something fun (m)

Friday is a bitch of a day. Take Aunt X to the rehab facility to see Aunt Y who is still out of it. My cousin B meets us there with Cousin Mary who has bladder cancer and weighs less than 80 pounds. B is the sister of my cousin Jimmy who passed away this week. Words cannot describe how depressing the whole scene is.

I seize the opportunity to leave the rehab center and get lunch for the group. I go to Whole Foods because, more than ever, I am determined to lead a healthier lifestyle. I get salad and sushi. The rest of the group wants pizza so I make a pick-up at Papa Gino's.

After 5 hours of this maudlin scene, I go home. Once there, I have a pounding headache and an overwhelming urge to put on my nightgown and go to bed. Which I do.  At 6 p.m.  I tell T and Harrison they are on their own for dinner. If I could crawl into a hole, I would. Just as I'm about to succumb to a depression-induced nap, the phone rings. You know how I feel about the phone these days. I am tempted not to pick it up, but I see the caller I.D.  My niece, S.

 S: "Hey....how are you?!" 
Me: "Couldn't be better ."(that's not a lie given the circumstances)
S: "Want to have some fun?" 
Me: "Fun? Yes, before I forget what that is, I believe I would like to have some fun. What do you have in mind?
S: "Meet me at a bridal shop tomorrow morning and help me select a wedding dress." 

S and her sister are both engaged. J, the sister, is getting married in Newport this summer. A beach wedding, formal attire which is stressing me out to no end. I helped J pick out her wedding dress. S is getting married in May of 2013 but she is a planner and likes to do things well ahead of time.

We arrive at the bridal shop--named Best of Boston-- and I see many beautiful gowns. While J is heavy set (though she has lost 25 pounds thus far), S is thin as a rail. S favors the Carolyn Bessette Kennedy look...simple and slinky. Her mother and I are trying to add some volume to her body by choosing things with a bit of pouf. She wants slinky. S tries on a dress that looks like a fancy slip. Even in the sample size, they have to clamp the back of the dress to pull in excess fabric.

The bridal dress consultant (what are these people called, anyway?) looks at her and asks, "How much weight do you plan to lose before the wedding?" Seriously? Why can't the woman let the kid try on the gown and then have the bride-to-be tell her if she plans to change her weight prior to the wedding? Why would the woman ask how much weight she planned to LOSE? I can't remember a weight question when I was trying on gowns for my wedding. Believe me, I would have cancelled the whole event right then and there. No wonder women are neurotic about their weight in this country.