Leaving on a Jet Plane

I am leaving today to spend the next five days in Scottsdale Arizona. Now you are probably wondering who in their right mind goes to Scottsdale Arizona in the middle of June, after all a simple check of the weather will tell you that Arizona is hotter than hell during the months of June, July and August. Well I will tell you who goes to Arizona in the middle of June, the National Association of Unemployment Insurance Appeal Boards, or NAUIAB. Yes, it is a conference for work, so I had little control over the destination. They do promise lots of water and ice will be available.

I hate to admit it, but I really look forward to this trip every year. I get five days away from my children, I get to interact with people from around the country who do what I do, and the best part is in the evening, I can do ANYTHING I want because I am all alone. I have been salivating for a month now trying to decide how I am going to spend my precious time. I do have a great friend, Anne, whom I have not seen in several years, so I am going to spend one evening with her, and of course I have scoped out the shopping mall on the internet, and mapped my way to the best locations. I expect to give my Macy’s card a workout.

In anticipation of my trip I have been struggling with what to wear. The conference is business casual, so shorts probably would not be the best choice. I can’t stand the thought of wearing long pants in that heat, so my dress pants are out. I decided on dresses and skirts. Last Sunday my friend Sherry came prancing into church in this completely cute black and cream linen sheath. I drooled over it and demanded that she provide the 411 on where she purchased such a darling dress, because I absolutely had to have it for Arizona. She was kind enough to think I was not completely insane and said it came from GAP. I promised that if I was going to wear it to church I would call in advance to clear it with her. (At my brother-in-laws wedding I came wearing the same dress as his aunt, which would not have been that bad, but the dress was bright pink and quite loud. We looked like we should have been bridesmaids. I learned never to attend a wedding wearing something recently purchased at a popular department store.)

I also found this black cotton dress at Target. Now don’t laugh it is a swimsuit cover up. I have absolutely no intension of stuffing my body into a swim suit during this trip, but I do plan on putting a white t-shirt under this cover-up and wearing it as a dress with cute sandals and jewelry.

Finally, Mark drug me to Old Navy on Thursday because he woke up that morning and decided that he needed his new flag shirt for the 4th of July immediately, despite my best effort to dissuade him otherwise. Lucky for me I was cruising through the women’s section and found this adorable black georgette dress. Again with cute jewelry and shoes I am set to go.

I am taking my lap top with me so don’t despair you will not be without tales of charm with humor and wit.