October 29th, 2025

Today we have:  Success!  Surprise!  and a Secret!

If you are onboard with this, let's go!

Perhaps you might remember my post from a few weeks ago about my failed attempt at replacing my old, beat up, white tees.  Well we did not give up, we just took a break.  As you can see, we found one. And that's a big Woohoo!  At long last, success!   Over the past weekend, Tim and I, once again headed out in search of my own particular grail, the ever so simple, iconic, white, tee-shirt.  Which shouldn't be such a big deal but somehow was.  

Walmart had exactly one.  And we bought it.  It doesn't fit perfectly and it's not my preferred neckline BUT it'll do.  I was content with just that one, surprisingly inexpensive, shirt.  But Tim suggested that we hit a few other stores to see if we could find a second one.  Obviously, a shirt that cheap isn't going to last forever. Nice to have a second one as stand by.  Ok, I like that plan.  

I was feeling much better about myself, tee-shirts, shopping and the world in general after our immediate good luck that day, so we next stopped at Burlington which is no longer just a coat factory.  (I'm sure you already know that).  Ours is a rather small store, square footage-wise, and the good folks of Burlington were trying to cram way too many different things into that small space so each section was tiny.  The odds were not good. And in fact, we found nothing. But that's ok.  I still had the new Walmart tee-shirt so I was still considering it to have been a successful shopping day. 

Tim however, pressed on.  In the particular plaza where we stopped, there was a Marshalls, literally next door.  Tim pointed to the entry, " do you want to have a quick look?" he asked. As we stood on the sidewalk, I paused and considered. Ok, sure Just one more try.  

I hadn't been in a Marshalls in a long time so the chaos of it all was a little startling at first.  There were quite a few other shoppers and their carts, carriages and other paraphernalia taking up a lot of space and energy so I was dubious.  At first in an unfamiliar setting I usually need a minute to get my bearings.  How is this store set up?  Where is the section I need to be in?  Where are the registers?  Where are the fittings rooms?  I need to take just a beat.

Eventually I sorted it out and we began.  The racks are a little higgeldy piggeldy, with tops next to pants next to jackets and the sizes often intermixed requiring a bit more attention be paid to things other than, the expected - do I like the look of this?  But that's okay.  I plunged in and slowly, steadily, moved hangars right  to left as I made my way along the Very narrow aisles.

Eventually between Tim and I, we had a couple of possibilities in hand and we began to slog toward the fitting rooms when we passed by the clearance racks.  I do love a good clearance rack.  Naturally I had to take an extra couple of minutes to prowl through.  It really was a quick stop too, Nope, nope, nope and then wait a minute.  Something caught my eye.  It was unexpected for sure. Nothing at all like the plain white tee that was my mission du jour.   Initially I took a step past it and then stopped and backed up.  I took it off the rack and looked at it again.  I held it up too me (checking for length) and decided, what the heck, why not.  Costs nothing to give it a try.

Once in the dressing room I tried on and disregarded the other items quickly. They didn't fit right. But the last item, the clearance rack item, still beckoned.  I laughed at myself while I admired it.  It was a crazy pattern, almost but not quite a cartoonish botanical print, brightly coloured, button front, nothing at all like what I normally would choose.  So what was appealing to me about it?  I have no idea.

When I took the shirt off the hangar I was surprised to find that there was also a pair of matching shorts.  I don't know if that's a thing where you live but I see it a lot here.  I'm not a  matchymatchy kind of girl really, but hey, free shorts with the top?  Maybe I'll wear them together, as intended, maybe separately who knows?  And does it fit anyway?  It could all be moot.

Curious, I slipped it on and surprise! It fit perfectly.  No pulling at the bust, not too tight across the shoulders,  the short sleeves were comfortable and the length was perfect, just over the waistband of my shorts.   I rarely ever find shirts this perfect length! I stepped back and looked in the mirror and laughed out loud.  I loved it!  The silly pattern, the bright colours, all made me very happy.  I checked the price tag and it too made me smile.  All right.  Not a tee-shirt but a shirt.  It's all good.

I didn't bother to try on the shorts.  I don't have the same issue with bottoms as I have with tops.  If the top fits, the bottom will fit. I wasn't the least bit concerned about the matching shorts and frankly I couldn't be bothered taking off anymore clothes to try them on. I can be lazy like that.  As far as I was concerned, the matching shorts were just a nice bonus!  It was all about the shirt.

Tim offered to try other stores but I was done for the day.  Two new shirts and huzzah to that.  
I was so excited that I did the laundry immediately so that I could wear the new shirt the next day.  Here's me in the new shirt.  Sorry about the flash.

Not a great photo, but you get the idea.  Isn't it just the most un-Sam like shirt ever?  I do not care one single bit.  I adore it and I know I will be wearing it a lot, under sweaters and sweatshirts as it gets cooler and on it's own all summer long.

But now to the secret part of the story.  As soon as we got home, I set to work carefully cutting out the 3 zillion tags attached to each piece. I at least glanced at each tag in case there was important information.  There rarely is, but hey it only takes a quick peek. It's not like I have to read an entire encyclopedia's worth of information, right?  So I see the size, the price, the original price, the manufacturer, the washing instructions and ....................................then I read that last tag and I burst out laughing and couldn't stop.  I kept laughing to myself the entire time I tossed it all in the washer and then the dryer. I was still chuckling when I wore the new shirt the next day.

Turns out it's not a matching shirt and shorts at all!  Nope, it's pajamas.  Pajamas!  Surprise! LOLOL  I don't give a damn.  I am wearing that shirt as a shirt and I dare anyone to be able to notice the difference.

The matching shorts on the other hand are pajama shorts.  They are very comfortable, they even have pockets but they are sooooo big!  Far too Big, they look silly, like clown pants.  Well shorts.  Clown shorts then.  So they have been consigned to the pajama drawer and I've already worn them as pajama bottoms. Super comfy.

So there it is, the Success, the Surprise AND the Secret!

(just don't tell anyone else the secret part, ok?)

​