Ladies Who Lunch

A few mere days since deciding I needed to blog, and the computer gods are laughing at me. Someone *cough, cough,* forgot to update our virus protection after I reminded him that it was running out, so our computer? She is ailing. I am posting this from my husband's computer, but as it will be unavailable for a few days, I guess I'll have an invisible blog. Or! It'll be just like before I started blogging and all of this stuff will just be bouncing around in my head waiting for any little opening to spill out all over everything. Yep. That spells trouble for when the computer comes back. There'll be thought overload all over the place! On the other hand, I could just drink alot.

Enough of that business. On to the good stuff! Today I found myself on a Ladies Shopping Day/Ladies Luncheon. It was fabulous! The clothing was pretty and well-priced, the food was great, and the company--Oh! the company was most excellent. Yes, I took my 4 year old daughter, Mary, shopping at Kohl's for an Easter dress, followed by lunch at Steak'n'Shake (known in our house as Milk'n'Shake). It was quite a time I'll tell you! We found many, many dresses that she declared she needed to have. I told her that perhaps we should save that particular word for things like food and shelter, but you know? She's right. You gotta have clothing. And if it comes in the form of a pretty, polka-dotted, twirly dress, who am I to argue?

She was a hoot to watch. Touching the dresses and purring at the ones she was particularly enamored with. I did see glimpses of the future, however, when trying on the dresses she expressed emphatic hatred for any item that I thought was cute. I think at one point I may have rolled my eyes and muttered something about her not being 12 yet and heaven save me from a house full of teenagers. Whatever! We found some dresses that fit the bill (and shorts and shirts and shoes!! Yes, that bill was adding up...) and were both famished after such an excursion. After much deliberation, it was decided that we should go to Steak'n'Shake because it was closer. "Right here across the parking lot, mama. McDonald's is waaayyy over there across the street." My child is all about energy conservation.

As we waited for our meals, much scintillating conversation took place. The other diners were probably eavesdropping, so witty and fascinating were we!

Her: Mama, I have a boo-boo on my hand.

Me: Really? Where?

Her: Just a second, let me find it.

Me: waiting....waiting....waiting....waiting...waiting....while she searches for this horrific injury.

Her: There! Riiiiight there. Do you see it? It's very little.

Me: (Pointing to a little red mark about the size of a period.) Ummm....that little thing right there?

Her: Yes.

Me: It's very small.

Her: Well, sometimes the smallest ones hurt even more than the biggest ones.

Me: I guess that's true. I have some boo-boos on my hands, too. From cutting down the branches. (I point to my scratches.)

Her: (Said without a hint of irony or sarcasm) I'm very sorry to hear that.

And then our meals came and all I heard was the sucking noise from the straw in her milkshake.

As we were leaving, she held my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Mom? We should do this again sometime."

"Yes," I said. "We should."

"How's tomorrow for ya?" she asked.

I laughed and reminded her that she has school tomorrow. But in my heart, I was clearing my calendar and inking her in.