Wendy DeCora.com

Thursday evening I enjoyed a long, semi-drawn out meal hosted by Jerry & Sara that also included Donor and Frosty & Margaret. Sara made some very delicious risotto and baked chicken. Frosty eventually brought a tasty Caesar salad complete with homemade croûtons. It was fun to recount past weddings and roadtrips over some good drinks and tasty ice cream. I think all our storytelling eventually come back to one of two events:
1) Jeff & Katie’s wedding extravangaza. (”mmmmm… chocolate dome”)
2) The infamous road trip to Ohio State (”Why are we leaving? Its only halftime, right?”)

Friday evening, I went over to D’s for a girls’ night shopping party she was hosting. Even though I’m not usually one for jewelry or purses, I did order one necklace that will fill a void in my very small necklace wardrobe. And even if I hadn’t bought anything, it was worth the drive to see The Roethlers and eat Ma Zillman’s tailgating cracker crack mix.

I awoke on Saturday morning to our condo being more like a college dorm. Rachel is in the Iowa Swing Dance club and the club was hosting a three day event at the university. Other swing dancers came in from the area and Rachel had volunteered to host some. (yes, I knew in advance, I didn’t just wake up to the downstairs being full of girls.) There were seven girls staying so I was charitable and let some of them use my bathroom. When did I get so old that college sophomores look SO YOUNG? Though one girl was shocked to learn my age. Either she was humoring me or I got more confirmation that I did win the genetic lottery at least as far as aging goes.

I was considering going over to Kinnick for the spring “game” and taking in some tailgating. But when morning rolled around, I was tired and it really didn’t feel like spring out too much. Not enough to motivate me to go sit outside and watch the football team practice. I miss the days when it was an actual game. Knee injuries ruin everyone’s fun.

My mom arrived in town that afternoon as we were driving over to the Dubuque area (St. Donatus to be exact) for a memorial service for my cousin Martha Marie who sadly died way before her time. Its very strange for me to think that she’s dead. She was a member of my generation of my family. I did not know her well as she grew up and lived (for the most part) on the east coast, but the times I did spend with her, she was a very interesting and fun person. My fondest memory of her was a few years ago when I was in NYC for a long weekend seeing Bonerama (New CD out in 2 weeks!) shows. After three shows in a row, I was pretty much exhausted and getting rather ill. I already had plans to stay with her for my last night in town and she just took such good care of me. We went out and had real New York cheesecake while she told me stories about her life. Then she took me back to her place and let me rest while her roommate made us this truly wonderful meal. It was just a really nice time with a wonderful member of my family. She will be greatly missed.

I woke up Sunday to the household full of girls again, but they did eventually leave. I spent most of the day sorting through clothes in my closet and drawers in preparation for moving in two weeks. (Anyone want to help me out the weekend of the 28th??) I also dug out some storage containers that had clothes that I had packed away before I moved to my current residence a year and a half ago. Most of those went straight into the “see you later” pile. I have five bags of clothes that I will sort one more time tonight in order to determine what I can take to the consignment shop and then the rest goes to goodwill. All the sorting and considering actually took many hours.

After the bags were moved to the basement, I sat down and watched The Amazing Race (boring ep. Shut up, Mirna! Go Danny & Oswald!) and then the premier of Drive (with the delicious and talented Nathan Fillion). Did anyone else catch Drive? I really liked it. Tonight it is on during its regular time slot at 7pm central, right before 24. Please watch it so Fox won’t cancel it. (Who am I kidding, I like it and its on Fox. Its doomed.) In some ways it did remind me of a fictionalized Amazing Race (but sadly, no Phil). One of the female leads looked so familiar to me. I kept trying to place her. In the second hour, I finally figured out where I knew her from: The X-Files, of course. Duh. The actress is named Kristin Lehman and she played Esther Nairn/Invisigoth in the episode ‘Kill Switch’ from season five. That I could recognize her without all the black eye makeup and nose ring made me laugh. My brain is still full of X-Files facts. Good to know.