Friday was a day of meeting people I didn't know. Well, one of them I know in the cyber-sense, as far as a written blog can take knowledge of a person. The others are Doug's co-workers.
I'll start with Sir Sean of Seanalot. Sean and I stumbled across one another through his journal. We had written back and forth about meeting in person and finally we decided to have lunch. Because I work and he is a student, he is a little more free than I am and was able to come to Swampscott to meet me.
We had a really nice lunch and talked about life, the universe, and everything.
We talked about how we are 40 and sure don't feel it. I think he put it exactly as I had been feeling it, and I quote loosely here: "Aside from the reflection that greets me in the mirror, I don't feel like I'm 40." And indeed, aside from all my grey hair, the doubling chin, the bags under my eyes, I would swear to you I still feel like I'm 25. So we were both on the same page in regards to how we feel entering our fifth decade.
We talked about his Peace Corps experience in Russia and Anya and Nastia and Keri. We talked about belief, faith, actions being the reflection of the good in your heart, nursing... nursing... nursing. Sean will hopefully survive the next 18 months of his life in a nursing program and emerge from the opposite side a well-trained and ready for anything nurse. And I wish him well in the process.
He said he was nervous to meet me... but it didn't show. We had a wonderful talk, and a wonderful time. And need to do it again soon.
I worked late to make up for the (very well worth it!) long lunch. Doug and I were slated to go out with his co-workers and meet up at 8pm, but he called me at 6 as I was getting ready to go home and change, but he told me to just meet him there and that we'd have dinner first. Luckily it was a way casual place because I sure didn't feel dressed up enough to go out. I was dressed just right based on the clientele... and no one sat there saying "Oh my, she has her snow boots on." It was all good and roadhouse like in there. And the beer was cold and the food was good.
Doug's co-worker friends started showing up and we all started getting into the groove of getting to know one another. People brought their significant others. We toasted and I did the "I'll bang you later!" joke (for those of you who know, you know how funny the joke is) to the folks at the end of the table, nearly causing the spouse of Doug's coworker M to spit his Jack'nCoke across the table.
It was exceptionally funny. I felt I'd broken the ice and got my foot in with the crowd of people I didn't know.
Doug's boss is really sweet and funny and I liked her a lot. His co-worker L. is a drop-dead riot, and there's another one who lives here in our town, right by the house we looked at with the floors that all needed totally replaced. She has 2 goats as pets. And once had a potbellied pig but it destroyed her house when she was at work so she had to send it to Nevins Farm.
As the evening progressed, we found the far back corner of the restaurant had a fireplace and a couch and that's where we ended up. We laughed and joked and totally made fun of the waitress (while a very sweet and well meaning person, she was really, really, really dumb).
The reason for this get-together was that Doug's nursing home is going through some corporate changes, and a few people are not going to be carried over with the switch. Doug will be at this location, but a couple are not. So they wanted to get together for some rowdy non-nursing home fun. And a lot of rowdy non-nursing home fun was had. And I kicked him saying "why didn't we do this sooner? Why have I not met these people before? They are FUN!" It was worth the night out.
And then it snowed.
Saturday I got up early and bought Guster tickets for their April 20/21 shows in Boston. We're all trapped up in the Mezzanine at the Boston Opera House, but it's not bad. It isn't like we're in the far far away seats at Gillette Stadium or anything. It's the opera house -- we'll be able to see just fine. The seats are in the sixth row of the Mezz, so it isn't too bad. I am greatly looking forward to it because Evergreenstate (Sarah) is coming here all the way from Warshington State, and Skillet (cchall) is coming up from NJ. A good time is on the horizon.
All the Gusterrhoids will be there. Wheeeeeeee!
After I bought the tickets, I took the dogs for a long walk in the woods, filled with snow... Jack took himself swimming and got turned into a pupscicle. He was making tinkling noises by the time we got back to the car, and would stop on the trail to chew the ice cubes out from in between his puppy toes. It was very funny. And I tested the All Wheel Drive capabilities of my Subaru by driving through the snow in Georgetown near the trail head. And that was awesome.
Anyway. Today we have friends coming over to watch the Überbowl.
I'm not really sure who I am routing for.
I'd like to see Peyton Manning's team win, because I am beyond sick to death of hearing "Is it Peyton's year? Will he ever win a Super Bowl?" Because if he loses, God help us, him crying about it for the next year will be all we hear. So if they win, they'll finally shut up about it, and so will he. So part of me wants that to happen.
I don't really care that much about the Bears, although I think Brian Urlacher is one hot man. Meow. They beat the Patriots in 1986, and that still stings, but I can think of worse NFC teams up there so I'll take what I've been dished out. So part of me is okay if they win.
The father/son team of Doug and Geoff are split on who they are cheering for. Doug says he will never forgive the Bears for the Super Bowl Shuffle, so he's going to route for the Colts. Geoff hates the Colts and hates Peyton Manning and his stupid commercials being on the TV all the stupid time. He's taken the "ABC - Anyone But Cowboys" slogan to Anyone But Colts and is cheering for the Bears...
Our house should be an interesting mix of who is routing for whom. Me? I'm just looking forward to spending time with our friends and enjoying food, fellowship and monkey wine.
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