I’m still giddy from the shopping spree suddenly thrust upon me last Thursday.  There I was at home, minding my own business, when I got an e mail from my friend Marilyn.  She was at work, and said a co-worker’s friend owns a chi chi clothing store, and was getting rid of winter stock.

Marilyn said the rack of clothing was at her workplace, and that I should come down and have a look.  Even more exciting however, was the price – $10 per piece!!  Now you know that I’ve been on an austerity program which involves no insane clothes shopping, but this lure was simply too shiny for me to resist.

I grabbed the dogs and sped downtown, trembling and salivating a little bit.  What an incredibly enjoyable hour ensued!  I tried on a few things, and ended up with two jackets (one of which is a Joseph Ribkoff) and two tops.  The tags were still on them, and with tax, bought in a store would have been nearly $800.  I however, paid $40!

That highlight kind of helped to balance the rest of the week, which involved the usual: big meal preparation followed by massive consumption.  Luke just left for the oil rigs today, so it’s been ten days of friends and fun.  For him, I mean.  For me it’s been ten days of high production.

But by now you must surely be thinking: is she ever going to mention the fruitcake business again?  I believe this is part of the yearly pattern.  I work like a manic Sandra Bullock from September onward, only to be blind-sided by my own inertia and ennui every spring and summer.

The good news is that I finally have new orchard-themed labels for the Okanagan Harvest Cakes, and also had summer-themed serving suggestion cards made to go with them.  Armed with that, I should be able to force myself around the Okanagan to various wineries and gift stores.  I’ll keep you posted on that.

In the meantime, I have to try not to be so ugly to people who rush up to me and enthusiastically ask me how the fruitcake business is going.  I want to punch them, and tell them it’s not going at all.  Instead, I have to reach way back to junior high school drama classes, and tell them with conviction that it’s going fantastically.

Or perhaps I should try method acting, a la actors such as Marilyn Monroe.  All I have to do is recall the joy of that $10 Joseph Ribkoff and exude that.  Voila, I will be gushing with enthusiasm, bits of spittle forming at the corners of my mouth as I enthuse about the wonders of entrepreneurship.