Perfection.

So, in case you were wondering, last weekend’s highly classified trip was to here:


That would be Valerie’s family’s summer home in Westport, Massachusetts, on the southern shore. Well, one of their homes in Westport. That’s the small one, The Boathouse.

Six of us went up for Valerie’s surprise bachelorette weekend—the bride, her two sisters, and three friends. I hesitate to use the word bachelorette, which to me implies some sort of debauchery, because our activities consisted primarily of this:

…jumping off the dock into this…


…throwing a ball into the water for this fellow to retrieve…


….and sitting on the porch while reading and drinking iced tea. We also ventured up to Boston for dinner one evening. On the whole, it was a rough weekend. I would be happy to repeat it annually.

So anyway, I survived the Month of Everything, as well as August, which was pretty uneventful, aside from the aforementioned trip and my birthday. I wouldn’t call my birthday eventful, either, though I did have a fabulous dinner with friends, was taken to lunch by some work friends, received many birthday missives and calls from family and friends, and had homemade s’mores cupcakes baked in my honor by my office’s resident cupcake lady. AND THEN, the week after my birthday, some gorgeous roses were delivered to my office. Jules sent them the next week so that they wouldn’t die while I was away! So thoughtful, as always. They were beautiful, and I sent her the following photo:


Okay, I take it back. I suppose it was an eventful birthday after all.

Recommended reading

This book? The one that was over there on the right for a while?








REALLY GOOD. Quite the page-turner. I recommend it. Although now I don't know what I'm going to take on my trip this weekend--my current read is a bit large to haul around in my purse.

Overdue

So… the Month of Everything caught up with me. I was busy, yo. But now it’s August (the MIDDLE of August, sheesh), so I no longer have an excuse for not posting.

Since my last substantive post, I have done many things:

• The Month of Everything, Weekend #3 in Ohio, which included two lovely wedding showers for Jules. Many gifts were opened, and Marissa (Miguel’s sister and a fellow bridesmaid) and I proved quite proficient at fashioning bridal bouquets out of ribbons and bows. I also met many, many of Jules’ family members, ate several hot dogs, and saw the newest Harry Potter movie. ‘Twas fun. (During the course of the weekend, I also received assorted text messages from the boys, who were in Nashville for Ed’s bachelor party festivities. Apparently, I am the resident expert on all things southern and Tennesseean.)
• Hosted book club (our one-year anniversary!) at my place. This month’s book was Julia Child’s memoir, My Life in France. I prepared her own potato-leek soup recipe for the occasion—admittedly an odd choice for mid-July, but it was one of the few recipes I could find online that didn’t involve de-boning a duck or marinating something for three days. So soup it was, and it turned out rather well, though it seemed a little too easy.
• The Month of Everything, Weekends #4 and #5: G and I drove a million and six hours to and from the beach. During the intervening week, I sat on my rear (in various locations: rocking chair, hammock, porch swing, in beach chair under an umbrella) whilst consuming quantities of lemonade and reading four and a half books.
• Had jury duty for exactly five hours (and was not picked).
• With Jules and the other attendants, resolved the Great Bridesmaids’ Dress Debacle of ’09, and subsequently returned all the extra dresses that I had acquired (to the great relief of both me and my credit card)
• Fell off the wagon at Ann Taylor Loft again, though it had been a long time since the last time, nor did I fall too badly this time. I only bought two dresses (both work-appropriate!), and I got 30% off.
• Saw my old pal Liz, who is back! from! Germany! after a year.
• Discovered a new eatery—THE WEST WING CAFÉ, how awesome does that sound?!—a block from my office. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m super excited. Wonder if they have Fresca.
• Developed middle-of-the-night insomnia, but only every third night or so. I have yet to determine what is causing it.
• That’s it, I think.
• Oh no, wait. HA. There was also that other little thing, where I got promoted. Minor detail, that one. It was a killer, too, because I found out the day after I got back from Ohio, but I couldn’t tell anyone for THREE WEEKS. Amazingly, I managed it. So I got a big, awesome, exciting promotion, and More Monies, and a title that has the word “director” in it. I mean, okay, yes, there’s a word in front of “director,” but it’s still very exciting.

It was also part of the impetus for my wagon-falling at ATL—‘twas a reward to myself! Okay, not really. But that was how I justified it. The real reward, once I actually see the More Monies, will be a new tv. When I got promoted at the Old Job, I bought myself an iPod. Apparently I like electronics.

Okay, so. Now it’s August, which means weddings are NEXT MONTH. Yikes. It’s actually a little ridiculous how much time I spend thinking about weddings, considering none of them are mine. The following, for instance, is part of my rather epic to-do list for the coming weekend and week:

• Take bridesmaid’s dress to tailor (J&M wedding)
• Finish ceremony program (J&M wedding)
• Print and stamp programs (J&M wedding)
• Obtain gifts (J&M, E&V)
• Get shoes (J&M)
• Pack for [REDACTED!!] next weekend. Can’t discuss! Secret!
• …other stuff that I can’t talk about…
• Serve as photographer for E&V, who need more engagement pictures taken for some project.

And then there’s all the non-wedding stuff, like a haircut, a desperately-needed Target run, and laundry. As of Saturday, I’m out of clean underwear.

And then next week is my birthday (woo!) and the aforementioned [REDACTED!!] event.

And then one week later, it’s September, holy pete. Where did summer go?

Away

I'm at the beach. I'm reading many, many books and drinking large quantities of lemonade and iced mint tea. It's exactly as rough as it sounds.

Back to the real world on Saturday.

Heard...

...at 11:26pm on Saturday via text message from Jay, who was in Nashville with the guys for Ed's bachelor party


Jay: Your home state is fantastic. Good 'ol Rocky Top!

WEIRD. (The Month of Everything, Weekend #2)

Wedding weekend #1 has come and gone, and I had a most excellent time. The whole family, minus one branch of cousins, was at the rehearsal dinner, which featured a quite entertaining slideshow/video presentation by MC, sister of the groom. I was seated with my cousin Elliott, several members of the wedding party, and a few miscellaneous friends--none of whom, other than Elliott, I knew. (Mom: "Are you going to be okay over there?" Me: "I've managed with tougher crowds than this.")

Then Saturday was the wedding, and let me tell you, it is WEIRD when the guy who once endlessly tormented you and your girl cousins is suddenly up there getting married. In a tuxedo, looking all... grown up. To a lovely young lady who has, apparently, agreed to the whole thing. Weird, I say. Mom and Aunt K kept exchanging "I CAN'T HANDLE THIS" looks.

But nonetheless, we chatted, we laughed, we ate shrimp 'n' grits, we took many photos, we danced to the oldies. It was a good time, and likely the first of many such events. But none, probably, as weird as this one. The first one.

Up next: Jules' wedding showers in Ohio!

Gray Matter

I should mention that I did not come up with this idea (I stole borrowed it from Flotsam, who borrowed it from someone else). Larger version here.