Girls Weekend Coming Up

I'm going to South Beach, Miami in just over a week for an extra long girlie weekend. Three friends are flying over from England, and another down from New Jersey. We've been girlie-weekending for a number of years now but I still can never decide how to prepare and what to pack.

For instance, what to wear? We'll be going to some fairly glitzy restaurants (they've already made a list) so I'll need something nice. However, it's hot there, so the nice stuff that's currently hanging in my closet isn't appropriate, unless I want to sweat off five pounds at dinner. (Ooh, wait.....) I would pull out my summer stuff but I vaguely remember chucking most of it out in disgust last September. Ten and fifteen year old t-shirts only last so long don't they? Perhaps I should just take a half empty suitcase and buy things there?

The London trio aren't married thus still in the habit of taking three hours to get dressed, and the Jersey girl has no kids, so ditto. Doubtless, they will have two suitcases each of Miami appropriate outfits from which to choose, over a glass or two of Prosecco. Me, I can shower and get dressed (including drying hair and applying facepaint) in about 20 minutes. (I used to rush because the then toddler was usually not being adequately watched by the teenager, now it's the darn dog having a sly nibble on everything the minute your back's turned.) The fact that I will probably have a choice between two outfits cuts the time considerably.

Then there's the wine. I can't decide whether to refrain this week and attampt to flatten my stomach, or double my usual intake in an effort to keep up? Choices, choices. There's a pool at the house we're renting, so the swimsuits will be donned. Anyone caught wearing a sarong or other such stomach camouflage will be verbally abused and then probably thrown in the deep end.

And that reminds me. I don't have a swimsuit. That went out at the end of last summer after a month of pain and discomfort. I have a long torso and, when I do find something that reaches both ends, straps usually end up deadening my shoulder nerves and halters causes damage to the neck verterbrae. I would say I'd leave the swimsuit shopping till I get to Miami, but somehow a sequined, leapard print, up-the-bum and cut-to-the-navel affair is simply not quite me.

Off to the Lands End web site.

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