...is that all there is?...

My body is full on friends and food. Tonight I am going to sink into the futon with my embroidery.
Friday we headed out to Excelsior Springs for a party at the Freelings. They were having a campout, though we couldn't spend the night due to work the next morning. Here are the things I remember...Mandylan called me on my cell phone, so I talked with her on the crazy, steep, twisty front stairs while cats poked out of the bushes and I stared at the triangular mailbox...devouring a slice of apple pie with homemade vanilla ice cream, followed by a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie...laying by the campfire looking for satellites among the stars...lots of kids running around...drinking wine from the bottle with Jer.
Saturday was work is for jerks, but...da da da dum...then came a most fabulous dinner with Christine and Evan over to share in it. French toast,made with Jer's yummy batter, topped with fresh blueberries, strawberries, apple, banana, and kiwi, plus toasted pecans, honey butter, and powdered sugar. Drool. There was also chiken and apple sausage,scrambled eggs donated by Christine's Dad's chickens, and mimosas...then coffee after awhile. Sigh.
Sunday we headed to Lawrence for a BBQ Jenny O. was throwin'. So much food, and beverage, and...well...it was a Jenny O. party. It was a fabulous cap to a very filled weekend. One disappointment though...Amigo's is no longer in Lawrence! Where is one to get a crisp pinto burrito on their way out of town?! Highly problematic in the taste bud arena.

...my fellow friends...

Today is the start of my weekend of emptiness...ahhh.
Not that last weekend was bad by any means, just full. Thursday night I went straight from work to Lidia's Italian Restaurant where Cynthia and Ross's rehersal dinner was taking place. We snared an invite due to the fact that a couple of days before, Cynthia had called to ask Jer if he could accompany the singer with guitar during the ceremony...she was having a hard time singing acapella. So, we had a great time...lots of friends, and family (not our own, granted, but it felt close,)and food. Afterwards, Cynthia, Corrie B, and I spent some time at Broadway Cafe winding down. Corrie came home with me, as she stayed with us until Sunday! Yay!

Friday was the big day! I started off the day with two hours at work...woo hoo. An hour or so later, I was picking up Heather from the airport! She flew in for the wedding. We got to Drexel Hall a half hour or so before things started, so Jer could get tuned...I snuck up to visit with all the ladies upstairs. Cynthia looked fantastic in the dress she had picked out, and Grace, the flower girl, is possibly the devil disguised in the body of a red-headed three-year-old...she's not evil, just mischevious and hilarious! The ceremony went well...it was elegant, yet relaxed and had laughter. Dwight Frizzel was the minister, and BCR played at the reception, so it was guaranteed to be interesting! The reception was fun. We mainly stuck to our table, because the company was so enjoyable, and the food was...yummy! Goat cheese and leek tarts, purple potatoes with various toppings, baby vegetables and hummus, roasted garlic, roasted red and yellow peppers, bread, sundried tomato stuff, etc., etc. and the cake...a table of cupcakes and cookies, plus the seven-layer citrus cake...drool...so sweet. Here's to their happiness!

Saturday was a full day of work, which was followed by an awesome performance of Corrie B and her guitar (and Jer played mandolin and banjo on a few songs!)at the Westport Coffee House. Her voice...I love it. She was followed by our pal Laszlo's band The Get Wild Five...yow! Then they were followed by Ad Astra Per Aspera...always a good time. I was very tired by the end, so we headed home, but Corrie and Jer hit the after-party at Anthony's. I mainly did not due to what my plans were for Sunday...

Piper's graduation from Grad School!!! Yay Piper! Mom and I went to the ceremony at 10am (ugh) It was nice, and not too long! I really enjoyed the guy they gave the honorary degree to. His speech was great. At the end of the ceremony they released white doves. Guess it's better than a bunch of balloons!
We swung back by the house to grab Jer and Corrie and food we were taking, then made our way north to Piper and Nick's for a little party. Good times. On our way out, we had to say goodbye to Corrie at the airport. Sigh.

So...that was last weekend...this one looks to be a little more...m-e-l-l-o-w...no work today, Saturday, or Sunday...what's a girl to do?

A shout out to Josh, Julie, and Morgan...congrats on your new living space!!! Yay for you guys! I look forward to sending mail to the new address. We are excited for everything that is happening in your lives. We love you guys!

Hoping your weekend is m-e-l-l-o-w too.

...yeah, fire! fire!...

Metallica rocked hard last night! They played Master of Puppets, For Whom the Bell Tolls, One, Search Seek and Destroy, Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, and some newer songs, and other songs I can't recall now. During many songs there were huge bursts of flames, and firework type things. We could feel the heat from where we were standing! I liked watching my Mom throw her hands in the air, and attempt to make the metal horns hand sign (an unknowing tribute to Pan?)

I got a little shiver, though, watching everyone throwing fists in the air and shouting in unison. It was a little Nazi-esque to me...I couldn't bring myself to do it, at least in rythm with everyone else. Creepy. As was the guy who was a racist skin head (nice big swastica tattoo on one arm, and a cross on the other + wearing red suspenders and a bald head.) He was on the floor, and in the pit the whole show. He did the ugly mosh pit strut. Bleh.

Otherwise...plants are transplanted and flourishing, thunder has been rolling across our land for a couple of days - broken up with lots of sunshine, I'm helping out my friend Joscelyn in her studio a bit, Corrie B is coming into town and so is Heather!, the kitties look a little slimmer, Piper is graduating from grad school on Sunday, and...life is good!

...mama mia...

So I'm a day late...nothing new there. Here's to my Mother. She's a funny, warm, silly, sensitive woman, who still continues to surprise me. Plus she is cool as hell...she's taking Piper and I to Metallica tomorrow! I think she is more excited than I am! Thanks Mom for all you do.

Also...here's to the other Mom in my life, my Mother-in-law, Joan. Thank you for your contribution in raising Jeremy, and for the love and support you give us both.

Yay Moms!

...sizzlin...

Our upstairs is hot! That is where the computer is...my brain is working s-l-o-w-e-r in the heat...must have water soon.

Meleah and Peter's wedding was a hit! We danced like crazy and I drank much more than I normally do...tried a Colorado Bulldog...yummy...it's: equal parts Bailey's, vodka, and Kahluha, then you put a little milk/half&half (whatever you prefer) and top it off with a splash of coke...try it...now! Anyway...I wasn't exactly hung over the next morning, but upon rising, I decided I needed to sit upstairs a bit, drink some water, and eat some crackers before I could get on with my day.
Congratulations Peter and Meleah! I love you guys.

So, that day after the wedding, we had a little May Day/Cinco de Mayo throw down. Overall it went well. Make your own tacos, sangria, and cookies is what we provided, and others brought shrimp, chicken enchiladas, tamales, and I don't know what else! I did not drink anything stronger than Mexican coke (it's sweetened different!) Late into the night, things got a little rowdy, but we won't go into that.

I got the pleasure of working the next day, but it wasn't bad...Monday I got a weird 24-hour bug, that made me sleep a lot, and when I was awake, burp and fart much. It could have been much worse I suppose.

I thought after this past weekend that things were slowing down for awhile...hahaha...how foolish.
It's good though. Next week is Metallica with my Mom and sister!