Shiny...

My DH made contact with the American Embassy. Once we had an address and local phone number, we were directed to contact them and register. The State Department likes to keep tabs on residents... I guess they'd evacuate us if bad things happened... but I digress.

The reason this contact is important is because of the date. It's October. And next month is the US Marine Corps birthday. And there are Marines at the Embassy. And now we are invited to the Birthday Ball.

But I haven't a thing to wear.

I've been to the shopping centers and two small malls. I know that there are evening gowns for sale in Tunis. I don't know what they will cost, or if they will stock sizes to fit my zaftig figure, but I do know that they sell them here.

I've seen dresses in the windows of stores. Oh, yes I have. But are they the dresses that my DH wants to see me in come USMC Ball time? I don't think so.

I like 'em shiny. I like glamorous, over the top dresses. It's hard to compete with a man dressed in the Marine Corps Mess Dress uniform. A lady has to compensate for sure. But some of the fashions I've seen in the local stores are "over the top". Seems the locals really like shiny.

So, for the next few weeks, I will be searching near and far for a ball gown. Something decorous and tasteful. Something unique and flowy. What DH would call 'girl clothes'. And I don't want to spend a bloody fortune on it. Because packed up in my household goods are at least three dresses I could be wearing. If only my stuff was in my hot, little hands instead of packed in a 40 foot shipping container and staged to move.

The only question to ascertain is whether I 'go native' or not. I'm thinking not.

--Sandee Wagner