Walkin' the Catwalk

Yesterday I had the unique opportunity to be a model. It was more fun than glamorous though. A friend of mine works at the country club and was in charge of the ladies luncheon. He had asked a local boutique to put on a fashion show for the ladies. Only problem was that he had to supply the models. He must have be desperate, or I was just in the right place at the right time, because he asked if I would be willing to do so.

I do like doing thinks that stretch me, but this was opening myself up in an area that I am self-conscious about. The boutique is one of those stores that is very trendy, expensive, and made for women that wear a size 2. Or at least, that is what I thought.

The day before the luncheon, I had to go to the boutique so they could figure out what outfits I would wear. Then the day of the event, we would walk around to the individual tables and tell the ladies about the clothing and the boutique. Really, we were glorified sales-women.

I had the opportunity to go to the boutique sans kiddos, which was a good thing since things were pricey. One of the rings that I thought was very cute was $198, however the shoes that were very fun were only $80.

The owner was very nice and a great encourager. We settled on two outfits. The first was a sequin tank with a cropped off the shoulder sweater, skinny jeans, and a J.J. Winters clutch. Apparently sequins will be a hot trend into the spring and the sweater made it more casual. The jeans were a problem. Size 2 two and not a size 2 body. Actually she has larger sizes, just not my size. So I wore my own dark wash jeans. and the clutch - very cute, but so not practical for a mommy - even one out on a date with the hubby.

No pictures of me...I even had a camera with me...but I took not a single picture! That seems to be a trend with me. And why my "day by day" blog has not been successful. I'll try and link some of the pieces so you can see what they looked like.

So we started in outfit #1 and walked around from table to table. Some of the ladies asked questions about the outfit and the store, others ignored us and ate their lobster squash soup. One older lady even lifted my sweater to get a good look at the sequin tank!

The second out fit was a black long tunic with a high collar, and a gray cardigan that had a lace back - like see-through lace. Good thing for the black tunic. I wore fun strappy, 4 inch heels that were surprisingly comfortable and carried a Botkier bag. That name meant nothing to me, but I do know that it cost $495!!!

It was a fun afternoon and Morgan got to sit with the bartender and eat maraschino cherries and talk to the older men playing gin. That could be a whole story by itself! Needless to say, I had difficulty getting her to leave!

Snow Driving and other Stressful Situations

I'm thinking I should write a book with that title! It is no surprise that I do not like the winter. I would far rather be laying poolside toasting my skin in 100 degree temperatures than layering clothing until I feel like a marshmallow and attempting to find lost gloves daily.

This past weekend, Billings received a bunch of snow. Really no one knows how much, so we'll just define it as a "butt-load". I really couldn't define how much that is, but I know it would be less if I hadn't given birth to six children!

The city of Billings has done a stellar job of plowing the main roads. Those roads are almost bare, dry pavement now. The side roads, however, are a different story. They are deep ruts of snow with a layer of ice underneath.

My large van really isn't the greatest in the snow, but it does okay. However, in the past three days I have gotten stuck - so stuck that people had to either push or tow my van out of it's stuck place. Six times in three days! I have learned several techniques for getting unstuck. I have done the research, and I will tell you that the best solution so far is a tow rope and another vehicle. Digging out around the tire, moving forward and backward, throwing down salt or kitty-liter - all possible options, but the tow rope - it is the least stressful. My shoulders can testify to that.

So, I'm thinking a letter to the city asking why streets surrounding schools are not plowed might be in order. Then maybe another one to the school superintendent questioning why school is in session when it is unsafe to travel. And for good measure, how about a letter to the news station asking them to investigate the city's policy on snow removal and to point out how ridiculous it is.

I hope they don't mind hand-written letters since I am stuck on a side street in the snow.