the rate I’m going, that amount will go up before it comes down!

After dinner we hit a few stores in the mall and then headed to Build-a-Bear-Workshop (BABW) where I created my new buddy, Mr. Snuggly 150 – better known as MS150!  He’s a tiger-striped kitty but best of all, he’s decked out in the offical Tour of Missouri bicycling jersey and padded shorts, topped off with a helmet, cool shades and a medal around his neck.   We had such fun playing along with the whole BABW scene which is scripted for someone about 1/10th my age but hey, you’re never too old for toys!  And he’s part of my inspiration for the MS150 bike ride.

Then we headed to Dillard’s where Tammy found a pair of shoes for me (red, of course) and then a new purse which is a pewter/green/metallicy color bag that I really love but probably wouldn’t have chosen without her along.  It was definitely a step out of the box from my red leather Coach bags but I’d been looking at some pewter shoes earlier and thinking I needed something more edgy in my accessories this fall.  While I still have the extra 5# in tow I wasn’t at all interested in trying on clothes!

We ended the evening with a stop at TJ Maxx where I got a really cool white shirt (another staple in my wardrobe) and Tammy made her only purchase – some workout pants.  Not a big evening for her but much more shopping than I have done since our girls weekend in KC last April.

Best of all, Tammy has offered to come over and go through my closet with me – offer her advice on what works and what doesn’t, create new clothing combinations and cull out the fashion faux pas (of which I fear there are many).   She has the eye and the fashion flair to keep me from getting arrested by the Fashion Police!  I predict when she is done I’ll have a big tax donation and lots of extra room in my closets.