My TV Twin

I've always imagined that my TV twin is Laura Petrie from the Dick Van Dyke Show. If you didn't know who Laura Petrie was and you needed the "from the Dick Van Dyke Show" info, you should probably just quit reading now. This isn't going to make any sense to you.

I've always loved Laura (and Mary Richards after her) and she was one of my first girl-crushes. Laura had everything--a career as a dancer before she met her handsome and adoring, if not slightly awkward, husband Rob, a darling son with the middle name of Rosebud, a gorgeous modern home in New Rochelle (which I always imagined to be some sort of suburban nirvana), a mad-cap friend named Millie, and a smokin' body with a flawless wardrobe.

She was the ultimate modern woman. And did you know that as the show progressed, Laura was seen in capris less and less? Yep, female viewers actually complained. Laura was cutting-edge.

I wanted to be Laura, and I'm pretty sure I still want to be Laura. To this day, I can't resist capris and ballet flats, and I would give almost anything if I could do my hair like hers. I dream of vacationing in the Adirondacks or other dreamy upstate locations where Nigel and I, along with some friends, will put on fabulous shows for the other guests. And I'd love to have just one dinner party where, after enjoying a lovely pot roast and Laura's signature dip (don't forget the mustard!), with our guests, we'd sing and dance for the evening's entertainment.

The funny thing is, she probably isn't really my TV twin, but just my dream TV twin. Years ago, when Scott and I were talking about casting the movie of our lives, he said to me, "Don't be offended, but playing you? Sarah Jessica Parker ala Square Pegs." I laugh everytime I think about that, but somehow, I know he's right...