In praise of sleep and retail therapy

Sunday was a very good day. Sunday was such a terrific day, in such an ordinary way, that I am still feeling the hazy afterglow effects on Monday.

For one thing, probably the only thing that really matters, I slept for almost eleven – ELEVEN! – hours on Saturday night. I’m so pathetic that I fell asleep on the couch before 9 pm Saturday night, and slept solidly until being hollered awake by a hungry baby around 6 am. I nursed him and dumped him into the custody of his bleary-eyed daddy to redeem my one-day-a-week sleep in pass. As I stretched the covers back up to my nose, I was thinking something about, “Man, I’m awake now, I’m never gonna be able to …. zzzzzzz.” And I slept until 8 am.

It’s only in realizing yesterday how much I felt like me again that I realize how much I have not been feeling like myself lately. And, in retrospect, I’m glad that shrieking harridan with the trip-wire temper is not who I really am, although I was truly beginning to wonder. It just felt so good to be in my own skin again!

And frankly, what better time to go shopping than when you’re happy in your own skin? It has been five years since I’ve needed a proper summer work wardrobe. In summer 2000, I was pregnant (but that baby miscarried at the end of the summer). In summer 2001, I was pregnant with Tristan. In summer 2002, I was home with Tristan. In summer 2003, I was pregnant with Simon. In summer 2004, I was home with Simon. Seeing a pattern here? This is the summer I am breaking the pattern!!!

So I stepped out and went shopping. It’s been ages since I did any serious shopping for myself. Every now and then I’ll pick up a sweater or shirt or something if I’m desperate, but it’s never coordinated, never with a plan, and invariably completely on impulse. And so I bought two pairs of pants and four – FOUR – new tops, all mix-and-match. It’s my own little downmarket version of the shopping excursion on What Not to Wear, except I spent less than $200 instead of $5000 and I shopped at Reitmans in Barrhaven instead of tony shops in NYC that would intimidate the hell out of me on my best day.

As if 11 hours of sleep and fancy new clothes (did I mention the colours? Cranberry and cream and black and tangerine – how gorgeous is that?), I also worked in an hour-long walk with Tristan and the dog while Simon napped, plus dusted the living room and dining room (I’m surprised we could even see the television through the fingerprint smears on the screen), plus cleaned up the poop-dogs in the back yard, plus set the boys free in the zoo that was the “largest indoor garage sale” in the city (I miss the Stittsville flea market fiercely), plus made an extremely healthy dinner of grilled mahi-mahi and veggies (which everyone except me hated – oh well, I thought it was yummy) and on top of all that dragged the whole family out on an after-dinner walk. What a day!

And then, because no good deed goes unpunished, I’ve been up since 4:30 this morning with Simon. Ah well, at least I’ve got my new cranberry blouse to brighten up my day. I’ll try not to drool on it when I crawl under my desk for a nap.

Author: DaniGirl

Canadian. storyteller, photographer, mom to 3. Professional dilettante.

8 thoughts on “In praise of sleep and retail therapy”

  1. Dani, you are a marathon woman when you get some sleep under your belt. Holy Hannah, I’m exhausted just listening to what you do when you are well rested!!
    ….hhhmmmm, is there even a TV under the dust bunnies?

  2. You may have caught the shopping virus from me. I’ve shopped more this season than in the past five years combined. I think it’s the amazing colours this season. I want two of everything!!!

  3. Aha! Now I can go home and tell Beloved it’s all Ann’s fault! I’m laughing at your comment “I want two of everything” because I neglected to mention that two of the blouses in my new repetoire are the exact same style in two different colours, and I’m seriously considering going back for a third. Hey, when you find something you like…
    xo Danigirl

  4. I’m a huge fan of retail therapy. This year I’ve been concentrating on shoes because I’m basically dressing a beachball otherwise. Luckily the shoes this year are fabulous!

  5. Ha! I get you! I bought two identical pairs of jeans this weekend, which are the brand new un-previously-enjoyed versions of my favourite ones from the thrift store. Unfortunately, they’re still in the double digits as far as size goes. And yet another black shirt, which is yet another variation on the other black shirts I already own, except that this one has -gasp- a ribbin with get this…white polka dots. My experiment with colour didn’t take. I admire your colour choices, and can see from your picture that they will look great on you!

  6. Sleep glorious sleep! It does wonders doesn’t it? Where can I sign up for this “one-day-a-week sleep?” Seems my hubby hasn’t quite signed up for this–I must insist! 🙂

  7. It sounds like you had a great weekend! I did the shopping thing on Saturday, went to the new Vaughan Mills! Six hours later when all was said and done, I left with nothing but sore feet 😆
    Thank you by the way for the wonderful comment you left me today, it was very much appreciated.

  8. hmmm, sleeping in and retail therapy on the same day, sounds perfect!

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