Gosh, Saturday was a busy day. The bank account took a bit of a bashing too.
At the top of the day I received a reply from DEADLINES FOR WRITERS, both saying that yes of course I could post my story on Monday and she’d approve it on Wednesday, and thanking me for asking. It made me think that others, perhaps too many others, didn’t bother running it by her first and just posted early or late anyway.
It means I don’t have to take my laptop to Poland, which worried me on 2 counts: first that we may not have an internet connection, and secondly that some of the reviews at the hotel we’re staying reported personal items walking from rooms while they were out…
We’re off soon (I’m not stating when for security reasons), which we’ve both been looking forward to for a few weeks. But we’re going to south Poland and, apparently, it’s very, very warm there at the moment. Something like 28 degrees Centigrade (approximately 84 degrees Fahrenheit). The last time we went anywhere that warm, it was our honeymoon.
I don’t do hot very well. My skin doesn’t like it for a start, but I’m also a snow baby. So we had to go out and get me some clothes that are suitable for a hot country that fit. I’ve put on a lot of weight since we got married 9 years ago. Around 2 stone (48lb). And I’ve gone up several dress sizes too – about 3. I needed some new clothes.
We are on holiday for this short break, but the poet is guesting on a business panel on our second full day and he wanted some continental clothes for when he’s on platform. We’ve also been invited on a river cruise on our second evening, and we wanted something smart but casual for that too.
And so we went shopping. I’d done some research about what the best outfits are for an overweight woman and I’d identified a few key pieces: a pair of chino trousers, a pair of chino shorts, a pair of shoes, a tunic top, and a blazer. The poet wanted a pair of brightly coloured trousers, a pair of dress shorts, a couple of brightly coloured short-sleeved shirts, and shoes.
I hadn’t just identified the pieces, though. I’d also identified where to go to get them: Marks & Spencer’s, Next, New Look, and Joe Brown’s. We started in M&S, where nothing fitted me that didn’t look enormous. At Next, the poet chose a pair of trousers, a pair of shorts, 2 shirts and a pair of shoes, and they were all perfect! But I had several goes.
We were there long enough to stop for something to eat in the middle of it all before I had a sugar crash. But we did come away with 3 fat bags in the end and even an extra pair of jeans for me, plus the determination to do some exercise and lose some weight. Oh yes, and a slightly poorly bank account.
We didn’t go straight home, though. We still had the weekly shopping to do. We were supposed to be having a prawn linguine for tea, but we ended up getting pizzas. My feet were killing me, but at least I had a suitable wardrobe of clothes to take with us to Poland.
I didn’t get any writing done, which of course put pressure on me for Sunday and Monday.
A good day’s shopping! I hope you’re happy with your clothes. It’s so difficult to find anything I like. I need to go back to sewing.
Have a wonderful trip. I look forward to seeing photos when you get back.
The clothes were comfortable – probably because they were the right size!