Life is Good

I'm just back from visiting my girlfriend, Melanie.  It was like a week long slumber party.  So much fun.  I came back ready to face the world.  A new woman.

In keeping with my other post-vacay blogs, I'm just going to list the things I want to remember.  There are plenty of them.  Here goes...

Maryland Crabcakes.  Yum.  Waking up at 2:00 a.m. to the sound of the ocean and going back to sleep (without a care in the world about the end of the world or Armageddon...  a la late night talk radio).   Watching back-to-back episodes of House and Millionaire Matchmaker for hours on end.  Picking up sea shells on the beach.  Using my watercolors to paint still lifes of sea shells.  Stopping by Mel's brother and sister-in-law's house on the way from the airport.  Great dinner, complete with Ian pushing me to eat not one, but two kinds of ice cream.  Plus, lots of laughter about his crazy, maniacal driving in Manhattan; the transformation of Mel's "schlumpy" breasts into "perky" when she donned the custom-fitted bra bought from the black, British bra specialist, Sherba.  Seeing Mel's medical illustrations of the bones of the foot in a textbook for pediatric orthopedists.  Taking a shower with not one, not two, but three shower heads, including one of those cool rain ones.  Using amazing hair and skin products like L'Occitane, Aveda and Keihls (they smell sooo good).  Getting my bangs trimmed by Mel with some sort of very sharp dental instrument (she did a great job).  More crabcakes.

Happening on a little diner with a great breakfast - right in the middle of all the touristy places with lines out the door.  Eating nothing but Thai seasoned cashews, Trader Joe's peanut butter cups and garlic-stuffed olives for three days straight.  Craving fruit on day four.  Buying mood rings and seashells at the cool souvenir shop.  Wearing the mood rings and competing for the best mood.  Loving on Shane - the sweetest red-headed golden retriever in the world.  Jumping in the hot tub before heading to the airport on my last day there.  Eating crabcakes on the way.  Picking tomatoes and cucumbers and peppers and basil and parsley from Mel's garden and concocting a pasta sauce with them.

Hearing FF's ring tone and putting him on speaker phone and listening to Mel tease him (he's just like her husband, Roger).  Laughing out loud at Chelsea Handler's trashy book, My Horizontal Life.  Reading the New York Times in bed.  Drinking good, strong coffee.  Staying in my pajamas until noon.  Playing in Mel's jewelry box.  Sharing clothes.

Best of all, coming home.  Feeling loved when The D offered me his Genghis Grill leftovers for dinner.  And hugging him.  Seeing him smile. 

Hearing JoJo's soft Southern voice after a week of distinctly Jewish (loud) accents.  Finding myself speaking like a Jewess.  And loving it.

Cooking dinner for The Daddler tonight.  Tomatoes and onions and okra, garlic toast, lasagna (I'll admit, it was Stouffer's), and celery sticks, plus a Banquet berry pie for dessert.  Watching Dancing With the Stars with the cat on my lap.

Finding some semblance of a routine.  And remembering crab cakes...