It's sometimes the little things Sometimes it really is the little things that mean the most. A pat on the back from your boss. Your kids behaving during a dinner out. Finding a great fitting pair of pants and getting them on sale. Your favorite maker of shoes having an outlet, where you found the pants!

Don't get me wrong-my life has been having some pretty big things going on lately. My husband (not me!) turned 50. I became a grandma. Our daughter's health is back to normal (well, as much as any new mother's can be), our son has been getting job offers for after his graduation in June. I'm almost walking "up to speed", kind of, in a way, since my unfortunate broken foot incident. I came in 7th in a Valentine's Day Essay Contest. A new publisher read some of my internet articles and contacted me with an interest in hiring me for freelance work. I seem to have struck up some very nice cyber-friendships with several freelance writers. They are way more successful than I, but they've actually read this blog and some of my articles and have taken the time to let me know that I really can write!

With all that said, it's still the little things that seem to make a difference. Like the pants and shoe thing. What woman wouldn't consider a new pair of jeans that both fit and were a good price not to matter? Two months ago I was that lucky woman!

Yes, we were on a rare family weekend (hubby, son, daughter, son-in-law) and were at a "premium" outlet mall. We were having a "shop til you drop" day. Our daughter, who was 7 months pregnant, found a coat! Our son-in-law found a wallet. My husband found pants, he didn't even try them on (don't you hate that about men?). Our son, just cruised, he didn't want to really find anything. I, all 5' 1 1/2" of me, with the short waist, legs and hard to fit body, must have gone to every stupid store in that entire mall that sold jeans and tried on countless pairs.

I was devastated. Nothing fit. I refused to wear low-riders-no matter how many salespeople said "they look great on my mom" (note to young salespeople, do not use that line on us baby boomers-it just pisses us off). One young man suggested two stores that specialized in classic cut clothing. One didn't pan out-in any way. But the other designer-bless this man! First, what woman would not love a designer who makes it possible to for her to wear size "0"? All that aside, the waist did not stick out 4" from my body, the hips didn't pinch, I could wear them without taking them up a half a foot, they were comfortable, the store had three sets left and they were-get this-$29 each! Designer pants!

Talk about little things that mean a whole lot! Then as if that wasn't enough-this mall had an outlet store for my favorite brand of shoes. I hate finding shoes. But this company has styles that I can wear-not the prettiest on the planet, but ones that I never grimace about putting on my feet. The better news, like the pants-they were on sale and I found two pairs!

I feel a little like the credit card commercial: 3 pairs of size "0" pants-$90. 2 sets of walkers- $150. (Normally $275) A shopping trip not ending in frustration: PRICELESS.