I haven't blogged over the past week or so, I've been busy corresponding with my newly found sister, Nicky and Aunt Debbie. It's been wonderful learning about their lives, as we have been separated by circumstance, miles and years. Nicky is a high school teacher in Flint, Michigan and received her masters in Education. She's also working on a book about her life. I'll probably help her thicken it by a couple of juicy chapters!I worked on 2 scrapbook layouts for my kids that are almost finished. I just need to add some details and interesting elements to finish them out. So, hopefully, I'll finish those this weekend and can get back to more blogging and crafting! I've really missed writing in my Blog. I feel like I'm not contributing to *the system* when I read what everyone is up to and look at the beautiful projects and concept images they are into at the moment.
So, yesterday was cold and dreary. However, Texas was in DIRE need of rain and I was thankful for it. The trees are just starting to bloom {I need to take some photos}... While talking to Marty on the phone at work, I asked him what we could do in the evening. "Let's go do something tonite! I don't want to sit around here!" I announce to him. He jokes, "Why don't we ask Claudia on a date with us?" I laughed because, actually, that is not so different from any other normal weekend we have. Claudi (nickname pronounced *Cloudy*) typically comes over weekends and we'll cook, watch TV, gossip, drink vino and laugh! He said, "I've got $50 gift certificate for movie tickets we can use." Mart did well on his last consulting project and they rewarded him with a card, golf balls, a star trophy and movie passes. We decide to see Slumdog Millionaire since it has won so many awards. Yea, we are always behind the pack on movies, unlike our daughter, Jessica, who is a true movie bug! {Great movie, by the way!}
I instruct Claudia to come on over and whisk her off the phone so I can work on a scrapbook layout before she arrives. We gather to head towards the cinema and I ask Marty to let Mason know that he'll need to catch a ride home after his soccer game. Naturally, he doesn't do what I ask and I'm thinking, "Ok ... I should text Mason because he probably won't listen to his voice mail messages." I wait to see if Mart will. We park and walk in the light sheet of mist towards the cinema. I'm enjoying the visual of this, peering at the glowing, flickering lights around us. Thinking how much prettier everything looks with the mask of rain ...
Marty orders tickets for us and the girl sez: "For 3 adults??" She's looking directly at us all ... I'm struck at why she is asking this thinking "Do one of us look under the age of 40? That would be nice!" But actually she wasn't sure if she should ring Claudi up with us and Marty was treating. "Yes, 3 tickets." I chime in. She hands Marty the tickets and I turn to walk inside. Now, I'm a fast walker. I am not sure if this is due to the fact that my Mom is Northern or that I'm hyper and don't like standing around anywhere. I walk to get to my destination; everything in between is peripheral. I open the door and Claudia is directly behind me. I head towards the greeters and notice that noone is walking beside me. I turn to look behind me; Marty and Claudia are nowhere to be seen! Like? Were they abducted? How can you possibly disappear walking 30 yards into a theatre? So, I'm feeling a little foolish standing there alone and darting my eyes back and forth looking around for my husband and friend. Finally, Claudia comes into view near the door. She nods backward to Marty. Odd. He's still at the ticket window? He had to have the ticket girl explain all the tickets he received. I'm standing, looking over my shoulder ready to bolt to the greeter. Kind of like a relay racer waiting for the paton. Finally, what feels like a day later, they walk up and he tells me that he needed to understand why he had received so many tickets - that one was for the receipt and one was the actual ticket. I don't say anything but in my mind I am perplexed about the whole situation and screaming "Let the Ticket person figure it out! Let's go get our Popcorn!!!" I motion that I'm with him and walk to the other side still chomping at the bit. He and Claudi are almost in slow motion gait and while I have this urge to show them where the concessions is because *it feels* to me that they don't even see it! It's HUGE! It's the entire backdrop of the theatre entrance, lit up like Tajmah Hall and beckoning me with the sweet scent of butter. Ahhh. Then, they pause ... Uh-huh. They pause and start looking around like they are lost. They are discussing things that are irrelevant. The Popcorn is over here. I hear Claudia say, "There's #6 ..." I look over and see that's where Slumdog Millionaire is playing. Goooood. They've tackled that hurdle, now back to Popcorn. I had already figured that one out. All they needed to do was follow me.
I've reached my limit of *Pause Mode*. I swear I think Mart was still putting stuff away from the whole ticket transaction. I want Popcorn. "Come on you guys. Let's order." I've already selected the line and cashier I want. Oh yes and they are
still kind of looking cooly around, as if they are trying to make another crucial life decision. "Over. Here!" I'm growing even more frustrated with them. Then, as if the Red Sea had just parted, they figure out that they can indeed order stuff where I am standing. I realize that this is gonna be tough to accomplish. Like when you are dribbling a soccer ball through 3 defenders and trying to score. I've already decided to order #2 ... 2 Cokes and a Large Popcorn. Then, they'll have to decide what else to order. Mistake.
Claudia is from Kentucky. She also walks slowly.
"Okay, what do you guys want?" I ask, hopeful. They stare up at the menu, eyes glazed over. Even the cashier is catching the vibe ... "And what drinks would you like with that?" he asks. "I'll have a Coke." I properly respond. "Marty, what would you like?" He pauses .......................... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
O.M.G. I'm ready to order for him! I politely wait but my rude mind wants to butt in and say, "He'll have a Diet Dr. Pepper." He finally responds, "A Diet Coke." "Okay, what else do you all want???" I ask the pair. The cashier knows better and starts pouring drinks without waiting for their response. Yea. He's caught on to their routine. "Uhmm... let's see ... we got the #2 with two drinks ...." Marty says. "Yes." I quickly respond. "And Claudia why don't you order what you want?" Claudia isn't going for it. She wants us to treat her. I know her like a book. She pauses ....... "I'll have a Diet Coke too." {just like Marty, figures. She is such an ass kisser! ha!} "And why don't you get yourself some
Popcorn?" I say .... My ears are perked because, guess what? .... I WANT MY OWN POPCORN! I DON'T WANT OTHER PEOPLE DIGGING AROUND IN IT! Plus, I overheard Claudia sniffling on the way over to the theatre and knew she had a cold. She always terms it, "Oh, it's JUST sinus!" Office slang for I've got the damn flu.
Great. I haven't been sick with a cold in over a year. And I am really not wanting to share or get sick. But I know my hubs is too cheap to buy her some and, yeah, so is Claudia!!! I'm secretly getting miffed at this point. I try to be a good sport and *share*. Who really enjoys spending $10 on a box of Popcorn? But is it truly gonna make them go bankrupt?! I was this close to pulling out my own debit card but decided if they were that cheap, I would be too! LOL!
We grabbed our drinks, sorting out which is Diet and which is regular. I CARRY THE POPCORN. I'm walking directly to theatre #6. They are STILL walking at a casual pace, as if we are at the Dallas Arboretum enjoying a spectacular view of Tulips! I love them, I think to myself, but they drive me crazy.
We sit in the last row of the movie show {just like the song but without the making out}. In unison, we place our drinks in the cup holder! Oh! They are catching on now!! Amazing! I'm holding the Popcorn, okay, almost guarding it. My jaw is tense. I'm still kinda miffed. My nostrils are flared and I'm just waiting, just waiting! for one of them to reach over. I'm sitting up straight like a kid in a classroom, watching the other kids on each side of me from the corner of my eye -- like when you are waiting for them to pass you a note that says, "Hey? Can I have some Popcorn? They don't. I'm struggling with whether or not I SHOULD actually share. They didn't seem too interested in it, after all. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the one who ordered the #2.
Instead of offering the Popcorn, I ask Mart, "So, did you leave a message for Mason about getting a ride after the game?" Still thinking that I should text him ... Marty decides to take a trip to the restroom and call. He gets up and leaves. "Great, I hope he washes his hands!" I think .... And I also think, "He really should text Mason instead." knowing that kids now a days will text instead of call each other. They'll have long discussions - hours and hours - of texting one abbreviated sentence at a time. Slow walking and texting ... for me is like watching the cursor on your computer screen blink.
I sit back in my chair and without looking at Claudia. "Here Claudia, have some Popcorn." "No, that's okay." She says. By this time, I want them to eat some because no one else is munching on Popcorn. I guess it's just too damn expensive. "Claud. I say in a low, controlled voice, "go ahead." "Are you suuuuurre? She says. "No really, here have some." I respond back thinking, "JUST TAKE SOME!" "You can pour it in my hands if you want. Do you not like people touching your Popcorn?" She says. It's actually funny but at the time the truth of it was more powerful than the overall scenario.
Keyword: YOUR. I think to myself, "Yes actually, I don't enjoy people putting their hands all over my Popcorn but go ahead ... have some of my damn Popcorn." It's not as if they are my little children. Can't they get their own? "Claudia. Have. some. popcorn." I'm trying to hide the fact that I really don't wanna share it and secretly wish that everyone knew that I had tried to get them to buy their own.
The theatre is quiet. I cannot stand a quiet theatre when I have a bag of hot Popcorn sitting on my lap that needs to be ravaged! The snippets of advertising were like STOP GO STOP GO STOP GO ..... so every time I'd take a bite, I was the only one making embarrassing crunching sounds.
Marty comes back and tells me he left a message but that Mason is old enough to figure things out on his own. Hmmm? Like when? After the entire parking lot is empty? Oh! My parents aren't coming to pick me up tonite! I better call them! It's midnight! Mission accomplished - Child knows to get ride home.
Still the movie hasn't started ..... The screen goes blank .... I stop crunching, holding the Popcorn in my mouth. I'm beginning not to like this Popcorn. Then it starts, so I resume crunching - snippet over - advertising stops again. I comment, "Is this movie ever gonna start???" And a few people giggle. Perhaps they've heard us bantering about Popcorn.
I share .... Movie finally begins. Marty refuses Popcorn. He may have had two hand fulls, if that.
Movie ends ..... Claudia says, "Do you want your Popcorn?" I look down and about 2 lbs of it falls from my lap and is all over my seat! We laugh, I say, "No! I have plenty on my lap!" This whole Popcorn thing is way out of kilter!
We walk, slowly, back to the car. Once again, I'm loving the lights outside, walking ahead of them. Then, decide to walk with them at their pace. Two men behind us, decide to pass us. As I thought! They are walking abnormally slow! The wind felt brisk and fresh. I take in a deep breath of air! We get inside the car. It's a bit quiet.
Claudia breaks the silence and in an unusually meek voice says, "Damn ... you don't like sharing your Popcorn.....", as if this is a newsflash! I start laughing at her! She eases and starts her rally, "As soon as you offered it, it was like you were defeated and you slunkered down in your chair!" "Oh really!?" I say. "Like you didn't know that BEFORE we went into the movie?!" She tries to interrupt but I don't let her! "Remember, Claud, when I said, Hey? Why don't you get your debit card out and order yourself some Popcorn? .... It didn't dawn on you at that time? Or ... when I said, Hey? What do YOU ALL want? Meaning - CAN YA GET YOURSELF YOUR OWN POPCORN!?!" We were all laughing. She said, "I wanted a freebie nite! I didn't want to have to buy any Popcorn!" "Really, Claudia?" I joke with her. "Yeah, and here, you have a cold. Oh Boy! I couldn't wait to share it with you!" I respond back at her. "I don't have a cold! It's sinus!" She says, as if I weren't expecting that excuse. "Oh yea, Claud, you call everything you get *sinus*!" I poke. "Well, I can't help it! I get this stuff from John!" she's laughing knowing she is GUILTY and she's enjoying blaming it on him! "Oh great - let's give Julie my cold and eat all her Popcorn!" And I continue, "Yea even Marty didn't want to buy his own Popcorn!" He didn't have enough on money left on the gift card!
Marty's phone rings ... Mart sounds annoyed! "Mason I told you that you'd need to get a ride! I left you a message!" {I knew he should have text him.} "You're locked out? Don't you have a key?" {I had told Mason this week to put the key chain in his book bag in case he needed it.} "We'll be there in a minute." He hangs up, "He's locked out of the house.... Why doesn't he have a key?" he asks. "He does. I told him to put it in his book bag a few days ago." I respond. "Well, he'll have to wait a few minutes." Marty says....
We arrive with Mason standing on the front porch. Arms folded. He's in a t-shirt. No jacket. It's like 39 degrees outside. We drive to the back, park, get out of the car, walk up to the porch and ..... open the door. It was unlocked! We laugh and laugh! I quip, "This could have definitely been a Seinfeld storyline!! About fighting over Popcorn and getting locked out of a house you're not really locked out of!" LOL!
Have a fun weekend! {Hugs}
Please don't be shy and let me know what you've been up to! I luv* hearing from you all!
This layout took the entire day -- sorting through photos, cropping, editing color, and resizing. The golfer looking argyle pattern's colors are perfect for the school but it was a bit distorted because I had to stretch it. A worn paper overlay on top of it makes it look very cool and now I kinda like the off-ish look of the argyle! I love this photo I got of the coaches up high on a cliff wacthcing the golfers come in. It's actually better not cropped but for the layout I had to size it down. I'll show the full size photo in the presentation.
