First there was Missouri...
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 09 January 2006 at 1/09/2006 10:25:00 pm.
We arrived on 23 Dec. into St. Louis, where my parents had driven up to fetch us at the airport. I had managed to get a throat infection 2 days before and it was BAD. Like not the itchy throat thing, rather the white-pussy-spots-covering-your-tonsils kind. Those poor suckers on the plane from Shannon to Boston to St. Lou.... I'm sure I must have unintentionally infected all of them. But anyway, before we got to St. Lou, we had something mega-important to do. . .
. . . drop off the puppies in Boston!!!!
Yes! The great greyhound import of '05!! We had thought it was going to be Rodger and Rory who would be travelling with us to the rescue facilities in Boston, but we ended up taking *3* instead. . . BlaithÃn, Louise, and Stephen. They needed to go more urgently than R&R, so be it!! They were gorgeous. Their photos are about half-way down the page on http://www.limerickanimalwelfare.com/law/index.htm. With santy hats. They were so good in their crates, and they got loads of pets from people in the airport. They were wonderful and docile and cuddly and will make their new owners sooo happy in their soon-to-be-forever homes in Beantown. Louise at Greyhound Friends is such a saint. She picked them up right on time, curb-side, and we were able to say good bye and good luck to them before we had to make our St. L. connection.
On the way back to the JC, we got to stop at Taco Bell on I-70 and enjoy our much-longed-for pseudo-mexi-feast. The 'rents seemed to be in good form. So far so good at least. 2 hours and no fights.
Then started the reunions. I had a very busy schedule planned out for us. There would be speed walks every morning (combatting the heavy partying to come over a 2wk time period), and eating out for both lunch and dinner of every day. There would be at least 1 or 2 organized get-togethers every day. Places to go, people to see, and for Hannes: corndogs to eat.
I was annoyed that my parents kept organizing things for us that we HAD to do, people THEY wanted us to see, or whatever. AGH! I'm selfish! I only have 1 week here, I want to do what *I* want to do. They want me to see (sorry, that should read "they want to SHOW me") to people I don't really like or care about... but whatever, we might see them 3 times in a decade at best, and after all the 'rents were spoiling us rotten and behaving themselves (relatively). I was shocked, but even as far as the 28th, there had STILL been no blow-ups. OK sure xmas was annoying as I've told my mom about 10000 times, PLEASE friggin DONT BUY ME CLOTHES. We have completely contrasting tastes in fashion, and she just doesnt GET IT. I've asked for like at least 15 years now: ANYTHING BUT CLOTHES. So of course she buys me clothes. THey don't fit, they're pink, whatever. Ugh. Things were said, it was a little touch-and-go there for a bit, but still no real blowups.
What's also annoying is that when mothers are going through menopause, they just suck all around. basically. They cry at the drop of a hat and they obsess over stupid crap and take everything as a personal offense. Um, nevermind the fact that the mominator and I are like oil and water from WAY back. Add menopause and basic fundemental differences (like, neuroitc tendencies??) and it's just. . . ugh.
Myself and my fabulous mancakes pulled off the cooking of an entire xmas dinner for 13 people. The huge family fest on the 27th. We made a leg of lamb with roasted mediterranean veggies, squash pie, and salad. It worked. It actually worked. Aunts, uncles, and cousins galore. It was actually pretty fun. We proceeded to leave the family gathering with my cousin Brett who is no longer the 14 year old geek that I remember, but a gorgeous 22-year old total wanderer hippie living out in Oregon now (which I am strangely proud of) who smokes a little weed now and then, and knows almost as much about wine as I did when I was his age. heh heh. We went out with my brother's friends, partied it up at a couple bars (good bars! bars with pool tables! and TWO DOLLAR DRINKS!?!?!?), gossiped about family members and our genetic disposition to sweep things under the rug (it's a family thing), even got a TAXI home. man back when *I* lived in that town, there was no such thing as a Taxi. That is just so surreal to me. And it actually WORKED. The bar man called one for us, and it came! Go figure! It's like, a normal city!?!? WTF!?!?
After all the family malarkey was taken care of between xmas and the 27th, then the friends started to appear. It was great. I met Sarah's kids for the first time (albeit whirlwind, but hey, there was drankin' to do, mang!) and had a blast in columbia, hung out with Mike and Heidi TOGETHER for the first time ever (2 of my main peeps from high school who never knew each other back then but whom now just so happen to be in LOVE thanks to yours truly) at the home town bars, went bowling with Gina, saw Alex over and over again, hit up my favorite surrogate-parents (Heidi's ma & pa), and even had time to squeeze in Tisha& Scotty TWICE.
Nearly all those things I had on my t0-do list? check.
Even think that the hotwings at Madisons have gotten even BETTER. Could that be possible?
I have to admit I was stressed about the new years eve party. But it was cool. Sure, no one EVER RSVP's, but the most unexpected people show up and that's cool. Even when they show up for 20 minutes and have to flit off to random other gatherings, it's cool. It means there's a variety and a dynamic environment that is just . . . cool. Plus no one wanted any drinks off my menu except for martinis, cosmos, harvey wallbangers, and kamikazes, which meant I didn't have to make any hard things like daquiris or brandy alexanders. And we were smart enough to pre-make about 4 of those things so I really didnt have to stress too much. Even cooler? The people who DID show, were the right people. People who socialize and talk to people they know and/or Dont know. People who are cool about THINGs from our past which could be sticky in some way or another. People who I genuinely LIKE!!! It was rad. I was feeling the love. And the harvey wallbangers.
. . . drop off the puppies in Boston!!!!
Yes! The great greyhound import of '05!! We had thought it was going to be Rodger and Rory who would be travelling with us to the rescue facilities in Boston, but we ended up taking *3* instead. . . BlaithÃn, Louise, and Stephen. They needed to go more urgently than R&R, so be it!! They were gorgeous. Their photos are about half-way down the page on http://www.limerickanimalwelfare.com/law/index.htm. With santy hats. They were so good in their crates, and they got loads of pets from people in the airport. They were wonderful and docile and cuddly and will make their new owners sooo happy in their soon-to-be-forever homes in Beantown. Louise at Greyhound Friends is such a saint. She picked them up right on time, curb-side, and we were able to say good bye and good luck to them before we had to make our St. L. connection.
On the way back to the JC, we got to stop at Taco Bell on I-70 and enjoy our much-longed-for pseudo-mexi-feast. The 'rents seemed to be in good form. So far so good at least. 2 hours and no fights.
Then started the reunions. I had a very busy schedule planned out for us. There would be speed walks every morning (combatting the heavy partying to come over a 2wk time period), and eating out for both lunch and dinner of every day. There would be at least 1 or 2 organized get-togethers every day. Places to go, people to see, and for Hannes: corndogs to eat.
I was annoyed that my parents kept organizing things for us that we HAD to do, people THEY wanted us to see, or whatever. AGH! I'm selfish! I only have 1 week here, I want to do what *I* want to do. They want me to see (sorry, that should read "they want to SHOW me") to people I don't really like or care about... but whatever, we might see them 3 times in a decade at best, and after all the 'rents were spoiling us rotten and behaving themselves (relatively). I was shocked, but even as far as the 28th, there had STILL been no blow-ups. OK sure xmas was annoying as I've told my mom about 10000 times, PLEASE friggin DONT BUY ME CLOTHES. We have completely contrasting tastes in fashion, and she just doesnt GET IT. I've asked for like at least 15 years now: ANYTHING BUT CLOTHES. So of course she buys me clothes. THey don't fit, they're pink, whatever. Ugh. Things were said, it was a little touch-and-go there for a bit, but still no real blowups.
What's also annoying is that when mothers are going through menopause, they just suck all around. basically. They cry at the drop of a hat and they obsess over stupid crap and take everything as a personal offense. Um, nevermind the fact that the mominator and I are like oil and water from WAY back. Add menopause and basic fundemental differences (like, neuroitc tendencies??) and it's just. . . ugh.
Myself and my fabulous mancakes pulled off the cooking of an entire xmas dinner for 13 people. The huge family fest on the 27th. We made a leg of lamb with roasted mediterranean veggies, squash pie, and salad. It worked. It actually worked. Aunts, uncles, and cousins galore. It was actually pretty fun. We proceeded to leave the family gathering with my cousin Brett who is no longer the 14 year old geek that I remember, but a gorgeous 22-year old total wanderer hippie living out in Oregon now (which I am strangely proud of) who smokes a little weed now and then, and knows almost as much about wine as I did when I was his age. heh heh. We went out with my brother's friends, partied it up at a couple bars (good bars! bars with pool tables! and TWO DOLLAR DRINKS!?!?!?), gossiped about family members and our genetic disposition to sweep things under the rug (it's a family thing), even got a TAXI home. man back when *I* lived in that town, there was no such thing as a Taxi. That is just so surreal to me. And it actually WORKED. The bar man called one for us, and it came! Go figure! It's like, a normal city!?!? WTF!?!?
After all the family malarkey was taken care of between xmas and the 27th, then the friends started to appear. It was great. I met Sarah's kids for the first time (albeit whirlwind, but hey, there was drankin' to do, mang!) and had a blast in columbia, hung out with Mike and Heidi TOGETHER for the first time ever (2 of my main peeps from high school who never knew each other back then but whom now just so happen to be in LOVE thanks to yours truly) at the home town bars, went bowling with Gina, saw Alex over and over again, hit up my favorite surrogate-parents (Heidi's ma & pa), and even had time to squeeze in Tisha& Scotty TWICE.
Nearly all those things I had on my t0-do list? check.
Even think that the hotwings at Madisons have gotten even BETTER. Could that be possible?
I have to admit I was stressed about the new years eve party. But it was cool. Sure, no one EVER RSVP's, but the most unexpected people show up and that's cool. Even when they show up for 20 minutes and have to flit off to random other gatherings, it's cool. It means there's a variety and a dynamic environment that is just . . . cool. Plus no one wanted any drinks off my menu except for martinis, cosmos, harvey wallbangers, and kamikazes, which meant I didn't have to make any hard things like daquiris or brandy alexanders. And we were smart enough to pre-make about 4 of those things so I really didnt have to stress too much. Even cooler? The people who DID show, were the right people. People who socialize and talk to people they know and/or Dont know. People who are cool about THINGs from our past which could be sticky in some way or another. People who I genuinely LIKE!!! It was rad. I was feeling the love. And the harvey wallbangers.
Harvey. Wallbanger. Is. My. Friend.