Don't waste your time at TJ Maxx. Proceed directly to Ross. The Friday before I went to Indianapolis my mood could accurately be called drizzly pissy. To console myself, I shopped. Express has those ballgown-type skirts, which wasn't quite what I wanted. But Ross--I found a Jessica Howard lavender silk dress, lined in white, unwaisted, with a v-neck. I was living dangerously and omitted to try it on. I wore it to DIA to pick up RDC from his trip the following Wednesday, omitting the rose in my teeth, as well--where CGK, whom I saw there, approved of it.

RDC took an earlier flight, wanting to get home to me and Buddy sooner; severe thunderstorms and looming, tornado-gestating clouds made hash of that plan. His original flight arrived 15 minutes late, at 8:30; the earlier flight got in at 9:30, almost 3.5 hours late. It got to the point I wondered if I would finish The Cloven Viscount and have nothing left to read, so I bought the one non-Oprah, non-pulp paperback in the bookstore (Charming Billy). Back at the gate, I saw Ken, waiting for CGK's flight from Toronto. We're such jet-setters, we are.

Another element of lisaness to know is my continual quest for cotton sundresses that I can play in, get rained on in, and eventually degrade to housecleaning dresses. Cotton, full skirt, tank top, no waist or drop waist. I haven't found one in seven years, which means that my nine-year-old, purple one from Caldor and eight-year-odl blue floral one from the Co-op are in tatters.

Today I thought I found one. Violet cotton, sleeveless, no waist, long: I just wanted something I could thrash while camping, and this met my minimal fabric and color qualifications. I didn't try it on, either, before buying it. Tonight, before shoving it into my duffel, I did.

I might never take it off.

Jersey, slightly clingy, long to my ankles, a deep dark violet.

I am still without knockabout cotton sundresses, but I am two up on gorgeous finds from Ross, totaling $25 plus tax.