Body positive (or making a clean breast of it)

 True story. I had a phone number at work that was one digit removed from the Berlei Bras warehouse number and I would regularly get calls from London department stores and lingerie shops wanting to put in large orders. (I mean the orders were large, not the bras.) Sometimes the callers wouldn't check they were through to the right people and would rattle off the lists of pink French lace 40DDs and push-up Eye-Popper™enhancer bras before I could correct them.

My colleagues thought this was funny every time. But it was music to my trans ears, I can tell you. One cheeky co-worker asked me if Berlei Bras were for burly girls. If only she knew!

One day, following an apology from the shop buyer at the other end when she realised her mistake, my tongue disconnected from my brain and I said, "That's OK, we all make boobs."

I was so embarrassed! It just came out unconsciously. That is what comes from watching too much of the Two Ronnies and Dick Emery as a youngster. They say television corrupts the young ... and they're damned right!

Anyway, the point of resurrecting this story is that I seem to have been making boobs ... my real ones. My breasts first appeared in 2010. A classic case of gynecomastia. They came quite fast, they ached quite a bit and a female friend of mine said that's what happens when a girl goes through puberty. That was when I was first getting out of the closet and going out into the world. I wondered if the gynecomastia was psychosomatic, but since it's a very common condition, it may be just have been coincidence. Or my body was changing and the enhanced trans visibility was an unconscious response to that. Who knows. 

So I was happy enough with my A-cup. It was pretty affirming, and I wore breast forms or used various enhancer bras, even the explosive type, to get that ideal shape. But recently, despite losing a lot of weight and expecting my breasts to reduce accordingly, they actually seem to have expanded. I don't properly fill a B-cup but it's harder to add extra leverage in the cup than there used to be. I'm quite pleased with this new development. I hope it will continue. 

To B or not to B, that is the question.

And that brings me nicely to the next body positive event which is my return to a stricter slimming regime after the excesses of the summer - or rather the loss of control over food preparation, which always happens on holiday. Last winter (November to April) I lost 32 pounds. This time I want to complete the job by losing 28 pounds (12.7 kg) by the end of April. That's a pound a week, which should be easy enough. It will bring me well within my healthy weight range and will let me get back into those little dresses I used to love wearing.

Last week I lost 3 lb or 1.4 kg. A good start. Wish me luck.

I'm also setting time aside each and every weekend to epilate fully. It was a bit hit and miss before. Sheer tights over freshly smoothed legs feel wonderful and make the whole palaver worthwhile.

Kids' TV / TV kids

Talking of television influences on children, I was sorry to read of the recent death of actor and voice-over artist David Graham who did so many of the voices for children's TV shows, including Dr Who's nemesis, the Daleks, and Gerry Anderson's brilliant puppet series Thunderbirds where he voiced the genius Brains and, most famously, Parker, who was butler and chauffeur to Lady Penelope. Graham was 99 so we have to say he'd had a long and well-filled life. Rest in peace and thanks for the brilliant entertainment.

I had a real crush on Lady Penelope and wanted to marry her. To be fair, she's beautiful, intelligent and rich. And she has a pink Rolls-Royce! But I was told the pre-nuptial agreement would have too many strings attached. :-p

As if that wasn't enough, here's my age-old joke about Parker and Lady Penelope:

"Parker," Lady Penelope said, "Take off my dress."

"Yes, M'lady," said the obedient servant. And soon the dress was off.

"And now take off my bra."

"Of course, M'lady." And Parker duly fumbled with the clasp.

"Now, Parker, I want you to take my panties off."

The flustered flunkey did as he was bid and dropped the garment at Lady Penelope's feet.

"Now then, Parker," said the mistress, "I'll have to sack you if I ever catch you wearing my clothes again."

Sue x