BLUE

Over a year ago, one of Mark's vendors gave me a gift card to Dolce, Arizona's Largest Luxury Salon, for a manicure and pedicure. It was meant to be used last January, as a trade off for letting Mark go on an ice fishing expedition with the vendor's company. An unnecessary, but very welcome swap, since I knew he was going anyway.

For fourteen months, I was thrilled with the prospect of soft feet and the ultimate pampering experience. I mean, It IS Dolce! But for fourteen months, the fabled spa treatment eluded me. I just didn't/couldn't make it a top priority.

And then last week, Mark pushed me to get it scheduled. The plan went like this: he would stay home with Owen, pick up the kids from school, take them to Sonic, and not be at all upset if I stopped off at Chandler Mall on my way home for some light shopping.

So all my mani/pedi hopes and dreams came to fruition on Friday. For 2 hours my feet and hands were massaged, pampered and painted. I opted for the trendy-all-the-hip-stars-are-doing-it-blue nail polish. Russian Navy to be exact. I had my doubts after the first coat, but all the 40-somethings oohed and aahed at my bold color choice, as their own much safer, back-filled acrylics were shaping up. For my toes, I went with the traditional french tip. Thanks 3-M and thanks Mark and thanks Denise, the nail girl, for a lovely afternoon! It was worth the $95 plus 20% gratuity I did not have to pay.