Tuesday
It's Tuesday, and I am tired. I mean really really tired. I really overslept today. Alarm went off at 0545. I woke up at 0630. Oops. Dexter wouldn't poop outside this morning. I know that means that there will be a little gift waiting for me when I get home today. (Dexter is my dog, by the way... just in case you missed that.) I don't know what to do with that guy. He needs to go to obedience school, but I don't trust PetSmart... not with him. I think he needs more attention than that. Unfortunately, private in-home sessions are quite pricey. Bark Busters charges $575 for one 2-3 hour in-home lesson. Now, that is guaranteed for the life of your dog, so if even 10 years down the road, you need help with your dog, it's free of charge. So technically it's a good deal. But I am too poor to drop $575 on obedience training. That's more than I'd probably spend on him in a whole year. He's not a bad dog, by any means. In fact, he is getting much better about not chewing up things and such. I just need him to stop sitting in my armchair... My black armchair becomes covered in his white hair. He knows he's not supposed to be on the furniture, but he sits there when I'm not at home. Obviously, he doesn't realize he's leaving behind evidence, not to mention the fact that the chair is warm when I come in and feel it. Thus is a Jack Russell, I suppose. A woman told me the other day that she liked him because he "looks like a trouble maker." "You have no idea," I told her. Too smart for his own good, that one is. Well, I guess he's too smart for my own good.
My father is painting a mural of jungle animals on the nursery wall at my sister's house to match the crib bedding. And yesterday, he brought over the TV stand and display shelves that he built me. Beautiful. Riddle me this: how did all of the talent genes of my parents somehow manage to completely SKIP me????? I have none of my father's artistic or technical abilities. I have none of my mother's ambition and vision... I mean, I have drive, but not like that woman. She is on a whole other level. My sister says she hasn't inherted their talents either. I told her that she is at least a great chef, and can at least be known for that. What have I got? Nothing. Nothing but a career that I landed sideways into and the talent to BE A BITCH. Go me.
Well, that was sufficiently depressing. Now let's find something happier to talk about.
I just realized I never posted about the awesomeness that was my birthday. And it's been over a week! This will be good and joyous to hear about...
So Anthony told me he was going to take me out for my birthday. Where? He wouldn't tell me. He asked me to meet him at his house at noon. I arrived at 1145, which he was none too pleased about, but oh well. It was a GORGEOUS day outside. I was already loving my birthday, because God was smiling upon the day. We make our way out of his house and his brother says, "Have fun guys. It's a beautiful day to go to the zoo." Oops. The secret's out. I quickly headed to the door, said good-bye and walked out, smiling because his brother had just ruined the surprise. As I left, I could hear him try to catch himself by saying, "... or the beach or the park..." Too late. I knew. As the door shut, I could hear Anthony scold his brother for letting the cat out of the bag. He was really REALLY upset that the surprise had been ruined, especially since I really had NO CLUE where we were headed. Oh well. It's not the first time one of his siblings ruined a surprise for me. I was still happy.
We get to the Zoo and I am STARVING. Anthony says we're gonna go to the deli across the way to get food before we go in. Then says to put our bags in the trunk. Surprise #2: he had packed a big picnic lunch for us and a giant blanket to sit on. We ended up eating on a bench in front of the Cheetah Conservation Station. We all know I love my cheetahs. He packed EVERYTHING: Capri Sun juices, grilled chicken and bacon, 3 different kinds of buns so I would have options, strawberries and chocolate for dessert, candy bars for snacks, and yogurt (but I hate yogurt, so I passed on that). But it was so sweet. There was a family sitting near us, and the father remarked to Anthony, "You are making me look really really bad right now..." Cute.
We toured the park and saw all the animals that I'd been trying to see for so long. Anthony took me to a gift shop and told me to pick stuff out that I wanted. I declined. I didn't want anything. After the Zoo, we stopped at his sister's house to change our clothes and wash up for dinner. We met my family and Arielle at TenPenh which, by the way, Forrester built and will soon also be remodeling. It was a great dinner. EXPENSIVE, but great. There was a third surprise for me: a cake that said, "Happy Birthday and Happy 3 Years Free." Yeah, it was also my 3 year cancer-free anniversary. Sweet. TenPenh cut and plated up the slices of cake for us. It was nice to see a Giant Food cake all dressed up like that :-)
The evening ended with Arielle, Anthony and me going to Ozio's for drinks. I got good and tipsy, and then we went home. It was a pretty early night, but we were all so tired... especially Anthony and I from the trek around the Zoo in 78* weather. But it was an amazing day.
Phew! Longest post ever, written sporadically over 2 hours.
© 2006
My father is painting a mural of jungle animals on the nursery wall at my sister's house to match the crib bedding. And yesterday, he brought over the TV stand and display shelves that he built me. Beautiful. Riddle me this: how did all of the talent genes of my parents somehow manage to completely SKIP me????? I have none of my father's artistic or technical abilities. I have none of my mother's ambition and vision... I mean, I have drive, but not like that woman. She is on a whole other level. My sister says she hasn't inherted their talents either. I told her that she is at least a great chef, and can at least be known for that. What have I got? Nothing. Nothing but a career that I landed sideways into and the talent to BE A BITCH. Go me.
Well, that was sufficiently depressing. Now let's find something happier to talk about.
I just realized I never posted about the awesomeness that was my birthday. And it's been over a week! This will be good and joyous to hear about...
So Anthony told me he was going to take me out for my birthday. Where? He wouldn't tell me. He asked me to meet him at his house at noon. I arrived at 1145, which he was none too pleased about, but oh well. It was a GORGEOUS day outside. I was already loving my birthday, because God was smiling upon the day. We make our way out of his house and his brother says, "Have fun guys. It's a beautiful day to go to the zoo." Oops. The secret's out. I quickly headed to the door, said good-bye and walked out, smiling because his brother had just ruined the surprise. As I left, I could hear him try to catch himself by saying, "... or the beach or the park..." Too late. I knew. As the door shut, I could hear Anthony scold his brother for letting the cat out of the bag. He was really REALLY upset that the surprise had been ruined, especially since I really had NO CLUE where we were headed. Oh well. It's not the first time one of his siblings ruined a surprise for me. I was still happy.
We get to the Zoo and I am STARVING. Anthony says we're gonna go to the deli across the way to get food before we go in. Then says to put our bags in the trunk. Surprise #2: he had packed a big picnic lunch for us and a giant blanket to sit on. We ended up eating on a bench in front of the Cheetah Conservation Station. We all know I love my cheetahs. He packed EVERYTHING: Capri Sun juices, grilled chicken and bacon, 3 different kinds of buns so I would have options, strawberries and chocolate for dessert, candy bars for snacks, and yogurt (but I hate yogurt, so I passed on that). But it was so sweet. There was a family sitting near us, and the father remarked to Anthony, "You are making me look really really bad right now..." Cute.
We toured the park and saw all the animals that I'd been trying to see for so long. Anthony took me to a gift shop and told me to pick stuff out that I wanted. I declined. I didn't want anything. After the Zoo, we stopped at his sister's house to change our clothes and wash up for dinner. We met my family and Arielle at TenPenh which, by the way, Forrester built and will soon also be remodeling. It was a great dinner. EXPENSIVE, but great. There was a third surprise for me: a cake that said, "Happy Birthday and Happy 3 Years Free." Yeah, it was also my 3 year cancer-free anniversary. Sweet. TenPenh cut and plated up the slices of cake for us. It was nice to see a Giant Food cake all dressed up like that :-)
The evening ended with Arielle, Anthony and me going to Ozio's for drinks. I got good and tipsy, and then we went home. It was a pretty early night, but we were all so tired... especially Anthony and I from the trek around the Zoo in 78* weather. But it was an amazing day.
Phew! Longest post ever, written sporadically over 2 hours.
© 2006