The Bad, the Good, and the Ugly.

[DianeT]

Per boundaries set together with my wife, I dress twice a year for a day, each time to the full nines. I usually do so between November and April, because I like my apartment temperature chilly when I put on wigs, forms, and several layers of clothes. I did my first session in January and kind of let the train pass after that, as the hip forms I got in December where a bit on the large side and didn't feel right. I took my time to order new, smaller ones and they took a month to arrive. Then I got busy with other stuff (including an episode of Covid that I brought back from a trip to my poor wife - who actually recovered faster than me).
Here comes the Bad: we are now in the middle of the hottest month of May in French meteorological history. I will wait for the temperatures to drop, but with the global climate change and the summers now starting in early June and ending early November, the window of opportunity for my second session is shrinking to such extent that I expect to soon hear a "pop" and - ok, gone. We'll see.
Now for the Good: for the first time*, my wife recently offered me to keep some clothes from the stack she was preparing for goodwill. We carefully selected together stuff that wasn't too sentimental for her and for which the prospect of my wearing them would not be too awkward for her. I asked for a pair of jeans and a few casual tops, since I'd like to try a few more conventional looks.
It was really an act of love on her part, since the subject is very difficult for her (the dressing, but more especially the lying and the stealing that were my trademark for years). I thank her for that (I could love her for it, but dang, I already love her anyway).
As for the Ugly, I'll probably have to wait for my made up face in the mirror without a wig because it's too hot out there.

* Edit: scratch that, it was actually the second time, but the first time I did not accept the items for various reasons**.
** Edit of the edit: Discovered yesterday, when doing my second session, that I had actually picked two items. I didn't remember since this was months ago and I stashed them in the basement and forgot I had them until I reopened that suitcase yesterday.