It may be that for the last 8 years, or more, I have refused to wear the dress Miss 10 knew that I had.
I'm not sure how it happened ... this fact that I had become more comfortable in trousers but it did. I picked her up from school yesterday, wearing this dress in 30 celsius heat. I foolishly Facebooked the moment, just mentioning that I knew it would surprise her.
My friends ... they picked up on it in a way I didn't expect. A photograph was demanded. So here you have it, Miss 10 approving and me ... painfully posing.
Even I see that it's too amusing not to share.
The story of that dress ... when my first husband ended our marriage, I had to go onto welfare. The solo mother's benefit. I hated it but I was halfway through that university degree I'd begun aged 34.
I found part-time work, went in to tell them that I didn't need welfare money anymore and the woman ... she was an angel, said that they had to give me an allowance to buy clothes for an interview.
I said, no, it's okay, I have a job. She insisted, as my previous welfare person had messed up my payments so badly.
I found the dress, laughingly called it my princess of the pacific islands dress, and moved to Istanbul where I wore it for parent/teacher interviews.
Then, in 2006, I pulled it out when I got married to the Belgian bloke and was, once again, without money.
Fast-forward to 2015 and here I am wearing that magical dress again. Things are changing drastically, here in my Belgian life ... updates to follow.
