GLITTER IS MY FAVOURITE COLOUR!

From 'abeyance' week to 'subdued' week.  The pattern continues.  Next week will be different.  It seems to be accentuated when Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on a weekend. All was very quiet on Sunday!  Of course, it did not help that the temperatures were sub zero and as no one likes to venture out in temperatures below 't-shirt' in my neck of the woods, it was not surprising that I only saw a couple of 'die hard's' on Sunday!  Traffic was almost non-existent that the first week of the year started as it usually does, and that is quiet!

We had our 'day in lieu' on Friday, and I was quite surprised that not all the occupants of our office building were in on Monday, 'bright eyed and bushy tailed', ready to start anew.  Perhaps they had all become British, and subscribed to the Bank Holiday Monday that was being enjoyed by my native countrymen!  We were not so quiet at all. As far as I was aware, all the courthouses were open, and everyone appeared to be back on track.  Memories of the past year's festive frivolities were mentioned in passing, and the usual new year felicitations were offered with as much joy as the caller could muster. "Did you have a good New Year?" would be asked.  I wanted to answer with the air of sarcasm and say, "I don't know yet, ask me in February", but instead, I curtailed my whims and told them of my quiet New Year's Eve, and even quieter New Year's Day.  It appeared that all the paralegals who had used the 'Christmas week' to play 'catch up' had actually 'caught up', and judging by the 'case' numbers that were being churned out by the various courthouses, they had worked overtime!

My world was good!  Monday was cold, and therefore I was able to show off the glorious Betsy Johnson boots that I had bought in Las Vegas, and my attire was rather feline!  I had acquired a leopard print hat sometime last year, and bought a leopard print coat during our shopping extravaganza in New York City last year, and my boots were also of the same print.  The bright pink three and a half inch heels were not what I am used to wearing anymore, but as they were not ultra thin, I felt quite stable.  They were also not fluorescent, like the black sparkly pair that I hoped to wear later in the week!  I felt quite alive!  I had decided to put away the 'subdued classic' me for a while, and be a little outrageous for a while! Subdued was for everyone else this week!

The 'therapist' who offices opposite us was quite bemused by my outfit.  I think he thought that I was one of his patients who had not been able to find his 'surgery', (as is often the case,) as he walked towards me when I went to collect the post.  "Oh, it's you", he said, with a look on his face that looked like it was holding back hysterical laughter.  "Morning!  Happy New Year!" I responded. As the temperature was still not quite up to zero, I had put on my coat and hat to make the journey to the box.  

Although slightly warmer, Tuesday morning was still freezing.  It had managed to climb to freezing, and my plants were uncovered.  They were not very happy.  In fact, they looked rather forlorn.  It was going to be a sunny day, and whilst not hot, perhaps some of the sunshine would make them feel as alive as did I on this brisk morning. I looked at my choices for the day's outfit, and could hear my mother's voice. "Don't wear patterned tights.  They accentuate your thick calves".  I am very grateful to my mother for giving me advice and a sense of style. She always looked glamourous, and was as co-ordinated when she was gardening as she was when going to a function!  I knew that it was not about me embarrassing her if I went out looking somewhat the worse for wear, but it was a smudge on my character! She wanted my sister and me to be ladies!  As I have said, many times before, I strived to be a lady like my mother, but there was too much of my father in me, and whilst he was always the gentleman, he had far too much of his father in him. His father was often described as a 'loveable rogue'.  However, I digress!  I looked at my wardrobe.  The options were 'sophisticated' or 'draw attention to your thick calves'!  I chose the latter!  As it had been so warm before the holidays, I did not have the opportunity to wear the snazzy festive tights I had purchased at the beginning of the year.  Glittery or sliver stars? I chose the stars, which I wore with the tartan shoes with the bow.  Another Betsy Johnson design that made me feel like I was in a sixties fashion magazine.  Admittedly, I may not have been on the front page of vogue; perhaps I would have been on the 'What not to wear when aging' page, but that is the fun of 'aging'; do whatever you want! I was just happy to put a smile on faces during 'subdued week'. 

By the time the week was halfway through, I was having far too much fun with the freezing climes.  I saw Raul for the first time this year, and he apologised for taking down our holiday lights first! I assured him that I was not offended, and that it was not so much a burden to turn on the lights inside the peculiar orange bags, as it was to remember to turn on the lights inside the peculiar orange bags. Whilst they were still up, it was considered compulsory to do so! I really could not stress enough how grateful I was that I was the first to lose them!  Well, it is 'subdued week'!

Despite being dressed like a sixties reject, my mind was definitely 'on the job' this week, and it appeared that too much wine was drunk or too much Christmas pudding eaten, as there were a lot of things to be corrected!  I was the queen of the litigators as I spotted not only date errors (it takes us all a time to remember to change the year!) but those in the case numbers on the documents.  No doubt there were some underlings who were being blamed for not noticing things that they had no reason to notice, but I could not be held responsible! I was on a roll!  It must have been the power of the boots, or perhaps the lack of inhibition when it comes to 'calf thickness'! The frivolity in our office was not typical of 'subdued week', and laughter emitted on a daily basis.  Our New Year was, indeed, happy!

The first working week of the year was coming to an end, and once again, I sparkled.  Admittedly, the sparkling was of the clothes variety.  The black boots and somewhat glittery suit was just the ticket.  However, as I entered the office, I looked down and saw that the speckled tights did not match at all. I could not work like this! Of course, Dana thought I was joking, but some things do not work! He reminded me that I would be behind a desk for most of the day, and he assured me that no-one (no-one?) would see the fashion faux pas, but I could not bear it.  Some things are sacred.  My mother may have tutted and shaken her head at my previous apparel indiscretions but this would never do!  I drove home and got changed.  The 'calf thickness' was not accentuated, as I donned the plain black leg covers.  How much better I felt when I drove back in!  

Subdued as it was in our office building, so it was in the shops.  Samantha and I headed out on Saturday morning, full of the joys of spring, despite winter still being in full swing, and headed to one of the discount stores to see if they had some trainers.  My 'tennis shoes' have worn down, and there is a hole in the toe of one.  Samantha and Edward had bought them for me some years back, and we headed to the place where they had found them.  Unfortunately, the shelves did not stock what I was looking for.  The shop was almost empty and it seemed a shame that I could not find what I was looking for, as there was not a queue!  

We travelled around our usual haunts, and once again, the tights that ...... well you know what, were on sale again.  At a third of a dollar, I took them off the pegs, and headed to the check out.  The queues were, again, short.  The cashiers seemed to be rather happy!  My daughter and I spoke in unison most of the time, unable to help ourselves, with the reply, "Fine thank you. How are you", followed by "Would you stop it", and "It's you not me", as if we were somehow 'set'.  The lady at one of the warehouses asked how we were, and we replied, again, in unison.  She wished us a happy new year, and we replied, again, in unison.  "Thank you, and you".  She laughed, and told us we were just "Too cute"!  "We must stop this", we said in unison.  

Dana and I enjoyed a lovely evening at a very quiet restaurant.  It is usually packed, but once again, 'subdued week' was upon us, and as usual, the first weekend of the year does tend to keep people at home. It was reasonably mild, but a little damp, so it was not surprising. I did not dress up, but rather quite down.  Texan style down, for which I actually got complimented last week.  "You are always so smart, and co-ordinated" said a guy in the taco place.  I remarked that I was extremely casual on that day, but he did not seem to think so!  

For the first time this year, I wore a t-shirt and light jacket to walk. I did not need the added thermals.  It was lovely, and on my second journey out of the house, the sun shone and it was glorious.  I saw my English neighbour who asked if I had been swimming recently and I told her that I had not since 22nd November, a date that would be marked on the calendar!  She told me that she goes to a centre to swim, and one of the heaters had broken down.  "Like swimming in the North Sea!" she commented.  Her 'Geordi' accent is still strong, and I could listen to her all day!

I am sure that next week will be back to normal.  No more short queues, no more tired faces, and a full office building.  The weather is not going to be freezing, but it will remain cool.  I do not have my wardrobe planned out, but there will be some sparkle and accentuating going on.  Perhaps I will be asked to model for...but perhaps not!  Onwards and upwards!  As 'abeyance' turns into 'subdued', and 'subdued' turns into the rest of January, I shall look to turn into ..... another story!