Men are stubborn - damn stubborn! I have experience around this statement - 19 years with Tom and 19 years with JB. I have done 38 years of hard time, and MEN ARE STUBBORN!!
What do you need when you are planning a trip to Africa, which will include a safari - the right travel clothes. Who specializes in that type of clothing - Tilley Endurables!
I'm sure most of you have heard of the famous Canadian invented "Tilley Hat". For my friends in the US that I met at Duke, here's the story. Alex Tilley from Toronto looked for years for the perfect sailboat - he found it - then he realized he needed the perfect sailing hat - one that could stand up to the elements (good and bad), could take salt air and waves and still survive. In 1980 he began to invent his hat.
The rest is history. Tilley hats are known far and wide and worn by many travellers around the world. Alex Tilley himself presented many to sail race contestants in Austrailia! The hats have a lifetime guarantee - replaced at a moments notice, and have a secret pocket inside for valuables!! Much of their clothing has these pockets. Alex gets many testamonial letters from travellers about how great they found his clothing and hat, and many tell how the secret pockets saved them from being robbed of money and stuff!
His company, Tilley Endurables, has gone on to manufacture everything light and quick drying, while being fashionable, for travellers. The stuff is great - if curious, just google Tilley Endurables and take a look.
But I digress - back to stubborn men! Victoria has 2 Tilley stores, and Tilley hats are as common as rain showers at the wet coast. When we were at the condo in May, I suggested to Tom that we should go get a hat and he should also get one of their fabo safari vests with the zillion pockets (some of them secret!)to carry all his photographic gizmos in. NOOOO INTEREST! NOPE - he did NOT WANT a Tilley hat. I have had one since the first week they came out in 1983, also bought my dad one, and we always looked very jaunty and travelled when we were together wearing them!
I dropped the subject since I HAVE a Tilley hat - old and worn, but rather cache still! And I'm not a nag - I'm a motivational speaker!
We are out in Victoria in July and I rethink the issue again, and mainly want Tom to get the vest, sooooo I may have mentioned it again, the motivational speaker thing - OK I lie - now I hounded him about it!!! Sometimes you get lucky - he decided we would go look - probably because our Maui friend B.J. was visiting and she expressed interest too - thanks B,J,!!!!
Long story short (but not that short now!!), Tom walks in (2 visits to both stores), starts trying on everything the salesgirls (who were now fawning over him - you know - the blue eyes and that innocent charm thing he pulls!)were pitching into his change room.
Only $1,000.00 later he could be in their catalogue - shirts, shorts, pants, "overnight dry" undershorts, a jacket, the SAFARI VEST, and, of course, the TILLEY HAT!! And he looked dashing in the hat - I have never seen a hat that looks good on Tom. And he is smiling widely when B.J. and I ooh and aw about every outfit.
They sell women's clothes too - in the store, mainly sizes 8 & 10 - while I AM a 10 (???) they weren't my style. Come on, B.J., who is Mrs. Thin, couldn't even get something to fit! Soooo, I got a new (microfiber now, and nicer style)Tilley hat and a 3 ounce umbrella, THAT'S IT - PERIOD! So, Mr. Stubborn walked out with 4 bags of clothes, which he can now just dump into his suitcase and he's packed!!!!!!! And now, he talks like it was all his idea!!!
I hope to attach a picture of Mr. Stubborn looking soooo cool (and rather smoochie I think) trying out his new hat while kayaking in July. So, I will end as I started.
Men are stubborn - damn stubborn!
P.S. Please lay on your side to see middle picture - I am still learning - should have rotated picture first, ya think??? Ron, you'll wet your pants from laughing that hard!!!!!
