CSquaredPlus3

Barbie Dream House And The Chocolate Room

The little girl I used to strip with in Winchester, Indiana, -- Debbie -- recently found me on Facebook.  It was a glorious day!  We fell out of touch nearly 35 years ago, but the memories are crisp, warm and happy.  I LOVE when it's a mutual Facebook connection.

I forwarded Debbie the post I wrote about our stripping. [Read here.]  Thankfully, she liked it.

Debbie was more than a childhood stripping friend...  I loved playing with Debbie because she was smart, fun and imaginative.  She also had the nicest mother who was permissive but not in a reckless way.  As a single parent, Debbie's mother did a wonderful job providing structure, surrounding Debbie with love, encouraging her... and giving her the coolest room and stuff.

Debbie had a canopy bed in her girly-girl room and all the best girly toys.  She received a Baby Alive doll one year for Christmas along with a pack of real disposable baby diapers.  We fed and changed that doll again and again and again.  I think we may have clogged her plumbing because we didn't always provide the doll with the recommended bottle of water between spoon feedings to wash out the red and green Cream of Wheat-like food.  Debbie's mother gently warned us, always with a smile, "Girls, Baby Alive might not work properly... and she might start to smell... if you don't follow the directions."  But she allowed us the choice to gorge Baby Alive.  And gorge her, we did.

The item I coveted most of Debbie's was her Barbie Dream House.  I think it was technically the Barbie Townhouse, but it was MY dream house.  It had three stories, an elevator, and cool girly decor.  If I could have twitched my nose like Samantha on Bewitched or blinked like Jeanie on I Dream of Jeanie and made myself Barbie size, I would have been prancing around that dream house in my tiny, tight, high-heel Barbie shoes, and my mini-skirt with figure flattering blouse, dusting furniture while sipping a cup of tea from a teeny-tiny cup and saucer.  Trust me, I tried.  I twitched and blinked so often as a kid, I'm sure I appeared to have a tick.

I would have twitched or blinked Debbie into the scene... as Skipper.  Sorry, Debbie.

Today my dream house would look much different than the Liberace-style house I desired in the 70s. [Although a part of me still enjoys sequins, feathers and over the top opulence.  Like a part of me would also like to live in Willy Wonka's factory, or the land of Oz.  Fantasy.]  I've learned that bigger isn't better.  It's more to maintain.

I never had my own Barbie Dream House, but I'm thankful to Debbie for graciously sharing hers.  I'm also thankful for Debbie's willingness and shared desire to explore our fantasies, stretch our imaginations and her mother's appropriate and loving support.

I was saddened to learn that Debbie's mother passed away in 1999.  I would have liked her to know that a day with her and Debbie, was like entering the Chocolate Room.

Like a Training Bra

I was in the orthodontist's waiting room, thinking... Eighteen months?  Do I really want these on for eighteen months?  The Today show was on the television and I half listened to President Obama talk about the swine flu.  yeah, yeah, yeah... the CDC and the WHO don't know what the hell is going on yet...

The women behind the front desk were coiffed and smelled good.  Their voices dripped with the sweetness of saccharin as they spoke to one another.  Look. At. You!  I don't think I've EVER seen you in pink before... Gosh, you look pretty today!  When one woman would turn her focus back to a computer screen or files on a desk, the others would take in every detail of her appearance.  They all took turns participating in the covert operation of sizing each other up.  I stared at their teeth.

I got braces on my teeth last week.  Not Invisalign, but the old fashioned, silver, train track braces.  They're only on my top teeth with plans to add them to my bottom teeth in a month or two.  I've never had braces, nor have my kids, so this is a new experience for me.

I told Mother I had made the decision to get braces a few weeks ago...

Mom:  What's wrong with your teeth?!

I explained.

Mom:  Well... so much for saving money.  I thought you kids were trying to save money.

Me:  We have extra money this year in our tax-free medical spending account, Mom.  If we don't use it, we lose it, so I've figured out a moderate and responsible plan to contribute to the braces without draining the account in case we have an emergency.

Mom:  I still don't see what's wrong with your teeth...

Several of my friends have had braces and a few are wearing permanent retainers.  I've had plenty of people to call upon for encouragement, support and to answer my questions.  I'm comfortable with my decision and after nearly one week, I have no regrets.  Only 77 more weeks to go!

A friend asked me how my mouth was feeling.  The braces had only been on a couple of days.  I told her it was like my first training bra...

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When I was in the fifth grade I wanted a bra so badly.  I didn't need a bra.  At all.  Many of the popular girls were wearing them, so I believed I needed one too.  Mom took me shopping and we bought a training bra.  I loved how when I bent over to reach for something, the back straps were very visible.  I felt like a 35-year-old.  It was awesome!

I didn't wear the bra all the time, just when I wanted to look 35, like when I went to the skating rink on Saturday afternoons to skate.  Boys were there.  Lip gloss?  Check.  Pom-poms for skates?  Check.  Training bra?  Check.  Tight, satiny shirt so bra strap would be visible when I flexed my back?  Check.

Mom and I were going shopping one afternoon.  It was a big deal for the two of us to have a shopping day.  We had to drive from our small town, Winchester, to Muncie [Indiana] so we could shop at a real mall.  We usually dressed up and ate lunch in a restaurant.  I decided to wear the training bra.

Mom:  Chrisy, if you're going to wear the training bra, you need to wear it... all day.

Me:  I will, Mom.

As much as I liked having visible bra straps under my shirt, the training bra irritated me after about an hour.  If I was with Mother, she found a bathroom so I could remove the bra and she would carry it in her purse.

After an hour of shopping on this particular day, I couldn't take it anymore.

Me:  Mom, will you carry my training bra?  It's hurting me.

Mom:  Chrisy!  C'mon, you're fine.

Me:  I can't, Mom.  It's tight and rubs my skin funny.

Mom:  Take it off, but carry it in your own purse.

Me:  My purse is too small...

Mom:  Maybe from now on you shouldn't wear it when we leave the house. [Crushing, because that was the whole point, for THE WORLD to see that I was old enough for and possibly needed a bra.]

She took the bra and I don't think I wore it again for at least a year, maybe two.

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The braces?  Not uncomfortable at all for the first day.  Now?  My mouth is irritated, my teeth hurt, and I'd like my mother to carry them in her purse... for just a few hours.

Image of Darla from "Finding Nemo" courtesy of Google Images.

The Magic Dress

Mother and I enjoy shopping together.  We always have.  When I was a young girl, we'd drive from Winchester, Indiana, to Muncie for mother-daughter shopping days.  Even though I was as young as eight, I really believe Mom valued me as a shopping partner.

Now that we're older the only trouble we occasionally have is that we head out in the morning, take a lunch break with a bottle of wine, then shop some more and end up buying matching outfits.  We live in different states so it's really not a problem.  Other than that one time we met in Las Vegas a few years ago and had packed a few of the same sweaters.  We worked it out [they looked better on me].

Mom took a trip to Indiana in early October and spent the last day with a friend in Indianapolis.  They shopped a little and Mom's friend wanted to go in a store Mother and I never go to because it looks... trashy.  Much to her surprise, Mom left the store with a new dress (happened to be a dress her friend purchased too).

Mom called me when she returned to Arizona...

Mom:  Chrisy, you have got to go to [trashy store].  Marsha shops there and I was watching her try some things on, and she tried on the cutest dress.  I was just waiting for her, so I tried it on too.  It. Is. Fabulous.  It's black, has a perfect neckline, fitted three-quarter sleeves, perfect length.  I'm telling you, you've got to go try it on.

Me:  Did you buy it?

Mom:  YES.  We both bought it.  It's made of this magic fabric.  It's like a big Spanx, only a little thicker.  It holds everything in.  I'm telling you, it's unbelievable.

Me:  How much was it?

Mom:  Under $200.  Get the dress.

Three months later...
I was returning a few things after Christmas.  I popped in [trashy store] and said, "I've never been in here, but my mom bought a dress a few months ago... you probably don't have it anymore.  It's black, three-quarter length sleeves, wide belt, and she says it's made with some magic fabric, like Spanx."

The salesgirl took me immediately to the dress.  I tried it on and Mother was right.  It's fabulous.  It looked good with my stubbly legs and grey wool socks.  I bought the dress.

Two days ago...
I was talking on the phone with my girlfriend Rena who lives in Texas.  She has more occasions to wear nice clothes than I do, enjoys well fitting clothes and appreciates a bargain.  She's a shopper too.  I told Rena about the dress, Mother,  Marsha, magic fabric, etc. ...

Yesterday - Email from Rena...

Subject:  Magic Dress

Okay, I got it!  And the votes are in – it is fabulous.  My little kids were expecting it to do something other than look great when I called it “magic.”  Mother agreed that it is a beautiful shape and that the belt made it.  [Private girl-talk discussing our sizes and weight.]

Mother thought it was so adorable when I told her that you were NOT sharing the dress with any other woman in Utah, but that you had to tell me about it.  [More private girl-talk.]

Hey, what about a tan – I need one on my legs if I’m going to wear the dress without hose.  Know a good fake tan product?  I haven’t looked at those products in over 25 yrs.  Let me know if you have a recommendation. [If anyone has recommendations, Rena and I would both be interested.  More private girl-talk.]

Love you for sharing and ... [Compliment from Rena that makes me blush.]

Rena

So, as long as Marsha in Indiana, Mother in Arizona, Rena in Texas, and I... don't attend the same function having grabbed our little black, Magic Dress, I think we're good.