Happy New Year!

Our best friends know us as well as we know ourselves. They support us emotionally and give us sage advice when we desperately need it.

Suzanne, a friend I met through blogging, is one such person. Suzanne invited me to visit her in Toronto several times and I've gone there to mutual delight. She always gives me valuable feedback and she inspires me to pursue dreams I've long held but felt blocked to follow. Suzanne is, in short, a perfect friend. 

(That's her above, sitting on my motorcycle, during a 2017 visit.)

Last year Suzanne encouraged me to do something I'd always wanted to do: appear in public as a woman. She booked a mani-pedi for us, arranged a professional makeup session, conducted a photo-shoot in a park, and topped the day with dinner at a nice restaurant. The experience (recorded here) is one of my most cherished memories.

Pandemic restrictions have been preventing us from engaging in favorite activities. For me, they've been an impediment to expressing my femininity in fashion posts. Before March I created outfit-posts every week or two but since then I've been unable to do more than a small few. I bemoaned this fact to Suzanne in a recent video-conversation. She listened and quietly made plans to help me get back on track.

Suzanne has my physical measurements and knows exactly what styles and colors I like. She knows what looks good on me and what doesn't. She's followed my fashion experiments for years, applauding successes and nursing me after failures.

Suzanne did exactly what I needed -- she selected a pretty dress for me and sent it as a surprise Christmas gift. Naturally she picked the right style and colors. She knew -- SHE KNEW -- that I'd be unable to leave the dress on a hangar in the closet. She knew I'd move Heaven and Earth to do an outfit-post. And she was right.

So here, for New Year's, I present to you my first foray into femininity in a long time. Sorely needed, sweetly appreciated. And all the credit goes to Suzanne.

Lastly, I want to thank YOU for being my friend. I value friendship above all things in life and wish you a Happy New Year.