How wandering can be dangerous... to your purse that is

I have been in dire straits lately - clothes-wise that is. I was out this morning chasing down this particular toy Riley wants for his birthday and collecting money from our health insurance and medicare that is owed to us due to paying various bills.

Our huge shopping centre in the past twelve months has become even bigger. Whereas before you had maybe a dozen or so clothes shops to choose from now there must 50. I avoided them all like the plague. You know the kind.. all 'normal' size clothing stores where the lighting is bright and the music is pop and you feel intimidated even walking in because they would look you up and down and think... Did she walk into the wrong store? Get out FatStuff!!

This morning I felt confident enough to wander through a good half of them. That was my first mistake.

I hit Rockmans, a great store for buying casual/dressy clothes that don't break the budget too much. Right now there is a sale on.. up to half price on most items. How could I resist - especially now I had hot, hard cash in my hands.

I started looking around and I must have had a perplexed look on my face. The sales lady took pity on me and asked the usual 'Can I help you?" Actually she could as I had no idea what size I am now. None at all. I had been holding off buying new clothes because....

1. I wanted to lose enough weight so it made a real difference and so I didn't get that familiar sinking feeling when.....

2. I have put on a gorgous piece of clothing and I'm at least a size LARGER than I think I am!

3. I really don't want a whole bunch of new clothes that I will no longer be able to wear due to still losing weight

4. (and this is the biggie) I was terrified I would still be wearing the same size I was before I started this whole lap-band experience....(now tell me THAT isn't screwy in the head)

Thing is, I really couldn't hold off any longer. My jeans are so baggy I have to keep hitching them up (sometimes even with a belt) and the crutch hangs down about two to three inches and let's face it, it's really not a good look. Same with my comfy trakkies (Jake said they look like parachute pants now lol) and my jumper arms overshoot the wrist and hang halfway down my hand and the hem now skim almost to my bum. They just look daggy and so did I.

Anyway, the lady drew me back and scrutinised me.... holy hell... how uncomfortable is that? She goes, "You're probably between a 16 to an 18" and I thought, "OK.. it's a start," the whole time thinking... please let her be right! (I used to sit anywhere between a 20-22) Since Rockmans only go to an 18 if I didn't fit anything there I was toast. I ended up trying on a few bits and pieces (and though I must have said to her three times... no thanks, I don't WANT an 80 dollar pair of jeans that I will only get a few months out of wearing, she still persisted lol. That's sales dedication for you.) I ended up buying a gorgeous khaki coloured jacket in a 16 (I looked it up and that's a US 12 and a UK 14) and a low pair of hipster jeans in an 18. (The hipsters are a US 14 and a UK 16). I don't think I've ever worn jeans that sit on my hips. I'm more used to ones that come up to the belly button!! But I LOVE these, so comfy and so stylish. I picked up a couple of cute little long sleeves tee's too, one a medium.. huh? lol and one a large (before I started I was easily an XL and sometimes even that was a squeeze.) It was fun and I flew out of that store feeling like a million bucks.

Oh yeah, and I'm due for 2nd fill later today. Will fill ... haha... you in when I return.

Adios