tobermory's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weet-a-reading Ok, so I fibbed a little. I didn�t come back on Monday for my regular 5/week updates. But never fear everything is ok (or as ok as it�s going to be for awhile). I had forgotten that I was scheduled to take Monday off to entertain my aunt and cousin from the UK and then to cook the big send off meal at my dad�s house later that night (I made two turkey breasts, White Castle stuffing, twice baked potatoes, and broccoli casserole) so I didn�t have much time to plunk down in front of a computer to do an update, and then yesterday I was playing catch-up at work and was similarly busy and unable. But more on all that later � I should do this wrap-up in chronological order. Friday I took a much-needed break from family stuff and drove up to Milwaukee with Alli to check out Weetabix�s reading at the Harry Schwartz bookstore. Weet was utterly fabulous � poised, funny, sophisticated, glamorous � she had it all turned on. She was so brave, had it been me up there at the podium I would have absolutely urped up the contents of my tummy in front of the whole audience but Weet was able to find her voice, weave her story, and draw in the audience beautifully. I found it to be fascinating that there was this contingent of young, hip, rocker kids who camped out on the couch for Weet�s reading and promptly got up and left when she was done. They were obviously there just for her reading - how cool is to have your own groupies? The next two readers were quite painful. The Man Poet, with all his talk of briquettes, grilling, fishing and lodges, was just boring and I found his Birkenstocks extremely distracting. He�s a PhD candidate? I fear for poetry majors everywhere. Last up was The Poor Man�s Louise Erdrich, heavily playing the Native American card. Her sing-songy delivery and long-winded explanations made me fidgety. I had adjourned to the sofa with Mo and never have I been so interested in a rack of Sci-Fi/Fantasy books as I was that night. Since they were the only things in viewing distance to distract myself with, I spent most of the time during the second and third readers staring at the cover art of scantily clad future babes and their bow-toting warrior men. Tolkien�s estate should get a nickel for every one of them sold. After the readings we (Weet, Mo, Esteban, Kari (double thanks to Kari for all the nice things she said to me about my mom), Ward & June, Alli and I) headed up (up? down? over? I�m not too sure about directions in Milwaukee) to Mimma�s for a celebratory dinner (thank you Weet � it was very nice and unexpected of you to treat). If you�re ever in Milwaukee, I highly recommend giving it a try because they have the most wonderful Italian food, and their waiters are a stitch. Saturday night was my mom�s service � not a dry eye in the house. I think it was very cathartic for all of us, particularly because it was just family in attendance. We were all really able to really bawl and not have to worry about keeping a brave face. Enough said. Sunday was the White Sox home opener � fun party beforehand, great opening ceremony, ok first three or so innings, and then two things happened. My seat neighbor showed up and he was a little too enthusiastic and chatty � he even hugged me. I did not know this man, but his love of the White Sox and his rah-rah attitude caused him to hug me. Steve (thank god) loudly announced his need to take a leak and I said (equally loudly) that I would join him in his quest for a restroom. So we escaped Problem #1 only to run into Problem #2. The Sox had been flashing warnings of severe weather in the area on the scoreboard for about a half and hour and after visiting the restrooms we heard the first crack of lightning. We shimmied into the rain ponchos that we had been astute enough to bring along and headed for the train home. I understand that they did finish up the game eventually � play resumed around 11:30pm and was done by 1:00am. No thanks. Monday I picked up my Aunt Pam and cousin Lorraine and brought them into the city for a tour of my home-in-progress. They got to meet my cats and the d.o.g.- all declared very sweet except for Ivy who kept them at bay with evil looks and more evil hisses. We lunched at the Southport Grocery - really an upscale gourmet-y lunch spot with a small fancy �grocery� and bakery attached � where I introduced them to the cupcake. If it�s true that cupcakes are an unknown commodity in the UK, I should open a cupcake shop in London and make my fortune. I originally ordered a chocolate cupcake, but the Paul Rudd look-a-like sitting next to us slyly suggested that we should have ordered a vanilla. The cupcake smackdown was on, and I ordered a vanilla �just for the taste-test.� Both were a huge hit. If there were no Steve, I would have totally sent over a vanilla cupcake with my cell phone number etched into the icing to the Paul Rudd-alike. After lunch we browsed a few of the smart boutiques on Southport Avenue and then we went back to my house where I picked up the d.o.g. and headed back to my dad�s so I could make dinner. The turkey (or tuhrrrr-key as my Aunt Pam would say) was perfect � moist and juicy. The White Castle stuffing was a big hit too as was the broccoli casserole � I even sent the recipe back to the UK with my Aunt. Look out National Health Care � arteries will be clogging all over Coventry. That�s about it for the wrap-up, now it�s just back to regular life and trying to get on with things. Resolution Diary: 3:07 p.m. - 2006-04-05 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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