I started writing this on Friday, but then got distracted by heat, another tennis tournament, more heat, and exhaustion. It's all written from Friday's perspective and I can't be bothered to change it, so pretend it's still Friday.

I had a half day yesterday. You might think, "She works at home--isn't every day a half day?" but it's not true. Really. It's not. In fact, a lot of days I don't leave the house at all, or at least not until 6 or 7 at night. I'm more tied to being in my office at home than I was to being in my office at work. I have this extra level of guilt if someone can't get a hold of me for any reason during the day. I've been known to run out of the bathroom at top speed just to catch a phone call (which 9 times out of 10 is a telemarketer). I've even been known to take the cordless phone into the bathroom with me. But only in a dire need-to-pee emergency when I'm expecting a call. Luckily, I've never had to actually answer the phone in that situation.

Anyway, half day. Yesterday. I spent some quality time on the internet, wrote a bunch of checks (checks that would bounce like little rubber balls if they were actually cashed but since I was mailing them to faraway destinations like the Land of Mastercard and my paycheck was being deposited the next day I figured I was ok), wrapped The Best Friend's birthday present, went to the post office to mail said checks and birthday present, did some random shopping at local stores I've been wanting to go to for weeks but are always closed when I go by them, and then went to buy some bras.

I've been playing a lot of tennis lately (this week I had the tournament on Saturday, a USTA match on Monday, another make-up USTA match on Tuesday, my favorite drill on Wednesday, and another tournament this Saturday and Sunday) and that necessitates good sports bras. I had two good sports bras, one back-up ok sports bra, and three or four almost-useless completely stretched out not supportive at all sports bras. Let's see, tennis 6 times, three usable sports bras, you do the match. Once upon a time in a land far, far away when I had free laundry in our apartment building this was not much of a problem. Get done with tennis, do a load of laundry. Today when I have to go to the laundromat (using up valuable time and quarters) it's not so easy. We typically do laundry once a week on Sunday mornings, three or four loads at a time. On a week like this, that's not sufficient to provide me with clean sports bras (sink washing just doesn't cut it after 2 hours playing tennis outside in 90-degree F heat).

I've found that the average sports bra just doesn't provide sufficient support for a well-endowed girl like yours truly so I was on a mission for the Natori sports bra. This thing is fabulous. As my friend AR has noted, I need a complex system of lifting and rigging to keep the girls in place during strenuous activity. The Natori provides this with, "extra side sling on the cups for support." I'm all about the side sling. I'm now a proud owner of four of these things (two purchased earlier and two purchased yesterday) which at $42.00 each (not on sale, never on sale) is definitely an investment. That's $168.00 worth of sports bras, not including tax. The only place I knew of nearby that had them was Marshall Fields, so I took myself across town and had a little spree. I got the aforementioned sports bras, plus three daytime bras (my lingerie has been self-destructing in the laundry--wires popping out, straps breaking, etc.), two pairs of underwear (finally something on sale) and two pairs of DKNY pants. Wait, did I say pants? Pants aren't lingerie (unless you're in the UK). It's rare that I find pants (trousers) that are stylish, fit well, and don't make me feel like a cow. Finding two is unheard of. One was a pair of washed out black denim jeans (flare leg, capri length) and the other was a pair of basic, but funky, black capris (again with the flare leg). I bought them both. My Marshall Field's card shrieked in pain, but it was worth it. I feel like I have an entirely new wardrobe. Plus, The Scientist really dug the jeans when he saw them on me later. Rowr.

Pamie's back! Yay! Pamie! Pamie! Pamie!

Patrick's back too! Yay! Patrick!