half a month too long...

...and I should be in bed.

Bed is a lonely place despite the kitty's attempts to warm it up. Doug is away on a business trip, which would be disconcerting to most in my position ( my birthday is Tuesday) except that I have to be up at 6 a.m. in order to be at school at 8 a.m. and to be at a massage event at 9 a.m. When that is completed at 3 p.m. I have to be at school by 5:30 (there is some distance involved) and won't be out until close to 10, I surmise. So, no point in getting worked up. I'll at least be spending the day doing something I love.

I have so many pictures to post that I think it'll have to wait for another post, since it always takes so long for me to compress, re save, and attach them. Angie's visit was amazing fun -- I hope we get to visit again. She and Jonas are so very cool. And whatever Wil did to get them here after all the mix-ups has earned him some kind of treat from Barnhenge. Maybe I could send a chicken.

We did so much in the few days of the visit. Thursday Angie, Jonas, and I went to a Turkish place for lunch, and then went home and spend at long time laughing at Jonas playing in the sprinkler. Of course the fact that I've been waiting for the perfect excuse to break out my Patrick Starfish Sprinker had nothing to do with that...

Friday-- we drove around a lot, and basically relaxed. In the evening we went to see Joyce Carol Oates and Salman Rushdie speak at the DuPont Theater in Wilmington. So we got to dress up and be intellectuals for an evening. I've been looking forward to this for some time, as JCO is one of my all time favorite authors -- Rushdie as it turns out, was the immediately engaging one, JCO took a bit more time to warm up, I think, because she was trying to figure out her audience. I like her even more since seeing her, an introverted, somewhat awkward figure on the stage, taking up so very little space, when having read her work, I understood what a massive expanse her mind fills. She, to me, embodies the archetype of a writer. Plus, she is a cat person, which wins points in my book. Rushdie, on the other hand, with his jokes and convivial attitude, and presence seemed so at ease in the eye of so many, like he fed on it -- which may in fact be the case, as much press as some of his work has gotten. He commented that until here recently the Satanic Verses and the fahtwa were so controversial that the book itself was overlooked for it's literary contents-- this I've noticed.

So the 90 minute forum definately provided some thought. Afterwards Angie and I wondered the streets of Wilmington, feeling oddly like country bumpkins playing dress-up, looking for something to prolong the evening. We found a little Italian place with cute waiters and outdoor seating so we treated ourselves to White-Chocolate Rasperry Martini and dessert (tiramisu for Ang, Limoncello Cake for me) and some good conversation before heading home.

Saturday we cooked and cooked and I still couldn't facilitate getting dinner on the table sooner than 8. *sigh* I swear there is some kind of mental block that makes it impossible for me to get supper on the table at an earlier hour. I suppose it's not that I'm a decent cook, but that hunger does wonders for the flavors of a meal. Angie was a phenomenal sous chef and also prepared a very tasty Spinach Roulade that I think will end up being an entertaining mainstay. I have a great picture of her weeping over the onions, I think I'll share it later. *grin*

Sunday we played at the Fairie Festival -- a whole big group of us with Raven, Derek, Morgan, Melissa, Doug, Ang, Jonas, and myself. Followed by Fireside Fondue at Barnhenge and some much needed sleep. By Monday, our main goal was to keep Jonas smiling, since, by this point the poor tyke had been massively overstimulated and prepared to meltdown at the drop of a hat. Not that I can blame him, it happens to those of us that are hardened to such things too. He did really well and it was touching to see he and Morgan play.

In other news it looks like our garden is about two weeks behind, which means that we'll be innundated with harvest come late summer. This is based on the assumption that everything grows. We have technically just past our frost-free date, so maybe it won't be so bad. Doug has been working really hard in his "spare" time to get the fence up, with so much wildlife around (including the very helpful chickens) we simply cannot plant until it's fenced in.

Let's see, what else -- I've had my first clinic at the school, which was exciting to get to do - an actual paying client (to the school), I even got a tip! I quit my job working doing in-home care, and have to find a new one sometime in early June -- there was just too much going on that was preventing me from being dependable. Mom finally had her tests at the hospital -- after the incident of her being ill and vomiting blood -- the test turned up a bit ol' ulcer, but everything else is normal or as it was already. I think we were all really scared it would be something much, much worse. She's on meds for it, and already going well, I think.

This past Saturday I got to go to a Tea held at the same family's house where Doug and I got married. They are such awesome people. Mrs. Taylor host's a tea occasionally -- there were at least forty ladies (and one man) there as guests. Her family and some friends do all the cooking, prep work, and decorating. I went with my friend Erica -- it's such a relaxing, and indulgent event -- with good food and tasty baked treats -- some violin music, and her sons took turns between courses to read us themed poetry. *sigh* What a great way to spend a lovely spring day.

speaking of days, mine begins early tomorrow so I should sleep.

g'night.