Now sometimes being the semi-professional shopper that I am, I see something and just HAVE to have it, so when I fell in love with the over sized sweater that the model was wearing on the front of the latest Cath Kidston magazine, I just had to track one down.....There was no way that I was going to let this little beauty sell out before I could snuggle up in it on a cold autumnal day.First stop the website....Imagine my heart palpitations when I saw those words next to the stock levels....... S-M being NO followed by M-L; NO.................... How could this be? they've only just come in?! This followed a call where I was told that there was a waiting list for this beauty and they had all been sent out to those on the waiting list leaving a grand total of NIL in stock!!!! Now I was really struggling with keeping my breathing under control...doesn't Cath realise that I HAVE to have one........................NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With Mr Shrimp working from home today and able to watch the patient, I was relieved for a few hours of my nursemaid routine to hot foot it into our nearest CK store. I arrived 5 minutes before opening but not wanting to look like too much of a desperado, I casually looked around a nearby shop at least long enough to let the staff turn the lights on and get there coats off.....just....
OK, OK, Act casually, start by looking at the bags near the door...now the dresses...now for the sweater.......WHERE THE HELL IS IT????? There must be some mistake, they've got to have it!!!!.................Phew, there's one hanging up behind the till.....As my breath quickens, I try not to break into a sprint in a bid to get to it when..oh god...I spot the dreaded note; "On hold for Mrs X until Thursday lunchtime"...... For a split second I 'almost' considered breezing up to the nearest assistant and announcing that I was Mrs X coming to collect the sweater I'd put by....Could I do it? Could I live with myself? No I couldn't, as much as I really wanted (did I say wanted? I meant needed), this divine Rosy little number I was born with the 'honesty gene' that meant that If I would have done I'd have had to return to the store minutes later to confess to all that I am indeed Mrs Shrimp, and the said sweater could only ever possibly belong to Mrs X!
"Do you have any Rose sweaters in stock that aren't out on display"? I ask hopefully. Well, it was as if I'd asked if everything in the store was 70% off today! They all looked at each other laughing before replying "We wish..... until they get anymore stock in we have been told that we're not allowed to buy any for ourselves and it's causing us much distress as you can imagine, we all want one".................Bugger, now I knew I was in trouble....Then as I thanked her anyway and began to walk away she added as an aside; "We do have a delivery coming in soon though that should all be unpacked by midday, you're welcome to pop back if you'd like to.................If I'd like to?..............crikey she obviously didn't understand how getting my mitts on said sweater had now become a matter of life or death for me...I wasn't going to sleep at night until I had one. Either that or she was planning to casually lose it amonst the piles of stock until she was allowed to buy it for herself.
I really couldn't be bothered to hang around all morning just to buy a boring old grey sweater, so I went home! Ha, had you going there didn't I? Can you imagine anything less from me, I forced myself to look around all the shops, admiring all the beautiful Christmas decorations that had started arriving in all the stores and at 11.59 and 55 seconds hotfooted it back to the shop full of anticipation that I would indeed be leaving the proud owner of 'Rosie'.
"We've had around 30 boxes in and haven't unpacked them yet but I'll check the list of stock that's arrived if you'd like me to". What a lovely lady, must be because I told her how lovely she looked in the dress she was wearing! (she did). As I stood there waiting I tried my absolute hardest not to purchase;
.....one Bucket bag - £40,
.....two scarves - £90
........and a new dog bed - £40, therefore convincing myself that if the sweater did for some miracle appear in her hands as she descended the stairs then it would be an absolute bargain as I'd have actually made a saving of £95.00 on what I was 'just about' to buy!My heart sank as she came down the stairs empty handed shaking her head telling me that they hadn't been sent anymore unfortunately....watching the customer stood in front of her just about to collapse in a weeping heap on the floor drowning in disappointment , her face broke into a broad smile as she casually added..."But I have just found a medium/large in the stock room"............................................................ Well, I could have kissed her there and then...obviously she has now become my all time favourite CK shop assistant replacing the lovely American lady that always looks totally gorgeous in all the clothes and as a sideline busks by Bath Abbey with a voice like an angel (absolutely amazing singer....if she was on x-factor she'd win hands down)....... I feel a little bad with my lack of loyalty but needs must where Rosie sweaters are concerned.
Now I was after a Small/Medium but to be honest I'd have taken elephant size by this stage and just admired it in a drawer. Due to it's over sized/slouchy nature it wasn't a problem anyway, it looked even better on than I'd imagined (hardly looking a smidgen like the model on the magazine cover). I almost refused to take it off and asked her to scan in whilst on me, just in case someone grabbed it from my hands on the way to the till from the changing room.
Determination you see ladies, is the key,..........there was no way on god's earth that I wasn't getting that sweater! Now the hard bit, explaining yet another purchase to Mr Shrimp..I mean he'd hardly not notice it with those beautiful roses staring him in the face.........
Lessons on how to break the news of having just spent £75 on a sweater.
1. Check he's in a good mood (Why what have you bought? will be the reply but don't let that put you off your stride).
2. Think of something quite expensive, i.e a new dining table. (What on earth for? will be his next reaction), don't worry though, it works honestly, I've tried it!!!
3. No, just joking, ONLY a sweater, just thought I'd mention it.
You see, that way he'll be so relieved that you haven't spent hundreds on a dining table he'll be thrilled that you only bought a sweater.
So there you are, one happy lady sat typing away here with the most comfortable, pretty sweater she could ever have dreamed of hanging in her room. Not to everyones' taste I'm sure, but to this lady a dream!NB. No fellow Cath Kidston shoppers were harmed or trampled on in my quest for 'Rosie'
