super powers

The sun drew us outside but by the time I walked down to the gate my cheeks were already rosy with the cold. It was almost -20C, too bitter to linger outside, but the perfect day for a drive in the country.

Our first stop wasn’t far away - our local dive got our business for breakfast - and then we piled back in our trusty Subaru and headed cross-country to Pet Valu for some raw-coated kibble that we had a coupon for. It’s too pricey to feed as a meal, but great for training treats. Both dogs love the little kibble (not as much as raw chicken hearts though…). 

Then to liquidation to look at winter coats. Didn’t find what I was looking for but did find ANOTHER flannel shirt. Yes… 1 is not enough… and neither is 2 or 3. Four might be the magic number :-0 I will say that these shirts are my favorite winter thing to wear, along with my ‘Sweetlegs’ leggings. Oh yes. I’m quite a sight these days. Flannel shirt, oversized t-shirt, leggings with funky designs… I look like an overgrown, wrinkly 12 year old with no fashion sense. Add in my newly pink hair and you can see why I might get sideways glances at the store.

I have never been a conventional dresser. As a young teenager I’d wear my jeans until they practically dissolved off my legs. I’ve worn t-shirts since I could choose my own clothes. I’ve had shoes with rhinestones, runners with fluorescent laces, cowboy boots, I’ve worn short dresses with high-top running shoes, dress pants with paddock boots. My wedding dress had a bright green crinoline underneath it’s conventional whiteness. 

Some of my ‘cruise clothes’ are middle of the road boring. I suppose that’s when I’m more likely to dress up. Yes, dress up like someone I’m not. The crazy thing is, if you were to meet me on a cruise or somewhere else like a funeral or something, you’d think I was a quiet, boring woman with a stiff upper lip and all that jazz.

I’ve been thinking about this for a few weeks and have decided that I’m going to be the real me more often. The me that sings (well, I won’t subject people to much of that), and dances, and has pink hair and wears flannel shirts. I’m going to cast aside my serious persona and get in touch with my zany side. Or if I don’t fully cast aside (because I do have a serious side - I guess I can’t deny that part of me), I can at least let the crazy out of the bag now and then! At least that’s my fantasy! or one of them. My real fantasy is that I’ll become a superhero with humour as my power.

“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.”

~Sylvia Plath