6/6/05

Relaxing after working the 7:15 – 2:15 shift – we had about 15 kids, which is an average sized group for the center, but add in the 80+ degree temp and the fact that it was a sprinkler day, and the level of insanity was up to here

::puts hand about a foot above her head::

I got burnt a bit, of course, while laying in the sand as Dr. Sophie "examined" me – and determined that my symptoms were caused by eating broccoli!  We managed to keep the kids from undressing in the hallway when we came back inside, which was a minor miracle, and everyone was able to enjoy our time outside without any injuries or fights.

Another minor miracle.

Alecia was telling me all sorts of things about her wedding.  She and Matt don’t like wedding cake, so they’re having theirs made out of CHEESECAKE!  How delicious does that sound?!  I’ve always liked the idea of the cupcake wedding cakes, but this is a cool idea too.  They’re having about 150 people at the wedding, which is pretty small these days!  And they’re going on a cruise in the Bahamas for their honeymoon – that sounds amazing.    I’m happy for her – but I wish it was MY wedding!! 

It’s Faye’s birthday tomorrow, so I’m working her shift for her – that means a 7:15 – 5:45 day for me.    That’ll be exhausting, but Faye’s helped me out with shifts before, and, c’mon, it’s her birthday, so I’m more than happy to do it for her.

Spent an amazing weekend in Racine.  Max and I got all pretty and went to Pieces of Eight, by the Milwaukee Art Musuem.  We were running a little late and hadn’t given ourselves quite enough time to eat even if we HAD been on time, so it was kind of a speed meal.  But very funny.    Highlights of the evening included rolls that tasted like macaroni and cheese, waving at the "Easily Amused," our waiter telling us he was arguing with a lawyer, our waiter taking FOREVER with the wine (we decided he had gotten lost in the wine cellar, dropped his torch, and the place would burn down at any minute), and constantly checking the time.

Then we went to Vogel Hall (after QUITE an adventure with parking, since Water Street was closed for Riverfest) to see "Shear Madness."  It was hysterical – John McGivern is great.  I met Max’s Aunt Rosie and Uncle Larry and had a yummy amaretto sour.  My favorite part of the night?

"Rosie McGrath, you bitch."

As we were leaving the hall, the fireworks from Riverfest were going on – we stood and watched them for a few minutes.  It was a really nice, quiet moment.  Well, as quiet as fireworks can get!  It makes sense to me!    Then we called some other kids who were down there and walked a LONG ass way to find them (all the way past B-Dubs).  Keep in mind that both Max and I are fairly dressed up – I’m in a dress, he’s wearing a suit.  We looked SLIGHTLY out of place among all the beer-drinking ‘fest-goers.  We finally found Danny, Heidi, Jerky, Chris, and Val, and spent a good hour or so listening to The Toys, a really good cover band.  There was a VERY crucial trip to B-Dubs to use the bathroom (I had to hang onto Jerky’s jacket the entire way to keep from getting separated from him and Danny!), then Max and I somehow found the parking garage his car was in, and made our way home.

Oh, but there was just one stop along the way –

DUNKIN’ DONUTS!    Oh, that made my day!  I haven’t had a Boston Kreme in WAY too long, so that made me insanely happy. 

Home and to bed around 2.

For some reason, I woke up at 8 and couldn’t get back to sleep, so at about 8:45, I decided that Max needed to get up too.  He was a little cranky about this, but he still managed to make some DAMN good pancakes!  We had breakfast, took Sammy to the dog walk (where we saw a TON of dogs and splashed around in the water with Sammy), took a nap, played on the computer, watched Seinfeld, made macaroni and cheese, and finally ended up at Heidi’s for the night to play board games and attempt to finish off the beer left over from the last Brewers game.

We made a dent in it, but there’s still a ton left!

The first part at Heidi’s was fun – Jerky had some weird British beer called "Old Peculier" (I thought it tasted like moldy raisins, he thought it tasted like spice cake!), we played Disney "Scene It" and regular "Scene It", and we grilled out.

But when everyone else decided it was time to start playing Taboo, I started to shut down.  Eventually, I wandered out to the porch and laid there for at least an hour, watching the stars disappear as storm clouds rolled in (but failed to produce any lasting sort of storm).  I couldn’t deal with being social at the moment, even though it wasn’t a party, just six of us hanging out.  Although, in a way, that pretty much made it harder – it’s hard to come into a small, intimate, ready-made group and click right away, even when you know (because you’ve been repeatedly told) the people in the group like you.  It’s still difficult to be the new amidst all of the old and comfortable.

I suppose I’ll eventually just get over it…or self-destruct.

Sunday was our lazy day – slept in until noon, took Sammy on a short walk, had a picnic, and watched "The Wizard of Oz."  Just…simple and amazing.

Mmm…going to relax for a little bit longer before going to the gym.