Life is Too Short for Hole-y Sweaters

Otherwise known as... Single Girl, Shopping...

Not long before he passed, my dad told me that I wore too much black.  You should wear more color, Jen.  

Okay, Dad.

He was right, but what else could I say? 

That exchange has been on my mind lately.  I really miss so many things about my dad.  But as they say... life goes on.  (Writing as tears spill down my face... I do wish I could talk about missing my dad without the tears but I guess if I could I wouldn't be normal.  At least that's what I tell myself.)

Today Linette and I had an amazing lunch at Macaroni Grill.  We had BREAD (is there really anything better than warm bread?), we ordered drinks and appetizers, entrees, and dessert.  Aside from the carby-Italian deliciousness, it was great to spend time with my wonderful single friend.  She filled me in on all the fun from her recent trip to Vegas, and I told her about recent developments with GDA and other realms of my life.

We spent a very fast 2 1/2 hours together, during which time we talked about all the places we'd like to go.  You know Jen, I'm in this part of Orlando every Saturday morning. 

You know, Linette, GDA works nearly every Saturday.  We laughed and promised each other we'd make a point of getting together on Saturdays more often. 

Linette doesn't go to salsa classes anymore... for that matter, I haven't been in a couple of weeks.  I'm taking some time off.  I went through a few hairy weeks of grief and, to be honest, depression, but I feel like I'm on the other side.  Don't get me wrong; I still mourn for my dad every hour of every day... but it no longer takes the most incredible effort just to get dressed and go out of the house.  Last week I talked to GDA about how I was feeling and he told me to take as much time as I needed in regards to salsa.  I am mindful that prom is just a couple of months away so I don't want to take that much time off from lessons (must have mad skills to show the kids), but I have to say that knowing I have a reprieve from late nights out stretching every cell of my being as I attempt to learn the steps of a dance completely outside my culture has unburdened my overscheduled self.

(Side note:  Even though I'm taking a little break from salsa, GDA and I have started taking bachata lessons on Thursday evenings at Salsa Heat.  Bachata is the Dominican salsa.  It's a bit slower and a bit more sensual than salsa.  Right now, bachata is just my speed.  Taking lessons together has been a nice complement to our relationship.  This morning we were practicing the combination that we learned Thursday night.)

I really love dancing with GDA... but I am completely getting off topic from my tale of a delightful shopping excursion.

After our lunch, Linette drove back to My Small Town while I drove further into The Biggish Town Next to My Small Town to go clothes shopping.  After all, I had to remedy the too much black situation... and remedy I did.  I bought a few brightly colored t-shirts, as well as some super-cute blouses, a new pair of jeans, and a great skirt.  I also bought two new cardigans.  I am a sucker for a black cardigan, and my favorite navy blue cardigan has a hole in the sleeve.  One can't see the hole if I have the sleeve pulled up close to my elbow, but all too often at work I look down while I'm writing and I see the hole.  It irks me.

Life is too short for hole-y sweaters.  

Life is too short for lots of things, actually, but at least today I remedied the sweater situation... and I definitely bought clothes that Dad would have liked to have seen me in. 

I'd like to think that he still can.