... the day after our trip to sherbrooke, partly as a reaction to the fact that while purchasing a new shirt at a canadian walmart she had heard me comment, "i need to replace some of my worn-out and stained ones," adrien said to me, "do you want to go someplace else, maybe over to conway to do some shopping" ... i wasn't in much of either a driving or shopping mood, so my response was, "nah, i'd rather watch movies with you ... i'll just order some online sometime" ...
... "well, dad, you know that they're on sale at j.c. pennys" ... i didn't, not a surprise considering that the only time i go into that store is when i need a fancy dress shirt, and, even than, it's usually elizabeth has to put me in restraints and drag me through the doors ...
... so, after getting back from evergreen valley, unloading all my stuff, and getting the air in the apartment flowing again, i took a little detour on my way to park the car and wandered to elm plaza on upper main street ... above is the result of my little excursion ... several points of note:
... first, thank you very much, my dearest daughter, adrien ...
... second, my other dearest daughter, liz, you can now be proud that your ol' pops was able to conquer his fear, aversion, and loathing of clothing stores and stroll into a j.c. pennys unescorted ... (okay, so i did have to stand at the door for several minutes doing deep breathing exercises, but, still, i made it) ...
... third, also for liz, you may now stop remarking, "you know, dad, 100% cotton won't as easily hold a stain as synthetics," that sort of thing ...
... fourth, for my pretty-much-daughter-status dearest alison, who while settling into my little "closet/guest room," found the pile of "bad" shirts which with great effort–and more than a few tears–i had managed discard, and then so very thoughtfully moved them to my dirty laundry basket ... upon taking my laundry from the dryer and discovering this, i interpreted it as a sign from the g*d/s that no matter their appearance, the shirts were not yet ready to die ... alison, for now, at least, you can save that "you're hopeless" look for something else, perhaps the shower curtain ...
... fifth, to all the other women in my life who may've noticed that i sometimes appeared to be dressing myself out of the rag bin, but who, unlike previously mentioned females, were either reticent or too polite to editorialize as to my habits, you may now say to me, "oh, patrick, what a nice shirt you're wearing" ... (examine closely, however, before the flattery, since a few of my old shirts have attained "classic" status, thus i cannot bear even the thought of parting; and, for sure, it won't be all that long before i'll somehow manage to bring a few of these to less-than-new status) ...
... sixth, to all the men in my life, you've no say in the matter ... truth is, either you never noticed, don't care, or, possibly, are wondering if perhaps you, too, should make a little expedition to j.c. pennys ...
... p.s. ... for those who're interested, that's exactly $70, including tax and the fact that one of the shirts was not on sale, but was, as the sweet salesgirl advised me, "a new brand that is much nicer material" ... i decided to give one a try, not so much that she was sweet, as that i heard my little voice saying, "what the hey, life's to short to not take a shot at something new" ...
... also, seventh, anyone needs some nice rags, just drop me a note ...
... "well, dad, you know that they're on sale at j.c. pennys" ... i didn't, not a surprise considering that the only time i go into that store is when i need a fancy dress shirt, and, even than, it's usually elizabeth has to put me in restraints and drag me through the doors ...
... so, after getting back from evergreen valley, unloading all my stuff, and getting the air in the apartment flowing again, i took a little detour on my way to park the car and wandered to elm plaza on upper main street ... above is the result of my little excursion ... several points of note:
... first, thank you very much, my dearest daughter, adrien ...
... second, my other dearest daughter, liz, you can now be proud that your ol' pops was able to conquer his fear, aversion, and loathing of clothing stores and stroll into a j.c. pennys unescorted ... (okay, so i did have to stand at the door for several minutes doing deep breathing exercises, but, still, i made it) ...
... third, also for liz, you may now stop remarking, "you know, dad, 100% cotton won't as easily hold a stain as synthetics," that sort of thing ...
... fourth, for my pretty-much-daughter-status dearest alison, who while settling into my little "closet/guest room," found the pile of "bad" shirts which with great effort–and more than a few tears–i had managed discard, and then so very thoughtfully moved them to my dirty laundry basket ... upon taking my laundry from the dryer and discovering this, i interpreted it as a sign from the g*d/s that no matter their appearance, the shirts were not yet ready to die ... alison, for now, at least, you can save that "you're hopeless" look for something else, perhaps the shower curtain ...
... fifth, to all the other women in my life who may've noticed that i sometimes appeared to be dressing myself out of the rag bin, but who, unlike previously mentioned females, were either reticent or too polite to editorialize as to my habits, you may now say to me, "oh, patrick, what a nice shirt you're wearing" ... (examine closely, however, before the flattery, since a few of my old shirts have attained "classic" status, thus i cannot bear even the thought of parting; and, for sure, it won't be all that long before i'll somehow manage to bring a few of these to less-than-new status) ...
... sixth, to all the men in my life, you've no say in the matter ... truth is, either you never noticed, don't care, or, possibly, are wondering if perhaps you, too, should make a little expedition to j.c. pennys ...
... p.s. ... for those who're interested, that's exactly $70, including tax and the fact that one of the shirts was not on sale, but was, as the sweet salesgirl advised me, "a new brand that is much nicer material" ... i decided to give one a try, not so much that she was sweet, as that i heard my little voice saying, "what the hey, life's to short to not take a shot at something new" ...
... also, seventh, anyone needs some nice rags, just drop me a note ...