It was a weekend with much laughter, too much sugar, good friends, and three different kinds of beer.
It was a weekend of splashing and swimming, and sunning, and pool toys shaped like sharks.
It was a weekend that spawned many in-jokes, and fulfilled my fantasies of house parties and kitchen experimentation.
And more than that will have to wait, because in the aftermath, I've resolved to attempt to go to bed at more reasonable hours.
“aka Judy” :)
It's a little after 2 AM CDT on Friday, August 19th, and I'm barely managing to keep my eyes open.
B. and J. (no, that doesn't stand for Ben and Jerry) arrived late Weds. night, and we went straight to IHOP where we all ate too much (really one bite there is too much). For the record, the stuffed french toast is similar to eating a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut with strawberries on top. Sort of.
Today, after sleeping far to little, we hung out at the house til One, and then went to Dallas to Genghis Grill, two different branches of Lone Star Comics, Paciugo then came home and hung out more, hit Sonic and then came home, where we spent all night playing Shadows over Camelot, which was my birthday present from Fuzzy.
If you posted a comment, and didn't get a fairy gift message in return, then please know I haven't forgotten you, I'll be catching up with those tomorrow night. I hope.
Wednesday, all of your comments made me happy, as did the gerbera daisies I received from my mother. I love flowers!
Thursday, which fiscally is still 'today' even if the calendar says otherwise, I'm happy for good friends, and insane laughter.
Bed now.
Stolen from , among others.
1. Go here.
2. Pass it on.
1.~How did you meet 
zerimar? On ShardsMUSH, and then, in person, he rode a bus three days to visit me.
2.~What would you do if you had never met technocowboy? Laughed a lot less. Missed good hugs. Be short a good friend.
3.~What do you honestly think of komos? If I wasn't happily married, I'd totally have a crush on him.
4.~Would or did blackpatent and kandrinchae go out? Both are otherwise taken.
5.~Have you ever liked sisterthemoon? I like her as a friend.
6.~If spkinch died tomorrow, what is one thing that you would need him/her to know? We now own our own copy of Shadows Over Camelot. He makes a much better King Arthur.
7.~Would ozymandias63 and blackpatent make a good couple? No.
8.~Describe chiieddy in 3 words: Smart. Funny. Together.
9.~Do you think gemgin is hot? I haven't checked the temperature where she is.
10.~Would spkinch and tarotchan make a lovely couple? No.
11.~What do you think of when you see kandrinchae? Sushi, cosmos, and tootsie rolls.
12.~Tell me something humiliating about blackpatent: Never.
13.~Do you know any of bripadme's family members? I've met her parents, and I know her husband.
14.~What's blackpatent's favorite color? No idea.
15.~On a scale of 1-10 how cute is filidh? I don't think 'cute' is an appropriate word for him. He's got nice eyes.
16.~What would you do if kerroan just professed their undying love for you? Laugh, because he'd have to be kidding.
17.~What language does blackpatent speak? English.
18.~Who is drrkw going out with? That's not for me to say.
19.~Is jacobine a boy or a girl? She's female.
20.~Would ophanim and kerroan make a good couple? No.
21.~Who do you think lonespiritwolf2 would be great with from this list? Well, technocowboy, of course.
22.~When was the last time you talked to gemgin? A few days ago.
23.~What is sisterthemoon's favorite band? She's mentioned a few that she likes.
24.~Does ozymandias63 have any siblings? Yes.
25.~Would you ever date bripadme? Well, we're both married and mostly straight….so no.
26.~Would you ever date chiieddy? See above. Except I don't think she's technically married.
27.~Is lonespiritwolf2 single? Not really.
28.~What is blackpatent's last name? I don't have permission to say.
29.~What is ophanim's middle name? I haven't the foggiest.
30~What is komos's fantasy? To write a best selling novel. No, wait. That's mine. .
31.~Where does jacobine live? South of me.
32.~Would you make out with zerimar? I do. Daily.
33.~Are technocowboy and bripadme best friends? I'm pretty sure they've never met.
34.~Does chiieddy like blackpatent? They don't know each other.
35.~How did you meet ophanim? At filidh and sisterthemoon's.
36.~Is gemgin older than you? No.
37.~Is tarotchan the sexiest person alive? I couldn't say. I don't know every other candidate.
When I was a little girl, being the birthday girl meant I that wore a gold paper crown and carried amagic wand (a star on the end of a foil-wrapped paper-towel roll), and got to be Queen for a Day, and make wishes.
My friends and I ran through sprinklers, played on tire swings, blew bubbles, and ate Carvel ice cream cakes under the tall leafy trees.
Later, when everyone had gone home, my grandfather would pull the big red book of fairy tales (probably a Reader's Digest edition) off the shelf behind his recliner, and I'd sit on his lap, and he'd read to me.
I liked the more obscure fairy tales, best, the ones Disney never mangled, but I also had a special fondness for Sleeping Beauty.
In the traditional version of The Sleeping Beauty, faeries, invited as godmothers, celebrate the birth of a longed-for baby girl by gifting her with gifts of beauty, wit, grace, and musical talents.
Today, in celebration of my 35th birthday, I wish to bestow similar gifts upon all my friends in the blogging community.
Translation: Comment here between 12:00 AM and 11:59 PM CDT on 17 August 2005, and I will offer you a gift from my heart.
All gifts are offered at the discretion of the giver, and are final. Some may be accompanied by small doses of affection, humor, sap, or snark. Returns and exchanges are encouraged. One size fits most.
The rain that has visted today, in short bursts, may have cleaned the air, but it did nothing to break the heat, and now stepping outside is like walking into a jungle. I keep hearing the line Gary Sinise uttered in Forest Gump to take care of your feet, in such conditions.
My feet, when I'm home alone, are generally bare, with flip-flops handy for emergencies, or trips outside when the ground is hot.
I don't think they'd be terribly useful in the jungle.
The steamy heat makes me glad we have powerful a/c, and the rain has kept a soft smile on my face all day, but what I'm most happy about today is…dusting.
Yes, dusting.
Maybe I'm really just getting high from Lemon Pledge, but dusting makes me remember being seven years old, and helping my grandmother with her usual chores, and listening as she sang to her violets.
I wrote the world's most ballsy cover letter for a job application today. I'm not going to quote it, but I AM going to ask y'all to send good job karma for me, and hey, you're all invited to a virtual party at MissMeliss.com on Wednesday (tomorrow!) in honor of my 35th Birthday. While I am a little freaked about being that old (I can't be that old. My mother's only 29, after all.), I'm actually the kind of person who REVELS in her birthday.
Also, anything that comes with cake is a good thing, you know?
My happiness challenge item for Monday (posted after the fact, but, such is life): The guest room is so pretty and cozy that I almost want to sleep in it myself. It's so…uncluttered. I'm really tickled about having friends stay in it. I hope they like it, and are comfortable, and stuff.
I feel wonderful
I'm tipping over backwards
I'm so ambitious
I'm looking back
I'm Running a race and you're the book I read so
Feel my fingers as they touch you arms
I'm Spinning around and I feel alright
The book I read was in your eyes
–“The Book I Read,” Talking Heads
Sunday was a day of small bits of happiness, and large chunks of sleepiness. I've been unnaturally tired lately, sleeping deeply, then needing more sleep in the middle of the day. It doesn't seem to be diet or exercise related, either.
But anyway, Sunday, and small bits of happiness.
– Our first time back to church after several weeks missed, welcomed back, invited to join events, felt like family. But weird songs no one really knew.
– Return to the cafe where we usually lunch, alas their espresso machine had ceased to function, but mmm, mango ceylon tea, a toasted bagel, and a fruit cup. Bliss.
– Sunday afternoon at the library. I love that the library has Sunday hours. Love that there are rockers in the reading lounge, and even though I won't drink the free coffee, it's cool that they have it. (I'm a snob, and coffee brewed who knows when, from an urn? Not. My. Thing.)
– Later Sunday afternoon, lying in bed, listening to Fuzzy's heartbeat and watching the sky. My friend Jennifer has a father who is weather consultant (doesn't that sound like fun?) and says the kind of weather we've been having, where we have all conditions of a storm, but never get rain, is called virga. I quite like it.
The book I read was in Fuzzy's eyes as he sang behind me, flirted with me across the table, and held me, while we watched the sky.
He wasn't unattractive or poorly dressed, really, but sported a head full of styled knots, of the type only suitable in African American hair, that were somehow incongruous with his navy blue, ironed golf shirt, cotton dockers, and too-white sneakers.
We were at the next table, having our usual post-church lunch at a favorite cafe, but our conversation had dropped into nothingness, as happens sometimes when you've been married forever, and are more focussed on eating than enterainment. I think if we'd been talking we might not have noticed him.
He was alone, technically, though you'd never have guessed it from listening, for he was having an animated conversation, complete with tonal changes signifying both questions and answers, though, only his half was audible.
No, he wasn't on a cell phone.
Like Anne Shirley's “window friend,” this man's lunch companion was his own reflection in the tinted glass that faced the parking lot.
We were slightly creeped out, but he seemed happy enough, really.
It's taken a year, but I finally got to meet . She's very sweet, and an amazing baker, and her husband and sister are much fun. (He, btw, is the third of the three amazing photographers I know, two of whom are local.)
So many things from Ms. Eclectic's blog and conversations clicked into place after spending an evening with them and their (and Ms. Eclectic's) friend whom they all call Missy J, and I'll refer to simply as J. In-jokes, references, etc. I really hope we'll get together again, both because we need more couple-friends, and because they're all such funny, smart, creative people.
I've been introduced to Shadows over Camelot which is described as a collaberative board game, but I prefer to describe it as a cooperative board game with light roleplay opportunities. It was fun, if a little confusing, and I'd love to play it again.
(I think this group might respond well to Munchkin, also.)
Anyway, it's 12:30, but, an evening out with great food, and new friends, and new experiences, and an extremely friendly uber-quiet dogling, is both “how I spent my Saturday evening” and my (late) Happiness Challenge #13.
Tonight I'm happy for clean sheets. Nothing beats getting into a soft cozy bed, freshly made with soft cotton sheets.
I'm also happy that the gecko I accidentally stepped on while letting Cleo into the yard seems to be unharmed.