January 20, 2005

twenty-six point five

“I’ve hit a milestone,“ she said. “And I don’t know whether to celebrate or cry.”

My mother had, after long last, found herself in possession of one very empty nest. We decided on celebrating. Actually, we decided on cele-shopping and cele-dining, in honor of The Finally Empty Nest and my 26.5. Yesterday was my half birthday, which, although never noted in the past, had suddenly become a reason to buy things.

We tromped around Bloomingdale’s sniffing perfumes until our noses went numb and then headed straight up the escalators to buy me a pink coat. Okay, maybe that wasn’t our actual destination, but as soon as the pink tweedy goodness was tucked safely inside the Big Brown Bag, it seemed like a fair enough raison d’etre, never mind an excellent raison du shopping.

I think my mother bought something, too, but the gloriousness that was my new, rosy pink outerwear rendered me unaware. All consuming. Not unlike my love for Topher Grace.

My mother’s every-other-month business trips are her chance to see that, for at least one meal, I am well fed. And when cele-dining, really well fed. We slid our way on icy sidwalks from Bloomingdale’s down 58th Street to Felida, where I was temporarily separated from The Pink Coat and ushered upstairs to dinner. We celebrated empty nests and half birthdays with things like pear ravioli and veal tenderloin. Mom had the veal. It makes me feel like I’m eating a pet. Several courses and fifteen hours later, and I’m still stuffed to the gills. Hee. Gills. Get it? Anyway…

I’m hoping we get to celebrate 26.75 in the same manner. You know, just in time for spring shoes.

Posted by This Fish at January 20, 2005 12:19 PM
Comments

Sounds fabulous!

Just what you needed.

Posted by: Wicked H at January 20, 2005 12:34 PM

Gills! HAHA! You crack me up. :)

Posted by: Sondra at January 20, 2005 12:42 PM

Sometimes a celebration requires some crying. :) Regardless, sounds like a great milestone for you both. Lucky mom, lucky daughter.

Posted by: essny at January 20, 2005 12:59 PM

Sometimes a celebration requires some crying. :) Regardless, sounds like a great milestone for you both. Lucky mom, lucky daughter.

Posted by: essny at January 20, 2005 12:59 PM

bloomingdale's. i'm drooling.

Posted by: red at January 20, 2005 01:26 PM

Inbetween birthdays you need to celebrate victories like drinking water and eating vegetables.

Or you could copiously record dates of everything so you can manage to find a birthday everyday. Like. Today Is The Day I First Managed To Get To Work On Time, Get A Latte And Not Run My Hose. One Year Ago. Today.

Posted by: Sarah at January 20, 2005 02:11 PM

Topher Grace?..... really?

Posted by: r at January 20, 2005 02:22 PM

Sure. He's adorable. I don't mean I want to do dirty things to him; I just loooove him.

Posted by: Fish at January 20, 2005 02:33 PM

Does your mom ever make visits to Ohio? Could she adopt me for a day? Pretty please? I wouldn't even need clothing, just a good meal if that's possible . . . in Ohio.

Posted by: jimmy c. at January 20, 2005 02:53 PM

Topher Grace does have that... "you must love me cause I'm just so darn cute" kind of thing about him :) Not the same as Russell Crowe's "you must love me cause I am" sort of thing but nonetheless :)
I think half birthdays should become my new reason to shop... my 27.5 is coming up in March.... * runs off to start planning *

Posted by: christie at January 20, 2005 03:06 PM

Wait, how did Topher Grace get in here? Also, shouldn't it be CHRIStopher Grace? That's how he introduces himself (to people like me who, even though watch That 70s Show, apparently aren't coherent enough to recognize a famous person).

Posted by: Robotnik at January 20, 2005 04:09 PM

Our Moms united would be a mighty force - at least, at Bloomingdales they would be :)

Posted by: Ari at January 20, 2005 04:16 PM

Disregard my Topher Grace question. I didn't remember your fondness for him, from this post. Had to re-read. YES, I am an edjit.

Posted by: Robotnik at January 20, 2005 04:26 PM

mmmmm...Topher.

Not to be confused with "tofu."

Posted by: Bre at January 20, 2005 04:28 PM

Topher Grace or Johnny Depp
Toby Mcguire or Orlando Bloom
Javier Bardem or Gael Garcia Bernal

yummmmmmmm.............

Posted by: robyn at January 20, 2005 04:54 PM

Johnny, Orlando, Gael.
Definitely

Posted by: Robotnik at January 20, 2005 05:23 PM

We want to see a picture of the pretty coat!

Posted by: Tammi at January 20, 2005 05:59 PM

Shite, I read the above comment as "Petty Coat." Oh yea, I'd love to see a picture of your petty coat. What a fashion statement that would make.

Posted by: Robotnik at January 20, 2005 07:48 PM

...or is it Petticoat?

Posted by: Robotnik at January 20, 2005 07:49 PM

Next 1/2 B-day, you need to invite Urban Kvetch. She's into the halfsies; she even wrote a post about it. Some of her crazy readers even sent her gifts! Imagine that!?

Posted by: Plantation at January 20, 2005 08:57 PM

Did anyone else think from the title of this post that Fish was deciding to train for a marathon?

Posted by: Chex at January 20, 2005 11:47 PM

pear ravioli? That sounds YUMMY!!!!

Posted by: jennifer at January 23, 2005 09:29 PM