Down a Size

I got a gift-certificate to Old Navy for Christmas so of course yesterday I headed out to spend it in the after-Christmas sales. We got more snow and unfortunately had to skip yesterday’s Christmas at Jeff’s grandparents’ farm. It’s a three hour drive and we have gotten so much snow in the last few days. My little trip out to shop and go to the gym confirmed that. The highways were not too bad, but still affected. No one was going anywhere near the speed limit, not even the big heavy four-wheel-drive trucks; it was slow-going. Parking lots were the worst of course, and when I saw our mail-man at the corner gas-station, he said subdivisions even more dangerous. Driving was dicey but I was highly motivated. The places I was going were not far from home and just off major highways; I took a calculated risk. 60% off at Old Navy which is less than 10 miles away vs. 20% chance of ending up in a ditch… Shopping it is!

If you know me, you know I am not a shopper. Hate it. Always have. Except for a brief period right after college (thanks for reminding me of that, Miriam aka Best Roomie Evah!). I think that was just temporary insanity coupled with post-college euphoria, before the reality of working until retirement set in.  But I actually enjoyed shopping this time.  Clothes fit better, I felt like the world was my oyster!  Is that a saying?  It sounds weird now that I have typed it out.

I figured I’d just run in and run out; I wanted these “walking pants”.  I already have a pair and lovelovelove them. They are so comfortable and never shrink up or go high-water on me. Since I wear a 32 inch inseam that can be a problem for me sometimes, even though my strikingly Amazonian sisters will tell you I’m short. The pants have been in heavy rotation since they’re my favorites, they last through frequent washing really well and I think for gym-gear they look pretty sharp. The amount on the gift card was blank so I asked the check-out girl to tell me what it was when I walked in and it turned out I was equipped for a shopping spree! What a great surprise.
 
I ended up getting a couple sweaters, a couple long-sleeved t-shirts, a pair of jeans and the “walking pants” or as I call them, loungie pants. And I was so happy to see that I was down a size in pants! Back down to a 14. I was in 16’s for a few months and that was pretty hard to take. I was so happy to be down a size! And the shirts and sweaters I bought were L’s, not XL’s. Thank God. Not where I want to be, but on the way. It’s a journey, one pound at a time. And then I went to the gym and did an hour of cardio.