So nice to come home. I was so eager to see everyone. I left on Sunday morning and returned Wednesday afternoon. All alone with no major plans. What's a girl to do?
I went to my cousins baby shower on Sunday where I got to hold a three week old little guy -first cousin once removed or is that a second cousin, I can never remember. Sweet boy, just sleeping away. I could hold babies all day, but I have to admit it was kinda nice to know that I wasn't going to have to get up every two hours all night long.
On Monday, I got out of bed at 9:00, having slept all night long! I wandered around Stanford Shopping Center for most of the afternoon. My mother insisted my, uh, man shorts were terribly unattractive and insisted she buy me a decent pair of shorts- preferably woman's. Well, first thing is my 'man shorts' were a third of the cost, they have tons of pockets to hold all my stuff, plus all the miscellaneous things I gather from my children throughout the day (matchbox cars, k'nex pieces, push pins, scraps of paper, paper clips, coins...it's really amazing what comes out at the end of the day). And they are comfortable, cuz they are too big. My ample hips hold them up just fine, though my mother did suggest a belt might help a bit... They do look like crap, but I never look in a mirror and I just don't really care. So in the end, mom bought me some new shorts(that I am saving for a nice occasion since I don't want them to get slimed and stained), a couple of shirts and a dressy outfit- I'm not sure when I'll even wear that- I told my mother I'd save it for her funeral- not that she's dying or anything, but sometimes I can just be morbid like that.
I felt like I had been living under a rock for the last many years as I looked at the merchandise in the swanky shops and and watched other shoppers mill about. And what's with this new trend of bringing your dog shopping with you? Many shoppers were carrying or even walking with their dog. A full sized golden retriever down to chihuahua types. There were water dishes in the stores. Has this been going on for years? I thought it was a little weird.
I proceeded to spend two nights with my sister and her partner in the hills of Oakland. We went out to lunch and I read a book, sitting in the quiet. Unfortunately, they were dealing with the sudden sickness of their thirteen year old cat and before I left they had to put her down. Many tests and three vets later... It was very sad to watch them have to make that decision.
It was all very relaxing. Except for the guilt of being gone. Obviously, not guilty enough to return home...
AND I was so excited to come home. To sleep in my own bed, to see the kids, to see Käri. It even took a few days for it to wear off...
