Well That's Interesting...

I got into my apartment tonight and it smells like cooked peas...

Not horribly odd, except I really hate peas and haven't made them in months.

Gee I hope Jeanette had peas for dinner...

Update

I just got off the phone with Frank. After 3 hours of surgery his father is in recovery and everything thing went as smoothly as possible. They should be able to see him in 20 minutes or so. He sounds very relieved.

Sadly his sister's husband hasn't been seen since the discovery that he packed the wrong size diapers for their daughter, and only 3 outfits.

Kindness

Frank's dad should be out of surgery in half an hour or so. It's been a quiet night of waiting and while I wait I was pondering people.


Jill and I were making plans for a possible Tuesday sleep over. Frank is due back that night and depending on how he's feeling I may be in the city, so I told her if that was the case she was still welcome and I'd change the sheets on my bed. If I was home, well we'd just have to wrestle for the couch.


She's nearing the end of the school year and drama club rehearsals are keeping her late. Add to that Faire and Mad Mechanicals rehearsals and we've got one tired Jilly-Bean. Her response to my e-mail? She wanted to know if she could put his dad on the kids' prayer list. I was going to ask, but didn't have to.

As I went through my day I got updates from Frank on how things were going and kept my boss and Beverly posted (explaining why I was texting during work, which is normally a big no-no). As Bev was leaving for the day she asked what Frank's dad's name was, saying she'd say a prayer for him.


This is what religion should be. Not making someone bend to your ideals. Not "praying to save a soul". It's having your faith and caring about the people around you. I know some people might take offense at the offer of a prayer, saying it isn't their belief, perhaps thinking the person offering is trying to push their beliefs on them, but it doesn't have to be. Prayer is a way that Beverly and Jill (and her students) feel they can offer support and show they care. Here it is focusing positive energy toward someone they don't even know except through my stories. It is the kindest thing they can think to say and do, what they would want in my place. And I love them for it.

I guess what I'm saying is kindness comes in many forms. And today those thoughts and prayers really meant a lot.

Waiting to Exhale

Frank's dad is having bypass surgery today. This has been in the works since last Thursday. Frank flew out Saturday afternoon with his sister. As of this morning surgery was scheduled for 6 PM tonight, which seems odd to me, but what do I know?

So, I'm sitting here doing my odds and ends, and thinking about his family. I remember waiting with my mom when my dad went in for this surgery. He was around the same age as Frank's dad, I was 7. It was a long day. More recently I remember all of us here waiting to get word from Tony's family on how he did with his bypass last summer. He too is about the same age.

My dad came through with flying colors, so did Tony. And so will will Mr. Musick. It's the waiting...my heart goes out to all of them, and that's really where my brain is today.

Round and Round We Go

It is Tuesday morning, the second Tuesday of the start of 10 hour days. I'm telling myself this is getting easier, but man it's hard to get up! By Thursday I feel like the walking dead!

This weekend was a whirlwind of meeting people and dancing...so much fun. On Friday Con and I hit the gym then got her costume together for a party on Saturday. Friday night I picked up Frank and we headed to Cherry Hill to see his sister and brother-in-law and visit with sister Betsy and her family who were in from Tennessee. We got the happy news that they were expecting again so there were many smiles, though Megan had purchased wine in anticipation of Betsy drinking so we felt it our duty to pick up the slack.

I got to meet the famous Audrey, Frank's near 1 year old niece. Oh my word that is a cute kid! She even flirts...and apparently has spent too much time with the dog because there is video of her begging for food at the table. That will come in handy when she starts dating. Anyhow, very sweet little thing with big, beautiful eyes. She's already a heart breaker.

We chatted the night away, with Frank, Megan, cousin Ryan and I being the last ones standing. It was decided that a bed sounded better than a couch so I took the fuzzy and sleepy Frank home around 2.

Saturday was Phoenix Rising...oh so much fun even if it wasn't at the warehouse. Connie joined us and made a few new friends...among them Justin who was quite the entertaining welcoming committee. Lynn helped me get her out on the dance floor and all in all I think she had a good time. Monday morning she was all a chatter about the costumes, it was adorable.



Frank made what I have to say is my favorite of his costumes, for reasons of my own. It was visually simple, though not simply constructed: Red velvet wings strung with EL wire. He glowed! As for me, I went with a Grecian look and had a lot of fun with my ribbon.












We gave Connie horns and a tail and she ran with the goth look proving once again that guys seem to like vampires...or I guess demons in this case.

And happily there was fire spinning. We were wondering how they'd pull it off at Shampoo, but they did and the vibe totally relaxed once the fire came out. These people are so easy to be around it's amazing.

Sunday was a lazy day of movies and relaxing until it was finally time to head home. This week is looking fun with the promise of Frank time, snuggling, a Monie date and a mini girl's night. So now it is back to sifting through the office files and trying not to brush up against we paint. Paramount hasn't finished with the shop yet it seems...I think we may have bricked in all of Massachusetts!

May

Give Up:

At some point hanging in there just makes you look like an even bigger loser...

So what makes a PEX party different from a regular club? Aside from the people, clothes and all over good vibe, I guess you could say it's this:

5th of May!

That's right, a grand celebration of Cinco de Mayo has once again taken place at the Shanachie Irish pub in Ambler...okay, perhaps "grand" is a bit much, but it was still quite fun. As it was Monday a certain amount of restraint was seen, i.e. I only did 2 shots. But oh so much fun! Good friends, good food and almost average service (this last being a departure from the norm).

In an unfortunately/fortunately event Monie lost her voice. This meant that choir practice was out, but happily also meant we had her wonderful company for dinner after all! We made sure there was lots of laughter (sadly there was a near snarf experience) and a good many hugs...both real and virtual as Jill didn't want to get sick. But even Jill couldn't resist the power of Monie's wooby shirt as we all felt her up at the end of the evening.

Unafraid of germs was Andrew as he brought his own. I think they may be joining forces...

Bill ran into his usual problem: Selecting a beer. He ponders over the beer list, carefully looking for old favorites or new ones that sound interesting. Selection made, he places his order and things go downhill from there. Sometimes it turns out he's chosen a non-alcoholic beverage, or-like last night-they are out of that beer. So second time was the charm, and of course he did a shot of tequila with me. Hee hee. He also became the Pretty Princess.

First I put my dollar store hair on him (for what better time to wear dollar store hair than Cinco de Mayo?):

Then a crown to finish the look:

And a beer to wash it down. Oh the things this boy has put up with over the years! Only family would put up with my oddness sometimes.

And even though Dan looks a little scared, I believe a good time was had by all. And I was snuggled in bed by 10 PM. Now that is scary!