Who's That Girl?

I make a point of having a productive, albeit hungover, Sunday.  More Christmas shopping. More organizing my house. Time I never had before all being put to good use.

I have even gotten brave and have allowed the cats to co-mingle.  Yes, the warring cats. The territorial bully Trinket, and the joyously intruding Gidget.

While the kids had been with me all week, I'd asked that they let them spend as much time together as possible. Letting them get to know each other. Establish boundaries. Mark territories (hopefully without the assistance of urine) and learn to stay out of each others ways.

I'd left them alone for a bit on Saturday while I'd left the house. I admit I was nervous. Called Charlotte. Felt as terrible as I had when I'd left the children with a babysitter for the first time. Irresponsible and guilty. I must be crazy.

But I have a reason to get the kitties acclimated to life with one another.

On Thursday, I will leave them home alone overnight for the first time.

Kate's sister is flying in from Wisconsin. Kate is picking her up at the airport, Joy is taking a taxi downtown, and I am flying over the bridge after work, taking the hairpin exit from the bridge and zooming into Olde City to meet at the hotel Kate has booked. We have a girls night planned and a hotel room to sleep in once our hair has been ignited and has eventually flamed out.

I can hardly wait. We did this for each of our 40th birthdays.  There are cocktails while primping. There are lots of people befriended during the night. There are comped meals and comped cocktails as soon as the restaurant or bar staff figure out Kate works for the magazine whose restaurant critics can make or break you in this town. Even if she has nothing to do with the reviews. She sells advertising. Still, she's a meal ticket every time she opens her mouth.

So I have cats to acquaint. I have outfits to plan. And backup outfits. And a bag to pack. Jewelry to select. Wine to buy, and smuggle into the hotel in my bag.

And I have to get my game on.

I have to stop seeing myself as the jilted, betrayed humiliated former partner of a man I'd have given anything to and done anything for.

I have to begin to see myself as the formidable woman with a great career, fabulous smile, razor sharp wit and kick ass body that my girlfriend see.

This is going to take a few days of conversation with myself.

So as I put a whammy on my cats and convince them that they can live with each other, I will cast a spell on myself as well, and convince myself that I am the kind of woman I want another man to see me as.