My Thanksgiving Weekend So Far

We were allowed to leave the office at 2pm on Wednesday.

Too bad I have so much hanging over my head there that I felt guilty racing out as I would usually do if I were at any of my other old jobs. I got home about 4 and proceeded in on a laundry frenzy. We have lots of folding to do, but at least I didn't have to wear bathing suit bottoms yesterday, and actually have clean underwear to last me through the weekend.

I need more underwear.

I had a roaring headache on Wednesday night, but I was still able to celebrate bubbly with bub.

It was our 4-month wedding anniversary and even though it's not the 1, 3, or even 6-month mark, it just felt more special because of the pending holiday and that we had time to recognize the anniversary. Usually we're too busy and we just quickly acknowledge that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together several months ago (and still do!) and then kiss and then go back to washing dishes or something.

He bought me long stem light, but intense pink roses.

They are perfect.

I put them in the vase that was one of our centerpiece vases at the reception. It looks like a summer arrangement; I had to cut the roses short to accomodate the large opening of the glass and the roses wanted to tip over because the buds are too heavy for their long stem parts. Anyway. He's so sweet. We enjoyed bubbly from TJ's, a very expensive $5 brand, but it was delicious and actually tasted quite similar to the bubbly they'd serve use right before our first course in Italy. Of course we followed this up with some 6 Feet and well, naturally I passed out on the couch.

Then comes yesterday: roaring cramps and bitchy whines from me and I'm not even out of the bed.

We drag our asses in the pissing rain to the Y. Yes, we were working out on the biggest pig-out day of the year. Good for us! I will meet the at least 3x a week of going to the gym quota. I will do it and then I will increase my quota and work up to running to the gym just like I used to do when I was a young girl (read: 2 years ago).

Then came the fun part. Fun in italics. Fun in quotes. Fun in a sarcastic fun sort of way.

We drove 1.5 hours out to see my mom's side of the family who I am less than thrilled about spending time with. Too much to get into, but you know the feeling when you walk into a party and you say hello to people and then you go to say goodbye to those same people after little or no conversation and the parting words are "so great to see you!"--it's fake, dumb, and outright stupid, right? That was pretty much our day. The restaurant that my uncle picked for us was one where my father spotted a mouse run across the floor, the food was lukewarm and gross, and I left feeling HUNGRY and ANNOYED that everyone gets to dine on leftovers today and I get to eat some brownies I made last night as a result of the PMS and me being bitchy--and of course because I was hungry and wanted SOMETHING that tasted GOOD.

And you may wonder why we ate out on such a holiday. Well, my mother pretty much follows the crowd of her family (fine) and she didn't want my grandmother spending it alone (neither did I). So she decided not to cook (gasp! I LOVE mom's cooking, but she was probably happy not to have to) and so we ended up in a large room needing a makeover--paint, bad smell, etc. with tables that you'd find at a bake sale covered with PAPER tablecloths. Not even enough menus to pass around.

Perhaps I'm being ungrateful (I think if I didn't know me, I would think I sound ungrateful and selfish) but I was embarrassed for my uncle who clearly doesn't understand what eating out means: you pick a place SOMEONE would actually enjoy eating at.

Don't get me wrong, there were some great moments like laughing with my dad and talking to him about how I feel like a well-paid admin in my job and how I want to feel settled and how he said you never really feel settled. He just made me feel better; he usually does. My sister and I joked around. It made for some fun banter. And then there's seeing Bub interact with my family--and those who I can't stand: the uncle who can't pick a good restaurant to save his life and so forth--and he's just downright adorable. The handshakes, him interacting with my cousin who's almost 6.

We capped off the gross-o meal with a trip to Bub's grandfather's. He's 97 and doing well. We just saw him this past weekend so we caught up on the usual: weather, what day it was, more weather, some family stories, before heading home.

And it was good to be home.

Bub has to work 1/2 day today. So for now I'm trying not to eat more brownies and getting ready to head to the gym. Then there will be some trips to the store, not because I am ready to Christmas shop but because I need to scope out what to wear to Christmas parties that are fast approaching. Yes, after yesterday's "holiday" meal, I think I deserve something new and shiny.

Happy Weekend!