I'm Seeing Red

What is it with me and all things red?

First, there is my tendency to blush or flush at inopportune moments.

Then my love affair with my newer red vacumn that I bought last year at an actual 'vacumn store', how housewifey is that?

Now I have the purse, the purse that instigated the first argument with my husband in a very long time.

It all started on a day of pampering when I visited my girlfriend's salon in Rockridge to get my hair colored and cut. I had an upcoming deadline to find cool products for my 'Let's Pamper Mom' column for the May issue of a local magazine. Kate promised to show me some shops in the area where I might find products to feature.


The first shop was called "Who's Your Betty?" on College Avenue. It featured funky purses and jewelry, accessories and such, most hand crafted. I fell in love with a purse way out of my price range. Red and sparkling, with silver studs lining the outside and a soft leopard print lining on the inside, handstitched by the owner of the store. Of course I had forgotten my camera. I was in a what-the-hell kind of mood, and with Kate's encouragement, I bought the purse way out of my price range.


I didn't tell my husband about it, though I showed it off to my sisters and peeked into the shopping bag where it hid through the weekend. Then hubby found it, complete with the $90 pricetag. And he found it Easter morning as I rushed to get ready and get the boys ready to go to the in-laws for the morning. I heard him ranting about something in the front room...I knew I was totally busted.


But more than ranting, he 'ordered' me to return the purse. I stewed in my quiet way to his parents house and he continued to bitch. Eventually we told the in-laws who told me to stand up for myself (something I need to work on, for sure) and that I earned money and I deserved to treat myself.


The purse stayed in the bag another few days.


Then, I took it out. Carefully transferred the cell phone, business cards, wallet and lipglosses into its leopard printed depths.


"I guess you decided to keep the purse," he mumbled later that night when we were out at my sister's house.


I smiled and patted the soft vinyl sparkles. My family teases me that it looks like Dorothy's ruby slippers, its so sparkly. Kate told me I needed matching red shoes to compliment the rogue purse. I'm thinking it's time for a nicer wallet...