Confessions of a One-Track Mind

GK picked me up Friday afternoon and we went to Bryan's memorial picnic. It was pleasant. (I should say that my morning was less so: I got a new battery, but it was an ordeal.) The weather was overcast, but not raining. Humid, but there was a breeze.

Not a huge turnout; There was GK, her hubby and their two boys, Doc, his wife and their two girls, NJ (Bryan's widow), their two boys and one girl, and a few peripheral friends. There was more than enough food, a good soundtrack going in the background, and GK had a bunch of family photos as conversation starters.

It lasted for several hours, after which time GK and I both elected NOT to go to the reunion. Neither of us cared to go hang around a bar (especially after the free drinks rumor was quashed), so we went back to their motel on the beach and everybody got into the pool. (Well, me and GK's and Doc's bunch.)

Floating on my back, watching the sky go from teal to indigo to black was the high point of my weekend. I wore the Goodwill swimsuit, which fit and looked good---I will try to get a pic up, although the one GK got wasn't optimal.

I ended up crashing on their couch over the weekend. Not a pullout, just a basic barely six-foot long couch with a pillow. Hey, a/c and wifi for the win! Also, GK gifted me something I'd mentioned wanting, a southwestern-style woven blanket. It's brightly colered and just the right length for me to snuggle under!

Saw Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on Saturday afternoon and Brave Sunday morning. Liked 'em both. Considerable suspension of disbelief required for the former, but it was still entertaining. The later was charming; I now desperately want a wee stuffed Angus!

Sunday afternoon, GK got in a bit of thrifting at MI Goodwill. This was her first trip to the new location, and she was mightily underwhelmed. I got a giant ceramic mug of a style I like for soup and such. Then we met CF at New Century Chinese Buffet. She and I and GK and NJ all had a great time.

Currently, GK and BlueRoses are in Savannah, visiting a home-bound friend. There's more to tell, but it's late. I'm tired, and I'm looking forward to being in my own bed.

More later....

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Yay, shirt is here! And fits. And goes well with leggings. Giving me something to wear as pajamas on the great roadtrip which commences in just a few hours. Woohoo!

I am pep-talking myself that this is going to be fun, fun, fun!---because I have my share of apprehensions and neuroses*. I hate long car trips, especially when I'm not driving. I don't like sharing a room---much less a bed! And then there's the Special Hell of spinster anxiety that weddings provoke, even those of loved ones...and there was a time when I had strong unrequited feelings for Dr Bizarre. (Okay, so that's almost two decades ago and it's waned. It's still another case of me being rejected and the guy marrying someone else. Even if it's a guy I don't want anymore. He's supposed to pine for me, damn it! Look, I SAID it was neurotic, I didn't say it was sensible.) Fun, damn it! Shopping! Swimming! Seeing my old friend marry the mother of his children.

Okay...I need breakfast and I need to finish working on the dress. Yes, I'm still sewing the fucking trim on. And it's puckering. *headdesk* WHY did I think this was a good idea? Remind me? (Yes, I have packed the bustier to wear under it.) At least I'll be well-accessorized. I have a silver clutch, pretty shoes, and a terrific necklace that I made myself.

Yes, I will get pictures.

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* ETA: No email for 72 hours is freaking me out! (Hell, more than 12 hours without email and I'm a wreck!)

GK got back to me with the pix she took when she was here last month. God knows I love her dearly, but I sure hope she never has to earn a living at fashion photography or portraiture, cos it is NOT her forte. Out of a half-dozen pix of me, this is the only one that's decent. It was taken on the walkway outside her motel room overlooking the pool.




The top is poly---a bit warm, but cute. The black skirt is my favorite---there's a little ruffle at the hem. The icon is a close-up of the tatt, if you're interested. My shoes are off because we spent the morning haunting Goodwill and my feet were killing me.

sbjb, this one's for you---( Dr. Bizarre )
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GK arranged a small family reunion for today, which she thought she told me about. I ransacked my email and the only thing I found was a "I'm thinking about---" mentioned in the reply to something I sent her. Luckily, I called her this morning before church and found out about it. I "cut" church after Joys and Concerns and went over there. I was hoping to make it back before CUUPs, but that didn't happen.

Most of the attendees were siblings of Kat's late husband. The younger generation consisted of GK and her siblings, BC and Dr Bizarre and all their respective offspring. GK's husband was there, Dr Bizarre's fiancee was there, while BC's wife was home asleep (3rd shift, poor thing, for about 20 years now). CF and here daughter were there as well (a mutual high school friend of GK, Red and myself).

I'll have pictures when I finish the roll and can afford to have them developed. Dr Bizarre's hair, eyebrows and beard are all tinted a flaming fluorescent yellow. He had on a Nightmare Before Christmas tee shirt and companion belt. No fishnets under his denim cargo shorts, though. He's mellowed.

I've got my insurance payments made, I need to get the FPL bill paid and my car tag renewed. That's everything I can eke out of the current check---I still want to top up my tank, as a general precaution.

I went through my pantry and was horrified by the amount of stuff I ended up pitching---BEST BY 3/2003?! Oh dear, oh dear! But I have pasta, rice and quite a lot of couscous (although I'm not sure how fresh the couscous is), veggies fresh, canned and frozen, and several pounds of frozen turkey, so I shan't starve. I may go get a couple more boxes of that tea---I made another batch this evening, it's quite good---and I'm feeling rather virtuous. Aside from medicinal Excedrin for my shoulders in the morning, I'm not swilling caffeine and haven't for almost a week. Go, me!

A spate of emails today from GK about The Impending Wedding of Dr. Bizarre has reminded me that my own ensemble is not yet complete and has sent me scampering to the Clearance section on Fluevog.com, where I've been whimpering to myself about THESE---yes, without the chance to try them on. The styling is deliciously Deco; I adore its graphic qualities. Plus, the wedge isn't too fiendishly high, they're basic black, available in 11.5---AND THEY'RE ON SALE!!! ($39 plus shipping...whimper, whimper!)

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* And can we all chortle when I tell you the name of the style is 'Ruby'?!

As I was telling GK, I found a dress that will work. (Goodwill saves the day. Again.) The skirt is black chiffon over a black underskirt, empire waisted, except that the bodice is a tank top in gunmetal and silver. The gunmetal part is those neo sequins that are flat and not sewn on and the silver-black background is sort of tinsel-y. It was probably someone's New Year's Eve dress, but I guaran-goddamn-tee it's going to look better on me.

Now, here's the thing: the tank top part of it is only semi-attached at the neckline and armholes. The rest of it floats free. Currently, it hits at the broadest part of my belly and hips and looks less than flattering. My cunning plan is to shorten it with GK's help, so that it comes to slightly below the bust, so that it will, as Clinton and Stacy would say, accentuates the narrowest part of me. Possibly with a contrasting belt or ribbon so that it will have a top, a middle and a bottom, but I can worry about that later.

While I was scoping out swimsuits, I also looked to see what I could find in the way of special occasion dresses...Dr Bizarre's wedding is in October, and it's never too early to start shopping. (I wish more people would do that instead of waiting until the week before prom!)

Their colors are black, white and red---per GK, the tablecloths are black---and she thinks they expect the guests to follow the dress code---although the groom-to-be said no such thing. I have a red dress that GK made for me to wear to a different wedding some...7 years ago? I don't recall exactly, but it was the fall before she moved out of state. That was some 50-odd pounds ago, and while we could take it in, I'm not thrilled by the idea.

Apparently, we've both been thinking about it; I got an email from GK today letting me know her itinerary. She's got her tickets, she's reserved hotel rooms, all that jazz. And as I was telling her about my search for weddingwear, she started talking about making over the dress I have. And yeah, it makes sense: The room plus expenses is going to be a chunk of change---but I want something without history. So...I'm still looking.

Had a really grand day out. GK, Dr Bizarre and Kat showed up about noon. We hit WalMart first; GK and Kat went to the pharmacy to take care of something there, I made a deposit (having gotten cash from GK and written a check she'll deposit on Friday) so I could pay my car insurance, which was on the verge of turning into a pumpkin.

Then GK and Kat went to Kat's bank for more TCB. Doc and I stayed in the van and schmoozed. We used to hang out A LOT before he moved to Tampa, and it was very satisfying to trade old catch phrases and tag lines and to discover that we're still into similar things.

Lunch at the Chinese buffet on Merritt Island...the potstickers were a treat and so was the sesame chicken. We visited one of GK's favorite thrift stores, then back to Kat's place, where we helped sort Kat's dresser drawer...she had an accumulation of jewelry all jumbled up in it, and we went through it piece by piece. I ended up with a good-sized ziplock bag full of largesse, which I ought to sit down and polish, but not tonight!

On the way to the theater---I should explain that we were in Kat's van this morning because there were four of us, and the car GK has rented is a tiny little Mitsubishi convertible. And while I love GK, her driving scares the crap out of me, so I took my glasses off AND closed my eyes, all the better to listen to the CD Doc fed into the player. My summary as we got to the mall was, techno-Gaelic. I was surprised and delighted to find out it was by Martyn Bennett---I have one of his albums, Bothy Culture (It's here somewhere.)---and finding out that Doc and I had both found the artist independently made me squeeful.

Zoomed over to the mall for the 7:35 showing of The Watchmen. My third time, Doc's first, GK's first as well, BUT she read the graphic novel, which she's loaned to me. (So far, it seems quite familiar, after the film.) We all enjoyed it, and I'm not tired of it yet.

I'm enjoying the sparkle on a freshly acquired silver and tanzanite ring, but not for long, since I have to be at work two hours early again tomorrow for training, oh, yay....