I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day! I was lucky to have my mom visit but the time just went by oh so fast. That seems to happen to me a lot this time of year. It seems like I’ve barely gotten pumpkins carved when Christmas trees start going up around me. My mom needed to catch up on some R&R so we mostly stayed close to home. Thursday, we cooked up a big bird with all the trimmings and laid around reading most of the afternoon. Friday, we wandered around in our local hardware and book stores. Saturday, we wandered some more, this time covering antique and salvage stores.

Saturday night was the real treat. We went to Purple Cafe and sampled the majority of their tasting menu. We also had some amazing wines that I will have to elaborate more on later. There was one so good I christened it “wine I’d most like to fill a bathtub with”. Sunday, we went to Jak’s for brunch and it was ROTFOMFG goodness. Maybe I shouldn’t mention that they are doing brunch because I was very happy to get into that restaurant without having to pace for an hour. Then we strolled around the farmer’s market before heading home for a post-brunch nap. By the time that was all said and done, it was nearly time to take mom to the airport. Four days is just not enough time!

I blame the tryptophan from my turkey leftovers for the small amount of work I’ve gotten accomplished today, despite the fact that I didn’t get much done before lunch either. Perhaps it’s a collective sedative effect after Thanksgiving. After so much good food, family time and laziness, I’m just a big hungover leftover that is ready for my next nap.

I met one of my co-workers in our warehouse and he (being from Louisiana) asked if I had family coming up for Thanksgiving. I happily told him that my mom was coming up this year and I was really looking forward to her visit. Then, he asked, If I was going to help. Help?, I responded confused. “Are you going to help your momma with the cooking?” Oooh, no no no, I am the one cooking. I had to laugh out loud after he was around the corner because I was just thinking, I’m not even going to get into what happened* the last time mom was in charge!

*Anyone who had read my blog for any length of time knows that I can’t let the holidays pass without bringing this up. It’s just too classic.

It’s that time again when our calendar has very few blank spots on it. We have a full weekend coming up, starting out tonight at Tidbit Bistro. We’re meeting up with some new found friends for tapas, wine and grappa- which I’ve been looking forward to all week!

Tomorrow night the fun continues. We’ll be birthday celebrating, Uppity Style.

Hope you all have a great weekend. Don’t wait up!

So, back to the long weekend. The theme revolved around fine food, perfect drinks and awesome friends - is there any better of a combo? Friday night, we had a birthday dinner (at a favorite local Greek place) with Uppity and Co. Over a couple of bottles of nice red wine, we got to know one of her oldest friends that she’s talked about for a long time. No longer do we have to wonder if she is a figment of that fantastic Uppity imagination.

Saturday morning I woke up thinking that I was in a Hitchcock movie. There was a crazy flock of crows outside and when Lach opened the front door to investigate, it sounded like they were swarming the living room. At least I got up at a decent hour and had time to mow and weedwack the yard before it got really warm later in the day. That evening we went down to visit with our friends Texass and Teach. It’s not possible to to turn down a Texan’s BBQ ribs- not that anyone in their right mind would want to. Full of ribs and beer, someone decided wii needed to get fit. I didn’t hurl, which is a surprise considering how hard I laughed, but I did decide that I am not interested in a routine Wii workout. I am fine however with drinking beer on the couch while watching others hula hoop and head butt flying panda heads, virtually of course. Read the rest of this entry »

Some days I really love my job. This statement rarely occurs on a Monday however. I have mentioned before that my company is a small one and the owners are avid sports and music fans. Quite often throughout the year I get perk tickets to concerts, occasionally a football game and today- a Mariner’s baseball game.

They are killer seats, in the terrace club, and the food up there is like no other ballpark fare I’ve ever seen. I can taste that gourmet cotton candy already. It’s a good thing too, I had my last box of TJ’s mac & cheese for lunch.

I got worried at first because I couldn’t find a date. I was just about to email Jen & Sara to see if they were interested when I got a text message from my friend Texass. The M’s just happen to be playing the Texas Rangers tonight so she was ready to go. Hopefully we can refrain from getting into too much trouble while the wives are away. *whistles innocently*

My glasses are speckled with tears for a beautiful woman that I’ve never met. In the five years that I have been with Lach, she’s fondly reminisced the goddesses of Tahoe many times. We’ve repeatedly discussed making a trip to visit and after the fires last summer decided that this was finally going to be the year that we made it happen.

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.

It pains me to no end that we didn’t make the trip sooner… that the cards of time have fallen the way that they have. All too often, hindsight is indeed 20/20. For the first time, I am beginning to understand the sorrow that Lach went through during the week following Joe’s death. The desire to be near those we love in times of heartache, is enough to rip your soul right through your skin.

The more people that pass through our lives, the less that I seem to come to terms with it. For all the bright souls that have left way too soon… may peace be with you, and somehow eventually with us.

My mom and I, like most of America, have been discussing the political landscape rather often. I found it quite amusing that she was watching the last State of the Lame Duck Union address because she was sure that “someone was finally going to shoot the bastard”.

After the recent Florida primaries, she made a political prediction. She’s convinced that it will, again, come down to a battle in the sunshine state. Let’s just imagine that after all state primaries are over that Obama and Clinton are virtually tied. What if Hillary were to fight for the uncounted delegates from Florida to give her the final boost into the nomination?

Apparently mom’s not the only one with that idea.

Channel your best Professor Trelawney and tell me what do you see happening in the war to the Whitehouse? Personally, I think the grim is sitting in John McCain’s teacup.

According to Syd (and some reputable news sources too) my mom’s alma mater, Ole Miss, was recently named number 2 on the list of top party schools in the US.

What they don’t know is that my cousin was just accepted last week, so better luck next year! For those of you that are into college football, you can hear my cuz wailing on her trumpet like a badass on game day. She just received honors of 2nd chair in the top band, even though it’s her first year at the university level.

Congrats Britt!!