Hilly has been down in Miami all week, doing an oil portrait of a wonderful woman, in a slightly fancy house (see pic). I came down for the last day to be supportive. Tomorrow, we go on to pals in Key West for a couple of days, then home.

I never buy clothes, just trundle out the same old stuff, year after year. A secretary once said, “Chris, you wear your clothes as if you hate ‘em.” That’s about right.

But, occasionally Hilly steps in. Today she invoked an old custom and said we were going to spend a piece of her commission on new duds for me. Oh, boy! In general, I hate to be taken care of…a hangover from childhood when I had three, adoring older sisters and it was too much. But I am charmed by this custom, every time. It’s like being fourteen when Mother took me to Brooks Brothers in Boston to get fitted out for school. Funny feeling but oddly sweet. And loving. Anyhow, we found a fancy store where, to my surprise, we found an elegant cashmere blazer. AND it was 50% off! Still a staggering sum, but hey…And we found not one but three pretty good pairs of pants, including a pair white flannels. That’s been a while, let me tell you. I look like Gatsby, except a teeny bit older.

So, now I’m strutting around, in the house of our hosts, feeling much loved. And, of course, as cute as a button. Can’t hurt..