Quel un week-end! Friday night, I was very easily talked into going out down in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea for a couple of drinks. Chris's friend Rick was in from out of town, with his friend, Rick. They were in town for the Superbowl, for which they had tix but which they sold in the Pittsburgh airport. It was a nice night - Dean & Meredith came out, too, so I didn't have to feel like I was the only reason they weren't spending the night ogling chicks. Of course, at Aruba, there aren't all that many chicks young enough to ogle. :)



Saturday morning I woke up at 7:30 with a desperate desire to go back to sleep. After all, the idea of sleeping in on Saturday morning was the only thing that got me out of bed on Thursday & Friday mornings. I stubbornly stayed in bed, falling asleep over and over only to be woken back up by the dogs or Oreo mewing outside or Chris walking in the room. So I checked my email. Looked at pics of the Hoes' babies, found out they were not accepting guests yet. Then at 11 or so, fell back asleep for an hour. Ha ha.

I helped Chris move some stuff outta the condo and spent the day doin' stuff around the house blissfully unshowered. Then Chris made dinner (garlic pasta with shrimp!) and we went down to Las Olas with Rick & Rick.

Rick II, who reminds me of Artie from Howard Stern, is apparently in the middle of a messy divorce and was well-toasted by the time we met up. He also apparently needs to get laid so badly that we can ALL taste it. On the car ride, he began to tell us all about how perfectly the g-string fit the bartender in the strip club the night before, making eye contact with each of us as he detailed it. I'm like, um, okay. He spent the ENTIRE night with his eyes fixed on passing-by women's asses. It was honestly disturbing. When I cracked up laughing at one point, he realized why and apologized. Said he was trying to get better about that.

Walking down the street, he would get fixated on a woman in front of us.. It reminded me of when Scooby Doo would smell food off in the distance and his nose would lead him off to find it, his body just following the nose. It was kinda like that.

We went into Coyote Ugly. "Oh, how nice!" I said when we walked in. "A strip club without the stripping!" There were a few chicks in there, aside from the Coors girls, but mostly it was just guys. A sea of guys. Staring at the scantily-clad chicks dancing on the bar. Jaws on the floor. I was so incredibly uncomfortable, and felt very puffy & Midwestern in my jeans and big fleecy coat. Chris, always a man after my heart, looked at me and said, "I want to go home." We left soon after, and Rick I went back to his condo, leaving Rick II to his own devices. I fear to wonder what ended up happening that night, although I can be sure it involved him back at Coyote Ugly. Possibly on the bar.

Chris was so cute when he woke me up on Sunday morning: "Did you have enough sleep?" I blinked and said I thought so. "I'm going to church," he told me. "Okay." He always goes to church. "Did you want to come with?" He never asks this, knowing I'm not a religious girl. I remembered it was a special day for Father Pat, who passed away a couple of months ago. So of course I went.

I never met Father Pat, but he sure must have been a good man. I know he helped out my Chris a lot, and the whole church was sniffling when the new priest began to talk of him in the sermon. I'm glad there are people like Father Pat out there. I saw some really touching little family moments going on in the pews around me.. in such unfamiliar surroundings, with the organ music playing.. It was actually very emotional and.. I dunno. Touching. I had tears running down my own cheeks. Lots of thinking about how sad it is that such bad things can happen, but also how wonderful it is that we have people to depend on when they do. The grandma two rows up that has her arm around her grandson and keeps kissing his cheek. The old couple holding hands in the row in front of us. The parents three rows up who came in a half-hour late, trying to keep their messy-haired, cute little girls entertained through the services. Chris & I holding hands.

After church, we went for french toast in my old 'hood and then for some big, American-style shopping at Costco (48 cans of Friskies for $13.69!), and to Whole Foods for yummy dumplings and a copy of the NYTimes, which had an article about puggles (and chugs, and jugs) in it. Then it was back to home base, where I showered the dogs one by one in the nice steamy bathroom. I love scrubbing those cute little furry friends. Then I showered myself. Then I did homework and enjoyed the newly fresh-smelling dogs while the Superbowl played on Chris's friggin' huuuuuge TV. As you all saw, it rained and rained and rained in South Florida yesterday. Of course, it's about -15 degrees in Wisconsin, so I really can't complain.

Last night, as always, I lamented the ending of the weekend. I guess that's a reliable way to tell that it was a good one. :)  ¶ 3:01 PM