Everything Dance

I had a happy chore today--driving to a little storybook shop on Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell, a shop called Everything Dance.

It's a sweet window of time in the mothering of a child when you get to choose dance leotards and tights, little skirts and scrunchies.

I didn't take dance classes as a girl...but I would have loved the pinks, the tulle, the tights. The grace of ballet! Silk ribbons, sleek buns. Sis took some classes, but I was the youngest of four and certainly by then, my parents didn't spend extra money on lessons and things. [To their credit, they saved money...and built a house on Cape Cod.]

I had to get the right black leo and footless tights for Punch to match her talent show partner when they dance [for exactly one minute and 16 seconds] to part of "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z Thursday evening. I also found two really cute Capezio short wrap skirts in a gauzy safari/animal print, originally $27 each, marked down to $10. 

It is almost 10 p.m. now, and I want to take a relaxing bath. I'm tired and stressed from all of Punchy's stuff this week--Black History Month poster, talent show rehearsals, homework, play dates, after-school activities--in addition to looking for full-time work and keeping up with writing assignments. But I did walk around the block once today and join my friend Elly for a one hour! walk at the park. Invigorating. And: I stared down sweets, enjoyed good coffee and had some slender asparagus with dinner. Good night to you.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Parking meter, 50 cents.
• Lattes at LOCAL for Elly and me, plus jar tip, $11.
• Turkish shop next to LOCAL, pretty hand-blown blue glass tumbler, the better to drink milk from, $15.40. 
• Post Office, mailed two items and bought sheet of 20 Gregory Hines stamps [55 cents per stamp], $12.30.
• Sandwich Theory, bag of salt & vinegar potato chips [300 cal]; smoked turkey, pear, Brie and fig jam pressed on multigrain bread [hot]; medium container of egg salad for still recovering Dan to have with Saltines; and $1 jar tip, about $15.
• Everything Dance, short-sleeve black leo, footless black tights, two Capezio dance skirts, $61.
• Whole Foods, large bunch bananas, pink hyacinths, daffodils, Ezekiel bread and sesame burger buns, half & half, $24.54.
• Partial payment to babysitter/friend, $40. [We usually run up a large bill and pay all at once, which is fine with Elaine and with us, but I like to keep making a dent in it.]
• Paid parking ticket from Feb. 9 online, including $1 convenience fee, $31.
• Tumble Techs Gymnastics, hourlong drop-in class for Punchy, $16.
• At gymnastics, vending machine snacks for Punch and pal, plus one bottle water, $4.

TOTAL: $230.74.