I’ve paid the bills, I’ve got all the birthday presents for this month’s round of Chuck E Cheese and Diabolically Noisy Moon Bounce GermPit birthday parties, the fridge is stocked, lunch money has been counted out, the car is full of gas, and there’s a little change in my pocket.

What to do…what to do…

Pay my taxes? Nah, I’ve got tons of time before I have to do that (snort). Savings? What’s that? Kids’ college funds? We’re sort of hoping for scholarships. Extra mortgage payment? BORING.

It’s been snowing around these parts more than usual, and though much of the snow is melted, it’s still wintery and slushy. Spring feels like a long way off. To get myself in the mood, I think some shopping is in order.

I’ve tried to find this magical place called Garnet Hill. In my mind’s eye, Garnet Hill is a peaceful land where one can get lattes and Diet Pepsi for free out of fountains in the town square. Garnet Hill is full of beautiful people wearing stylish yet comfortable clothes. Vinyl and white leather are prohibited, and everybody travels from yoga class to independent bookstore to sandy beach to casual cocktail party to tastefully decorated cottage via classic Shwinn classic cruiser. Google maps was no help at all in my search, because if the map at right is it, the Garnet Hill of my dreams is, uh, more sparsely populated than I would have imagined.

Until I find the exact location of Garnet Hill, MY Garnet Hill, I’ll have to content myself with looking the part.

I’m thinking about the pink. It’s on sale for $68 for the next week or so. They’re practically daring you NOT to buy it.

This sweater is one of Oprah’s picks, which means it’s often sold out. But still…there’s a reason it’s an Oprah pick. It’s perfect.

This skirt is sublime…it has an elastic waist, people. Better yet, an elastic waist that has a little tie thingy on the side so it doesn’t look like it’s an elastic waist. Heaven in skirt form. My only problem is that I can’t figure out which one to get. I like the polka dotted one the best, but what would I wear with it? Funny colors to match. Input appreciated. Or you could just send me the entire outfit you pick out. I’ll give you my address.

I love this whole outfit. I’m a little worried that it might be a tall-girl outfit and I’m not a tall girl. At all. It’s got a little Katharine Hepburn thing happening. And it looks like me. The outfit. Not the girl. Looks like something I would wear. Should wear. Will wear.

Shop on, people, shop on.

Listen up, yo. None of what I write here in See Jane Shop is the consequence of any solicitation by any of these companies or products or services. This is just stuff I like. I haven’t made any deals to get compensated. Having said that, I like to consider myself a PR friendly person. If you have something you want me to review, I’m happy to do it. In that case, I’ll disclose that the review was solicited, and everyone will be happy.

It’s winter.

I’m old.

But I don’t need to tell you that, because my hands tell the story well enough.

Enter, hand cream.

I remember wondering what the hell was up with the ubiquitous Jergens lotion ads on tv and in magazines. Inevitably, my mother had a tube of Nivea in her purse. Even more recently like in the last 15 years because when you’re 42, 15 years becomes “recent,” I noticed that the wife on Everybody Loves Raymond whose name I can’t be bothered to look up even though I know that her REAL name is Patricia Heaton and she’s very open about having lots of plastic surgery puts hand cream on every night before bed. And not that this is remotely relevant or anything, but that always bugged me. If you’re going to read in bed, you should put the hand goo on AFTER you read, otherwise the pages will get all smudgy, right? Right.

I get it now, though.

My two favorite options are from Bliss: High Intensity Hand Cream

and Aveda: Hand Relief

And they work equally well, aren’t greasy, but are sort of luxurious enough that you feel like you’ve staved off Wicked Witch of the West scaly claws for a day or so. The only real choice you have to make here is which one smells better to you, and since there’s no such thing as smellavision or Internet Odorama, you’ll have to just take my word that the Bliss is light and a little citrusy, and the Aveda is a bit more intense and musky, but not in an overpowering or cloying way.