The House today voted to repeal the Health Care bill. (The vote was all the Republicans plus three Democrats.) They know they have NO chance of its going through but they want to impress their Right Wing constituents and their Tea Party supporters that they “mean business”. That is laughable. Meanwhile, if they succeed, they will be in even greater trouble, because they have no ideas about a new bill to replace it. They are so lame, it beggars the imagination.

A day ago I was in the tailor shop chatting with Susan, and Stan, the art teacher walked in with a pair of pants needing altering. We chatted and I ignored saying anything about the questionnaire and he didn't bring it up either. He sees me walking and biking (a real struggle for me lately) and probably thinks I am not being truthful when I say I can't make it to his art class because I have trouble in the morning. "We all do," he said. I didn't bother going into detail, but after breakfast I go back to bed for two hours and walk in the afternoon. Then he offered to drive me home -- he is renting close by my house. I often have acquaintances stop to chat and offer to give me a lift. What is it about exercise they don't get?

Anywy, he left and I noticed a dress for sale that had been brought in by Maggie, another customer, who imposes on Susan to sell stuff she picks up at consignment shops. Sue doesn’t want the stuff but lets her hang it up. There was a formal gown there, a Nicole Miller (I have just learned that this designer is in the top tier), for sale, Sue said for $20. It was sheer black with front and back panels and silver floral design. I don’t know if my description appeals to you, but let me say it was stunning. It was 1920s Fred & Ginger stunning. I tried it on. The shoulders would have needed altering, and there was miles of it, almost like a wedding train, that needed to be cut off but the rest of the dress was perfect.

While I had it on, Michelle walked in. She is 30-something, had her small son with her, and is as cute as she can be. She “went ape” over the dress and when she learned it was Nicole Miller, said it was worth $1,000 new. I told her she should try it too. She looked good in it and I said she should have it. I don’t have that many occasions for such formal wear anyway and Michelle is married to a plastic surgeon (maybe even, she might be older?) and they go to a lot of affairs. She was thrilled at my “sacrifice” and I took pains to assure her it was okay.

Then the infamous Maggie walked in and Susan, to my great dismay, thinking she was being funny, said Michelle and I had been “fighting over the dress” and guess who won. Then Maggie said Sue had misunderstood her and the dress wasn’t $20, it was $60! Am I psychic when from the start, on noticing Maggie was approaching, I told Michelle to go out the back? Anyway, Michelle is paying the $60 because (maybe you guessed this) she is not poor and she really wants this gown.

I phoned Susan when I got home and couldn’t reach her but we talked this morning. Can you believe that she was mulling over what she thought Maggie had said, saying, with furrowed brow, “I’m almost sure she said $20.” Are you nuts? I asked gently. Maggie was lying, lying, LYING. Why do you even let her walk in the door? What a sleaze. And, of course, if Michelle hadn’t happened by and I had agree to buy it for $20, no way was I going to go up to $60 and Maggie would have been totally out of a sale. And think about it, how many women in this area who are into formal wear could fit into it? Maybe two, and Michelle and I are it.

Then I told Susan, she should charge Maggie a consignment commission. This is the third dress Susan has sold for her for nada. I also said if Maggie brought more stuff, Sue should stick it in a box and hand it back to her.

I was really incensed at this kind of b.s. and can only hope Susan will be more forceful with this woman in the future. Or, I should be there. Heh, heh, heh. Mayhem.

Meanwhile, I think Sue should get a pot bellied stove we can all sit around, and set up a coffee machine.

Here's the latest on my thyroid -- I am getting better. Temp has improved from 94-97 to 98.5 at one point today. I have been monitoring my temperature for weeks and this is the first time it has gone past 97. But aside from that, I still feel lousy because I have aches and flu-like pains. So does Ed. Never home free.

xx, Teal