I'd Like to Introduce Somebody Special.

As a first order of business, I think it's only proper to make an important introduction.

This is somebody who, should you decide to visit here regularly, you will see quite often. Please meet Doris, my dress form.

Doris is my faithful companion. She only charged a nominal, one-time flat fee: her purchase price. While not an exact duplicate of my own figure, I got her proportions pretty close to my own.

She works strange hours for me. Sometimes, we get going in the morning and work straight through until the kids get home from school. Other times we start late and go into the wee hours. Sometimes we go all day non-stop.

It can be gruelling, with garments put on and off, off and on... She regularly gets stuck with pins and frequently, I'm embarrassed to admit, has to listen to my grumbling and cursing when a project isn't going well.

Apart from pretty dresses, she has to model costumes, which sometimes are for men or children. This past Halloween, poor Doris braved the humility of being transformed into a Halloween witch prop which stood at my front door to greet trick or treaters. This required having a foam wig head stuck on her neck, held in place by panty hose. Once, the dog even knocked her over.

Doris has endured all of these things gracefully and not once has she complained. She stands ready for whatever task comes next.

I've grown fond of Doris and named her after the lovely Doris Day. It only seemed fitting, given her sunny disposition and unbounding energy for our adventures. I couldn't do my work without her.

Thanks Doris!