Friday I went to a "shopping party" at my SIL's house. (Someone brings in their merchandise, and the guests have wine and apps while browsing the wares.) Coming out of my no-shopping spell, this big spender got away with just this ring and a pair of earrings for $25. (The whole thing wasn't really my scene, which I'll explain later in this post.)
I purchased a ring just like this in New Orleans, but I can't find it...oops. This one has different colored "petals" and is gold-toned instead of silver, so if the other one turns up at least they'll be different.
Saturday I spent the morning looking at handbags online (see? once I buy something I start dreaming about more), and then I let J drag me out for our traditional Tex Mex Saturday Lunch even though my allergies were out in full force. Perking up over chips and salsa (clears the sinuses!), we chatted about budgets and booking airfare for our Big Trip this summer, now that we've built up our travel fund and J has solidified that he has an off month in August.
After lunch, we stopped in a toy store in a tony shopping center to get something for our nephew's birthday, and in the process of leaving, this happened:
How? Before we backed out of our space, we waited for the car behind us to leave and for another car to pull into its spot. We then start backing out, and were almost completely out of the space when the car that had just pulled in also starts backing out. There are two things you can do in this situation: try and pull back into your space, or start honking your horn to get the attention of the other person to stop. Not having enough time to do the former, J started honking. Not hearing the horn, and apparently still not looking, the guy kept backing out, giving us this lovely dent.
The guy gets out of his undented BMW SUV and said, "Well, obviously we were both were backing out without paying attention."
Not finding this true, I replied, "Actually, we were almost out of the space when you started backing up. We were stopped and trying to get your attention."
He then explodes with a "BULLS#$@ LADY! If you're going to have that kind of attitude [insert rant here]..."
I spent the rest of the encounter in the car, incredibly annoyed and staying out of it. The man is at least 50, and he's going to yell like that? While I'm sitting there, two teenage boys get into their pricey SUV next to me and ding their door against mine. Seriously?! I'm right here. They didn't notice my dirty looks.
J told the BMW guy he shouldn't speak to a lady like that and the BMW guy apologized (yeah!) , and he offered to pay 50% of the repair, which I guess is something. He then went on to say that he just didn't understand why his backup sensor didn't beep to tell him he was about to hit us. (Try looking behind you and using your mirror, buddy.)
I cried the whole way home about the cost of fixing the dent - that's the cost of the plane ticket to the wedding we're going to in June! That's the cost of several nights' hotel for our Big Trip! No handbag for me, and I have been on a shopping ban months! (Er, except for some cheap skirts and sundresses from Old Navy. And the ring and earrings I bought the night before. But you know, I had to, my SIL was hosting the party.)
I am feeling better about it now; that's what emergency funds are for, right? I guess that's what I get for thinking I was finally going to splurge on a handbag! At least I got J to hold off on booking airfare for the vacay for a while. He's super excited to pick a place and book it right! now!, while I like to sit and waaaaiiiit for the best deal. (That's right, we don't even know where we're going! We're leaving it up to where we can find a good price on flights. We were originally thinking Brazil, but now maybe a Eurotrip? We're hoping to take two weeks. Suggestions welcomed.)
Saturday evening we said adios to Texas Stadium, which was being imploded at 7 the next morning. We meant to see the big event in person, but conveniently, the alarm didn't go off and we watched it on TV instead.
J having a moment
Goodbye, Texas Stadium. This is now a big, depressing pile of rubble.
And then we went to a crawfish boil. Where the nephew we had bought the toys for had already left to go to a sleepover. Anyway, crawfish are yummy. (And they clear the sinuses! My allergies were back in full force by then -- I don't think I have ever sneezed so much in my life. Unfortunately, I may have to spend the rest of Spring inside.)
So that covers the first three topics in the blog title. So what about Mean Girls? Well, the SIL that threw the shopping party the night before told us about a note she found in her closet that morning.
To give some background, most of the women at the party were moms from her sons' private school, and the conversation was very stereotypically Dallas. (Case in point: a woman with a diamond ring the size of her knuckle told a story about how for her third "section" -- it took me a minute to realize she was talking about a C-section -- she couldn't get the 1500 square foot private suite she had reserved since she went into labor early, and the woman in it wouldn't accept her husband's offer to write a check to switch rooms with her.) I used to feel more self-conscious in these situations, but now it's annoying more than anything. (Especially when I'm essentially introduced as poor because I'm putting my husband through med school.)
My SIL has an awesome home, and some of the women were trying on clothes back in her bedroom. While back there, someone ripped off the bottom of a Valentine's letter that she kept on the bathroom counter that her son had written her, and wrote something snarky along the lines of "we hate you for your closet; it really needs to be bigger."
So even when women are 40, they can still be catty and mean. Yes, she has an enviable collection of bags and shoes in a closet the size of my bedroom. (Too bad we're not the same size. Maybe I should see if she'll let me have borrow a bag?) So what? She also sacrificed a lot in the last twenty years to go through med school, residency, a fellowship, and then became a partner in a successful practice, so good for her to be able to enjoy what she earned how she sees fit. She's also extremely generous (I've been the recipient of her generosity many times), and it sucks that she invited people into her home that felt the need to be mean behind her back by ruining something that meant a lot to her.
How was your weekend? Hopefully it was filled with only pleasant encounters!
Yup, it snowed in Dallas on the first day of Spring. Pool time was most definitely out. (And uh, maybe I should start checking the weather more often.)
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