Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Tons of Fun

I had tons of fun tonight with my sister-in-law. She came over to keep me company and we made popcorn (NOT the microwave kind) and watched "The Importance of Being Earnest." That is by far one of my favorite movies. Probably because I haven't seen the play, which is probably way better.
I laugh harder with Mindy than just about anybody else - so that, in combination with a hilarious plot, made for a belly-aching, giggly evening. Sigh. Just what I needed.
I'm flying out to reunite with my family tomorrow, and I'm ready to see them. It's been so fun being alone for a while. My to-do list, however, did take over and caused me to have less relaxation than I had anticipated. I did find my paper brain (see my other blog for info on that one...) and that has helped me to feel a little bit more on top of things, even if it mostly gave me more to do. Well, not so much more to do as all the things I had neglected to do while my brain was missing.
The total, awesomest, best thing I did was make my own bath stuff! I've always wanted to try it, so I grabbed all kinds of good kitchen stuff and started stirring and mixing and formulating. My friend Becky asked if I wore a lab coat. I told her it would be difficult to try the products out in a lab coat. Turns out that I make a mean sugar scrub and also a very relaxing milk bath. It's always good to be aware of new things that you are good at.

DAILY BLISS: My sister-in-law being just who I would pick for a real sister, if I had gotten one. Isn't that cool? We might not have gotten along at all. These things happen.

<3 Christy

Monday, March 26, 2007

Today's Random Things

I have noticed that, while I am enjoying my time alone, I am perhaps a little off kilter. I sliced my ankles shaving today, which I don't think I've done since I was fifteen or so. When I got home from work, I found that I had put my rice milk on top of the refrigerator next to my cereal. Hmm. No wonder my husband works so hard to wake me up in the morning. The consequences of leaving me to my own devices seem disastrous.
I bought new shoes today, though. That makes any day a good day. But here's what was cool: I saw this cab driver by the shoe store. He had a fu manchu mustache and Earl Hickey hair. AWESOME! Not that I want to ride in his cab or anything, but it was fun to look at him. I laughed and maybe snorted a little.
Today's porch painting music was Led Zeppelin. That makes any task a little bit more badass.
So, having muddled my way through another day alone, I pulled out my purple polka dot pajamas, which I only put on when I'm feeling perky (please say that out loud, just once?), and had a nice dinner and will be going to bed. Or maybe going to Wal-Mart. I can't decide. Maybe I'll go to Wal-Mart in my purple polka dot pajamas....

DAILY BLISS: Marshmallows and new shoes.

<3 Christy

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Wild and Free

I'm still enjoying my single-ness today. Had a nice church service, cleaned up and spent the afternoon listening to Iron and Wine and painting green details on my porch columns. It was such a beautiful afternoon - nicely breezy. I left my hair down on purpose so that it would blow all around and make me feel pretty and folk-music-appropriate. The wind chimes were also very glad to have me on the porch. They sang to me for hours.
Then I went out with my work-friend Julianna - we hit Chili's for 2-for-1 mango margaritas! WOOOOHOOO! Very fun. If I left it just there, it would have been an excellent day, but I got to show her around my house, which I love to show off. And we made s'mores with nice cookies and expensive chocolate.
I am finding this weekend to have been refreshing in ways I did not even know I needed. Getting my hands into some paint and accomplishing a few tasks around the house have fed my inner Creative Soul. She's been really hungry lately. I hadn't realized that she had been completely neglected. I also hadn't realized that I feel like a much more beautiful person when she is fed and happy. For me, I guess, having a creative task at hand keeps me in touch with the things I love about life - helps me to recognize the little things in the course of the day that make me deeply happy.

DAILY BLISS: New music to listen to!

<3 Christy

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Alone, But Not Lonely

Well, I schlepped the hubby and kids off to the airport this morning. The DH's brother is getting married next weekend, so he and the kids went on up to spend some good family time with everybody. I have a new-ish job and didn't feel okay about asking for a whole week off yet, so I'll be joining them all on Thursday. That means I am all by myself. For probably the longest span of time ever in my life.
Before anyone starts to feel overly compassionate toward me, let me just say that I am really looking forward to this week. Now, y'all know how much I love my kids and my man....but I am excited to have some "me" time.
Not that I'm going to get much. Everybody around here wants to make sure that I'm not too lonely. I'm going out with a friend tomorrow night, with my sister-in-law one other night, and one other friend and I are going to make her graduation announcements. Plus, I spent the whole day with my mom today.
That means it was a good day. I helped her clean her house. And I was compensated nicely. She took me shopping and bought me way too many things. Not that I'm complaining. I rode with her to take her brother and his wife back to the airport after all of this shopping (and she took me out to lunch!!). Coming back from Tampa, though, we edged toward Plant City and it dawned on us that we needed to stop and get a giant strawberry shortcake.
The usual stop was really crowded, so we decided to go down the street to the knock-off joint called Yummy Farms! Yay! But I wanted to get in line at the other place because we would've been behind a guy with the most fantastic mullet I have ever seen. That may have been worth it.
Anyway, there is a local winery in that area, so we decided to go there too. It happened to be some grand opening of sorts. There was a wonderful wine tasting and I bought a bottle of blueberry wine! This was my lucky day. None of these wines are probably very sophisticated, but I like fruity wine. I have never claimed to have a sophisticated palate. I'm not sure if I can even spell it right. All of their wine is made with local fruit, though, which makes it super-fun for me! Then we got lost on the way home. This had nothing to do with the wine tasting. I swear. But getting lost with my mom behind the wheel is usually an adventure and we ended up just taking the scenic route. We made it home and did not rot in a cow pond somewhere, having finished off our lovely bottles of wine (they were our only sustenance).
Then my folks took me out to eat. Wearing one of my new outfits. How fun is that?
Recap: Six days to myself, new clothes, strawberry shortcake and blueberry wine, dinner out in new clothes. Sweet!

DAILY BLISS: Knowing that I will never be in real danger of loneliness.

<3 Christy

Friday, March 23, 2007

Things to Brag About

This was Report Card Day! Both kids came home with straight A's (Emma's were straight S's, due to the kindergarten grade scale.), and I am so proud of them!
Andrew turned in his very first science project, and I was so glad to have it over with.














I made a cake for my grandma's birthday. I'm proud of that too.
We celebrated my grandma birthday at her house with my aunt and uncle (who live so far away we haven't seen them but once in three years) and the whole family gang who live here already. There was this moment that I looked around the room and listened for just a minute. Here were 13 or so people, some of whom liked each other at the time and some not so much, all crammed in a tiny room laughing and telling stories. There were constantly two or three conversations shooting across the room at the same time. It was really loud and probably would have been uncomfortable if they were just friend-people. But this was family. Liking each other at the moment doesn't have to matter. Seeing each other often doesn't either. Somewhere along the line, through blood or through legal documents, you're linked. And that's enough.

DAILY BLISS: Surprise Coffee on my desk this morning. OH - and did I mention that my kids both made straight A's?

<3 Christy