If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

When I turned 40 I bought a mink coat. I decided I was thin enough and accomplished enough and pretty enough and had money enough. so i did it. If you have never worn a full length mink coat in public you won't understand how much an alpha female it makes you. Other women defer to you physically. Waiters and sales people wait on you immediately and  smell of uriah heap. It's quite wonderful in addition to the warmth and softness and sheen. Of course I wear leather and eat meat and I don’t have a serious problem knowing that some animals died for my comfort. I wouldn't wear wild cats, I draw the line there and snake skin totally freaks me out. but little silky rodents? no problem.

the long coat has since been traded for a long blackgama swing jacket with an adorable matching hat. Much lighter and sensible in the temperate places I have lived since then. but still alpha.

 

When I turned fifty I decided I deserved another drop dead fantastic piece of jewelry. I already had diamonds, an emerald, a sapphire, several strands of pearls from my mother - the pink are the best- and so I decided one baroque pearl in a pendant would be just right. Montgomery has one good thing going for it: great antique stores. so I dropped into Yesteryears and asked about a baroque pearl… on a lark. total lark. and the big haired blonde with too much perfume and lipstick beyond her lip line said," do you mean like the one I am holding right now?" and there it was. one perfectly pear shaped white pearl  about  one inch long. set in white gold filigree leaves with teensy diamonds. and i knew it was one those 'meant to be' things. Jim got it for me for the fiftieth birthday. It went perfectly with my diamond studs. hell it still does. So how does one top that for the next decade marker? Or even equal it? I have always believed that  significant birthdays' gifts should always be durable goods of a totally useless nature... precious jewels, art, whimsical furniture, never household things or clothing that wears out or a trip that only stays a memory. although jewelry hidden in the salad while in Vienna would not be anything to sneeze at. SO i thought I should start early. I mean REALLY  early  because when you have most everything you ever wanted you gotta get up pretty early to find something new and completely different? Oh go on and slap me. I am indulged. poor me.