I am on the verge of a personal record – one that it is entirely possible that I already passed – but am not really sure of – because I am currently in uncharted territory.

The back story is long – but I will make it short – because it is also pretty unexciting. Last year for Christmas I was given a brand spanking new Pea coat. The problem was that I already had one that was nice and old and fine and dandy. So the new coat went back.

I figured that it would be totally easy-peasy to just get some sort of new clothes or socks or anything at all – but over the course of the year – I went to the store (something like) six or a hundred times and could never find anything that I was remotely interested in. I should also mention that the store is about 45 minutes away – so each trip was an actual trip – and not just a quick drop in. I was becoming very discouraged.

Finally – I had pretty much given up – and was going to give the credit to a little bird. But then even she couldn’t really find anything that she wanted. So I kept hunting around and found some of those nifty union suit types of things – of which I got two – which are both red – and then the find of the century – Carhartt pants – lined with flannel and green.

The thing was that I wasn’t even overly excited when I got the stuff – but it was so exciting to be actually getting rid of the credit that I didn’t even care. The fact that I would never have to go into that store – where they constantly follow you around to ask if they can help while telling you the particulars of every object that your eyes move over to the point of “Hey! Would ya get off of my back here – mister?!” – again was the best thing going.

And then I put the pants on.

I am currently on my 14 (fourteenth) day in these pants – which is – to my records – the longest that I have managed to wear any piece of clothing. I mean – you may be thinking maybe a jacket or a sweater has probably been worn more – but we are talking consecutive days here – and we aren’t fooling around.

It is almost to the point where I don’t remember what life was like before the pants – and – even though I know that at some point they will probably walk themselves to the washing machine – I can’t really figure how life will be when they aren’t around.

This one goes out to you . . . favorite pants.

Thanks for all that you do.

[ ** MAJOR UPDATE ** A FEW HOURS AFTER WRITING THIS POST – THE HAND OF INEVITABLE FATE STUCK WHEN A MIS-SQUEEZED JET OF TACO BELL “FIRE” HOT SAUCE EXPLODED ONTO MY PANTS. AS OF WRITING THIS – I STILL HAVE THE PANTS ON – BUT FOR HOW MUCH LONGER? THE PANTS WATCH GOES ON. ** MAJOR UPDATE **  ]