I could use some advice. Remember the saga of the friend who borrowed my corset for a party and then didn't return it for 4 months?

I haven't seen or talked to her since then. Today I get a FB message from her saying "Hi! How are you and Tim? It's been TOO LONG!!! Any chance I could borrow your corset for parties on the 16th and the 27th? If not both, my preference is the 27th. Talk to you soon!"

O_o

Really? REALLY? You borrow my corset, take 4 months to return it to me despite me asking several times if I could get it back, and then I don't talk to you for 6 months UNTIL you want to borrow it again.

I feel like I need to say something more than "No." I realize (thank you, Gavin de Becker) that "No" is a complete sentence, but I feel like I need to say something more. But I can't think of anything remotely polite.

Hey now. At least she gave you a choice of when you had to let her have it.

(And I vote you do. Let her have it, that is.)

How about "Damn, Skippy."

Or more seriously, you know you're going to need it at some point during the holiday season between now and New Years, so you can't let her borrow it.

"I'll return it right away."

"Well, I can't be sure of that. Sorry."

I think you should just say "sorry, I have a few uses for myself in October."

And then:

"how have you been doing?"

How about, "No, I need it for an upcoming event of my own. However, if you are going to be in need of a corset so often I can direct you toward the website where I bought mine."

Oooh, these are good suggestions. Keep them coming!

(I did a search on this thread to see how far back all that happened; she borrowed it in November of LAST year and didn't return it until March of this year, and just now re-surfaced to borrow it again. Yeah...NO.)

Believe me, no one is being as critical of you two as yourselves. BELIEVE ME.

I'm sure this is true--but I was horrified to see my crazy double chin. Which I figure other people see all the time and just incorporate into their concept of me, but it doesn't usually look like that in the mirror! Oy.

Of course, I still have to actually watch the video and figure out how to edit into something that would make the Amazing Race want us on the show. I'm feeling rather doubtful about that.

meara, you are truly stunning in person. Scrappy I've never seen you in person, but you always look beautiful in pictures. Although, I understand the reaction. I am so critical of myself in pictures lately, I can't really stand to have my picture taken anymore.

I slept lousy last night because I was in too much pain, and yet I am feeling so much better mentally today. I think it helped that TCG did that big clean up of the house over the weekend. Things don't feel so completely overwhelming anymore. I'm even getting stuff done today, not big things, but things just the same.

Yay, Scrappy! I'm glad the news for your mother is good.