“Where are you going?”

“Just to look around.”

“You can’t go in there.”

“Why?”

“Women who shop in there never have sex again.”

“Are you sure? How do you know that?”

“Just take a minute to think about it – any woman who wears cardinals, bird feeders and geese with wreaths around their necks across their breasts, is not having sex.”

“Sharon – it’s a given, you never buy anything remotely sexy, but do you ever buy anything that’s fun?”

“Fun, I can’t afford fun. I’m raising kids. They need to have fun. I need to be responsible.”

I did the right thing. I went for conservative. Conservative lasts – it doesn’t go out of style – it might wear out after ten years, but it will still be fashionable. Classic sounds high end; and keeps your mind off of the truth, that it could also be boring. This was how I made my choice. Could I wear it till it fell apart? Would it last till it fell apart?

Linda – knew about fun and apparently she knew who was having sex and who wasn’t.

“Okay – no more birds on my chest.”

“I rest my case – you can’t even say breast! I should be charging for my expertise – this could take a while.”

She was right here as well. In my early years, change of this magnitude, did take awhile.

Years earlier, my family doctor said it was time for me to do something that was just for me. A class of some sort, where there was no pressure, no tests. Something, that would be for fun. Yes, fun – my God, do I sound like some pathetic lost soul or what?

I said yes, that I would do this. It took me a year.

I finally signed up for a Tole Painting Class, which translates into Folk Art. Do remember this was at least twenty five years ago. Folk Art was in.

I’m sure everyone who’s read my blog knows I went through some dark years. To add to the dark I had made myself indispensable to my family (like many women do). You know – the “Can’t go to the bathroom without someone banging on the door in need” syndrome.

I signed up for Folk Art, once a week. For the first few weeks my daughter clung to my leg, but I pried her off and kept going. It got easier for me and for her. Life got better for us both.

I learned to say, “Mom’s off duty.”

But – I had a ways to go and I didn’t think Linda was prepared to give it a year for me to embrace wearing something that was more than just practical.

I tried – made some purchases that fell into the “fun” category and I’d wear them around the house – just to get the hang of it. Then just before I was about to leave, I’d ditch the fun and grab practical and out the door I’d go. Telling myself, next time I’d do it for sure.

Linda and I went down different paths for awhile and then last year we reconnected. Linda still knows about fun. I can say this – I’m not Linda, but I do believe I am now Sharon with a hint of fun.

I now own polka-dot sunglasses and I wear them outside the house! I purchased them with my granddaughter Willem while we picked up a, can’t live without, ‘Hello Kitty’ umbrella. She’s four and – I’m older.

It’s never too late for fun.

Linda – I made it.

I know it took awhile – more than the Folk Art exercise – but feel proud. We’re still alive to witness my success.

Photo: Sharon by; Fred