A last-minute decision

Unfortunately for you and me both, at the last minute I've been called out of town for work-related reasons from today until Friday to a place that is ASJiNE inaccessible indoors and 25 degrees colder outdoors.

Yeah, I'm pretty over the moon about it, too.

Of all the pictures I could leave you with until I return on Friday afternoon, I wanted to give you something pretty to look at, something somewhat fashion-related and of course, something Monte-focused. I think you'll agree the one I chose of the Baron von Bobbysocks and his trusty pal Burt (obscured by my heavy legs) investigating the new Chanel collection at Saks this past Saturday fits the bill quite nicely.

Before any of you go crazy with your rant-tastic "how could you bring your dogs into Saks?!" attitudes, please to note that the floor manager of the designer section approached Hot Redhead Lawyer and me on his own accord and effusively thanked us for having done so, calling the practice "so French" and therefore, not just perfectly acceptable but correct.

"I do say, Burtie, that one-shouldered dress is okay - a bit Kate Moss for Topshop for me - but compared with the sable-sleeved Prada dress your Mum just bought, it's just so utterly pedestri...oh, oh, come now, little one, I do believe I smell on-sale Gaultier thattaway!"

p.s. before the rumors start spreading, yes, there was a "situation" earlier in the day on Saturday, and yes, it did involve this position in this store. I would like to thank the proximate shoppers who politely looked in the opposite direction during the actual "release," the nice man from the espresso kiosk who so graciously threw away the Border's coupon with which I tidied up the accident, and oh yes, HRL for informing everyone from a small child in the shoe department to a Humane Society volunteer distributing adopt-a-pet flyers to an elevator full of chatty tourists that my dog has a penchant for taking dumps in upscale department stores.

p.p.s. if you too have been feeling a little heart-achy around the holidays, please check out the iMix I put together to make those consciously melodramatic "I wonder what ____ is doing right now..." gazes out the airplane window just a little bit more consciously dramatic:

1. "I'll be over you" (Toto)*
2. "Again" (Lenny Kravitz)
3. "Almost lover" (A Fine Frenzy)
4. "The tracks of my tears" (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)
5. "All my life" (Linda Ronstadt)
6. "No names" (Kate Rusby)
7. "No one" (Alicia Keyes)
8. "Someone said goodbye" (Enya)
9. "I'm not in love" (10cc)
10. "The search is over" (Survivor)
11. "Ballad of a bitter end" (The Poems)
12. "As long as I live" (Anita O'Day)
13. "How lucky we are" (Meiko)
14. "It ain't over 'til it's over" (Lenny Kravitz)
15. "Answer" (Sarah McLachlan)
16. "If we never meet again" (Louis Armstrong)

*'Anonymous No More' -- I told you I'd remember to download it!