One long date

Gapetto and I, the chilrun and the outlaws went to the beach 

last week. The Redneck Riveria some call it and who am I 

to argue with that?

Seriously I saw 2 women, each at a different convenience store 

who were straight out of Central Casting for the Wicked Witch 

of The West. Both were sweet but Mercy Me had they been 

hit with the Witch Stick. Missing teeth, warts with LONG hairs,

you get the picture.

The outlaws gave us a pass one night and Gapetto and I had 

a bona fide date. We ate at Fishbone which was really good.

Laughed so hard we cried. It was nice to reconnect on the

date level.

When we came back the Dolly and the Bunny were still up.

[We are crazy late-nighters, I know.]

'Mommy, you are back already!'

'Yes Dolly.'

'Did you come back to see me?'

'Yes Dolly.'

'That's nice Mommy. Besides, you and Daddy are married and 

that is like being on one long date.'

'Yes Dolly.'

Disney: in the beginning

'Are you telling the truth?'

'What about school?'

"Does this mean we are not going to the skate park this afternoon?'

[Oh yes he did!]

More soon...

How the other 2% live...

Gapetto went to his 25 year college reunion last summer and met up 

with many of his old fraternity brothers. Not only did he have a 

fabulous time - he also made a lot of great business connections. 

We have gotten a fair amount of work from that little walk down 

memory lane.

So.

This past Saturday his (and now my) fabulous friend and client J along with his business partner Ms. Brit flew us up to NYC to see a Nicks game! Seriously. Gapetto and I are not exactly what you would call sports fans but who doesn't want to say they saw the Knicks in Madison Square Garden? Far be it from me to refuse an offer like that.

But then.

In order to save the aforementioned friends/clients some money we took a flight with one connection to New York - weather looked good here in the Deep South and in NYC. Oops! Forgot to check the weather in Milwaukee...

We left ATL airport at noon. Mid-flight we were informed of a fairly formidable storm raging over Milwaukee so we went to South Bend - home of the Fighting Irish (I'm getting my game on now). We buzzed Notre Dame campus, landed and were taken to a giant room with vending machines and bathrooms and were held hostage for two and a half hours. Because we weren't ticketed to be in South Bend there was no going out into the airport proper. Not that there was much there I expect as the whole operation looked pretty small.

We then boarded (outside walk to plane in sideways wind) and we waited. On to the blizzard! As we approached Milwaukee we went into a figure 8 holding pattern. Turns out they were closing the airport every hour or so to plow the runways. As we landed we were told that we were the last plane allowed to land as the airport closed again. Overnight in Milwaukee anyone???

But. They found us a connecting flight to NJ and told us to RUN! So we did. And those midwest airport folks can sure check out a license. I ran ahead as they stripped searched Gapetto only to see the flight gone from the board at the gate. Nice lady told me it just fell off the board! The flight that we were to take couldn't land in Milwaukee cause we were the last flight in. Anyway we finally took off after waiting for runways and airports and de-icing and rerouting and waiting for runways and de-icing and rerouting and ...

We took the train into the city and walked to our friends L&M's fabulous Chelsea loft. It was ten to midnight. I drank an orange juice and went to bed. Big night in the city.

Next morning we took a train to West Port CT to spend some time with J and family. What a gorgeous town. I was drooling every where I went. Did I mention I am a house freak? That I would own 697 of them if I could? Their house was way cool and comfortable and big. We had a lovely time.

Next day back to the city to meet clients for happy hour and off to the Knicks. Game was lame until we left - then it became a squeaker. Watched the rest back at L&M's swank loft. It was so nice to spend an evening with them.

Next morning back home.

Day after that -  crabby - and I mean CRABBY! And I realized that I had completely lost my equilibrium.

I was traveling all over and visiting People-With-Money and I got all mixed up. We (like most) are struggling some. But I have a feeling it wouldn't really matter what we made it would never be quite be enough. (Not so good in the $ department- wrong side of brain)

I had to have a serious talk with myself. I have enough - I have a husband I love and children I am proud of - not to mention absolutely crazy about. Our house is adorable. Life is rich and there is abundance all around me - not money - but important kinds of abundance like love and respect and friends and networks and...

Not everyone gets to be a jet setter and as it turns out living like one for a few days made me REALLY tired.

I had to take to the bay-yud.

Ladies Who Lunch

Back in October [when I was a newbie] I read a blog by 

LeendaLuu entitled 'You'll Always Remember Your First One...'

In it she talked about hooking up with her first blog friend -

And I was totally jealous. 

Now mind you I think I had maybe commented to her 4 times -

And I was totally jealous. 

I wanted to have a blog hook-up (she's right - it does sound dirty!)

In fact my comment to that blog was:

'What fun! I hope I have a first one to remember one day. 

Twins are adorable! xoxox'

I really am such a witty and verbose commenter.

SOOooo

We began commenting to each other, then emailing each 

other and well, one thing led to another (as things are wont to do)

AND

We met on Monday in the Fabulous Metropolis of Charlotte. 

Home of the Panthers and the Preppy People.

She was going there for work and off-handedly asked if I would 

drive up 4 hours and see her. I picked up the phone, called her at 

work and said 'Heyull yeah!' [We say that all the time down 

here in the deep south.] 

She said 'Yahoo!' LeendaLuu thinks we say 'Yahoo!' all the 

time down here but don't you believe that for one minute - 

we DRINK Yahoo!

Oh wait - make that YooHoo!

I met her at her hotel - 

[Okay I grabbed her when she came out of the elevator] 

I mean look at her - you just know your going to get 

along great with her! She is beautiful and smart and sassy!

We went to lunch directly [around 1:00-ish] - we left lunch 

around 4:30-ish. It was Faboo! [I am not sure anyone says 

that down here but me.] And the waitress was good-humored 

[a must when serving restaurant squatters] and didn't mind 

us sitting there forever.

We established several very important things:

We both love to skydive

We both have 6 year old twins (well we already knew that)

We had crummy first marriages

We have excellent [well at least similar] senses of humor

We had twins late and other kid[s] early 

We have identical guilt complexes

We have the same middle name

We were both born in the first week of November 

We are mouthy, brash and not always well-behaved

We can talk and talk and talk to each other

We love old houses

We are at a crossroads work wise

We can laugh and laugh and laugh with and at each 

other and ourselves.

She looks great with grey hair - I look like shit with grey hair.

[I know this is all very riveting to you]

She graciously brought gifts for my twins and these 

delicious evil things...

for Gapetto and company. Her infamous Oreo Balls.

I ate about 450 of them on the drive back. I think 

Gapetto has had one. The Bunny Rabbit would

like 450 of his very own [listening LeendaLuu?]

I only made it as far as my in-laws lake home that night 

as I didn't leave until 7:30 or 8:00 [you know with 

Happy Hour starting right after lunch and all - did you 

ever get to practice that speech?] So I got into bed 

all by myself [no dog, no hubby, no twins in the middle 

of the night] and read as long as I wanted. A fabulous book 

that OTJ lent me. And then I slept in which is exactly 

what I did on the way up come to think of it.

Really it was all so heavenly.

What would I do without my Girlfriends?

Especially my Bloggy Girlfriends?

Thanks Leendaluu - I love you!

Of Music and Mullets

Gapetto (The Keeper) and I had our 10th 

wedding anniversary on the 18th. I don’t 

know about you but I haven’t done anything
(or anyone!) consistently for 10 years until 

now. We decided to go for a long weekend 

to Nashville. That’s right, Nashville. 

If anyone has looked at my bio or met me 

they know I love twangy women: Allison Krauss, 

Shawn Colvin, Nancy Griffith, Beth Orton, etc.

Now I don’t think I mentioned this before 

but my husband is a saint (occasionally). 

He’s never much cared for my music
but he knew I have been wanting to go 

up there. Generally I go see my girls with 

our good friend who I’ll call The Husband
Understudy. He says and I quote,

“It’s all the work, none of the perks.”

I’d say bless his heart but he loves 

the music as much as I do. And he knows

he’s always got someone to go with him.

But getting back to Gapetto and me. 

We did all the touristy stuff - which there 

is ALOT of. We went to the Country Music
Hall of Fame, Studio B (where we sat at 

the very piano that Elvis warmed up on), 

we tried on cowboy boots and hats, even 

a mullet cap (did NOT purchase that).

(He's all mine Ladies!)

We went to Cooter’s and had my picture 

taken next to General Lee. It’s amazing how 

I have made it nearly 49 years in this life without
knowing who the heck The Dukes of Hazzard 

were. I am sorry that I couldn’t keep that 

streak going, frankly.

As I once asked Gapetto when we were dating

“Didn’t your mother ever make you play outside?!?”

The man knows his television.

And we listened to music. 

Sweet, Sweet Music. We heard a guy
named Mike Farris who sings the most 

raucous, New Orleans style gospel 

I’ve ever heard and he ain’t bad for 

a white boy, in fact he is amazing. 

It was like being at a rock concert - loud!
Good and Loud! Love him! They were 

recording live that night for his upcoming 

album so the place was going wild and 

me and Gapetto were too. 

He liked him, he really liked him.

And of course, everywhere we turned we saw Elvis.

If I had a nickel for every picture, full 

size mannequin and cut-out we saw 

of Elvis I might have been able to 

pay for a tank of gas. Maybe.

And we slept! We slept in till 8:30 or 

9:00 everyday and that was on Central time. 

Ah, sweet sleep. Without the Dolly Llama 

and the Bunny Rabbit the only reason to 

get out of bed was because Gapetto 

can't sit still. He has got to get up and go. 

And go we did.

Happy Anniversary to us.