City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

Well, I have gotten back to the city from the isolated suburban area conference center where I attended three days of meetings. The site is beautifully landscaped, totally artificial, has a golf course, and is in the direct flight pattern of a nearby airport.

One day during our sessions, some of us elected to sit outside the very airconditioned conference room for lunch. (The catering was lavish and mostly quite delicious. I always think any meal tastes better out of doors.) But there we sat around a pretty table on pretty chairs, and with regular frequency, a large, quick shadow was cast upon our table and the surrounding terrace and lawns, followed immediately by the shrieking roar of a huge jet. Now... that cannot be good for the digestion. I write of this, in part, to encourage you who actually live in the country to treasure that authentic experience.

I jumped with every jet. But, remember, this was a business gathering, and even with my rather sweet employer, business is business, and sometimes we just have to go with a flow that is not our choice of flow.

Aside from that, what else might I tell you all? It was great to see old friends amongst the other shop managers from all across the country, and to see what they were wearing. (We all have the same collections, from which to chose our wardrobes, but everyone has her own take on what way to go. I remembered how chilly the conference rooms were, and opted for major layering, and covered feet. My buddies who went "light" and wore sandals, were in big trouble.

We got a preview of the fall collections, and the items are so beautiful. I am one to look for what may not please our customers, but have to admit that this time around it all looked sumptuous...and will be expensive.

Back at work today, and trying to play catch-up, but not with great success. Lots of customers, lots of back-office demands. Time flew. I had one very handsome Brit come in with his visiting about-to-be 75 year-old mum. He wanted to treat her to a new outfit. She was determined to resist. But, we all hit it off, and I figured out what she might actually really like in our current styles, so she is flying home to London on Monday, with a great new cardigan and pair of trousers.

I know that while I was out of town, this site did experience a few bumps and hiccups, or whatevers, and it is wonderful to see that survival is a strength that purplecoo embraces.

So far, I haven't really had time to think about how I may write differently here that back at the other you know where, but imagine that it will all evolve naturally. Time is at a premium for me now, so it is likely that I will be writing ... how can I put this, with less quantity, but maybe not less quality. We shall see.

Pleasant dreams to you all. xo