...unless you really want to. Fresh peach carnations. Mango nail polish. Whisper pink lip gloss. Women's magazines. A bigass jar of Noxema.

I just got back from Winn-Dixie. I had had two glasses of merlot right beforehand. I went in for a gallon of milk... came out with these other things. But it is good.

My friend Peggy taught me some things I never learned in life. I learned by watching... just by the way she leads her life. If you go to her house, she always has fresh flowers.

I used to whine that there are some girls who get flowers and others who don't (me).... but not any more. Peggy gave me proverbial "permission" to buy myself a bouquet and not just on special occasions, but WEEKLY! And I do! And it makes me so very happy.

Every girl should have a Peggy in their life... a real "lady" girlfriend... someone feminine and indulgent a bit in nice things. There are things to learn from them. It is easy to forget your charm... just throw your hair in a ponytail and go... sans make-up... unmatched shoes. I remember one time I was wearing some slip on flat moccasins with shorts and Peggy said, "Don't you ever wear those again... put on a sandal with a little heel. Be pretty!"

If you're a girl, do you have someone in your life who makes you accountable to be good to you? Do you have a Peggy?

Now I am having coffee and blogging. This month's issue of Southern Living beckons. Maybe there is an episode of the Real Housewives of Orange County on tonight.

I worked hard this past week. In fact, I am on the final chapter of my dissertation (analysis of results) and put together a statistical analysis and wrote 12 pages. It is time to rest now. I earned it.

And I'm going to call Peggy and just listen. She always has fun stories to tell me.