Pretty Ugly

Pretty
The BEAUTIFUL Lilly Pulitzer patchwork handbag with lucite handle that my friend Elly gave me, just out of the blue. She does that kind of thing a lot. She's such a generous person. I stopped by on a stormy Tuesday night after dropping off Figgy's friend, and Elly said, "I have something I've been meaning to give you."

My bag is way prettier than the one pictured above, but I couldn't find an image of mine online and had no time to take a picture. Mine [from the sixties, I'd say] is called "The Lilly" and it's covered with a patchwork of Lilly fabric rectangles--florals in blue, pink, orange, yellow, green, each bordered with white ribbon. Inside: kelly green felt lining, and, under the lid, a little oval mirror and perfect white grosgrain bow. The purse has golden metal trim and a snap closure that feels so formal and official, as in, I'm Laura Petrie and this is my pocketbook--look! It's mint condition. I adore it. I used it so proudly on Easter Sunday.

Most amazing detail: Elly found it at A YARD SALE on Long Island. She kills me.

But I wonder: Who owned it? Where did she get it? Did she ever use it? For what occasion? What did this pretty purse hold?

I think we should all go back to these seriously chic purses. They're a commitment to style and beauty, and our lives will become dressier, too.

Thank you, Elly.

Ugly
My battle of the bulge is all uphill, especially a day after Easter. Figgy is the type who has held onto her giant chocolate rabbit for months without eating it. I don't know if she will this year, but so far she hasn't taken a single nibble off that delicious-looking ear.

And, Rachael Ray's Chocolate Layer Cake was deep, dark and dusky, but alas, it's still here, and I work out of my home. I had two pieces today. Finally, I cut it in slices and froze the rest. Told Figgy, so she and her friends can find it and help themselves.

Sometimes, I think food is art, and I want to leave it out on the crystal pedestal on display. But food as art doesn't work in the long run.

I did take one good step. I wrote on my to-do list today--and told H.--that if I started eating the Cape Cod potato chips left over from Easter, I was going to throw both half-full bags in the garbage. So I did.