Be still my frozen heart

It is expected to be a high of 10 tomorrow. That's Fahrenheit for my European friends. Very cold. So cold it's difficult to think about Spring and Summer, yes? NO!

I was just sitting here, collecting my thoughts and reading my mail before I go pick up the Anklebiters and begin what we like to call "Family Time" again. And lo and behold, I received a new Boden catalog in the mail.

Now, I've never really gotten the whole Boden craze. I'll read bloggers that say "oh, I'm just salivating over these Boden shoes" or "that Boden skirt" or whatever, and I think....really? Eh. It's just never been that exciting for me.

First, the prospect of ordering from overseas is daunting. I know, I know, they probably have a warehouse in Tennessee or something. But their catalog still has Euro sizing! So confusing.

And second, although their stuff has looked okay, it has never wowed me.

Until today.

I am truly in love with a few items. Namely, this dress and coat combination! Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen? Or this dress? Or these skirts?

I just read about the Wear Everything Challenge this morning that I stewed over all day. The author is challenging everyone to put a moratorium on shopping until you wear each and every item in your closet (winter wardrobe, that is). I thought "Wow! That's interesting! Do I want to try that?"

And the answer? NO. I do NOT want to try that.

Why? The economy is suffering. Shopping is what I can do to help out, in what little ways I can. Could I stop? Sure, I could. But then, maybe some little old lady who is relying on her dividend check from the Target Corporation wouldn't get one next quarter. Or a single mom who works at the Gap might get laid off, and who wants to see that?

So, no, shopping is what I will do until this economy turns around. And it will. And when it does, I'm going to be wearing my spiffy new digs from Boden. Like this one. And this one. I'm feeling warmer already!