What Vacation?

Things I've done recently:
1. Sunday, July 10-Babysat my nephews, Benjamin (18 months) and Nicholas (5 1/2) and my niece, Sabrina (4) for ten hours. We played bounce down the stairs, washed the car, played around in mud puddles in the backyard, walked the baby to & from the store for milk, made macaroni and cheese, watched two episodes of the Superfriends, rolled around a ball, read three books (one five times in a row), played the piano, tickled, hugged and kissed. When my brother and sister-in-law came to get them, we spent an hour catching up. My niece cried when she left. She wanted me to go home with her and tuck her in. Gotta love four year olds....so all about them.
2. Monday, July 11-I went to work out @ Curves and to an appointment with the chiropractor. My left leg is rotated the wrong way and we're trying to get it back together. Then went to rehearsal as always early. I had to be decked out with makeup, which feels gross in summer, especially in 100+ degree heat. Well, the camera wasn't there. Found out we still didn't have a Freddy....argh.
3. Tuesday, July 12-My dad came over to inform me that yes we were giving a going away party for my grandmother. At my house. Mind you this had been my suggestion all along but my parents kept saying no. Glad they changed their minds with so much time to prepare. ;-O Luckily the house was in a very clean state since my friends had come over Friday for a game night. I just had to do some cleaning of the spare room so the kids would have an open space to play if it was too hot outside. My dad wanted to have the whole thing catered. I was flabbergasted. I love to cook and really only for big groups. I've never quite mastered how to cook for less than six people. I finally convinced him to let me do some things. Since I was cooking my own tomato sauce at the time, I think it helped. He went to get some groceries and I got them in the fridge before working out, showering and off to rehearsal again. Later, that night I went with friends from the cast and crew to see "War of the Worlds." I liked it even with it's inconsistencies. What I didn't like was that the friends went into the theater without waiting for me or telling me what we were going to see. Prior to getting there the talk had been all about "Fantastic Four." Also, I was told that we would be seeing a 9:40 show. So I walk to where we always wait to get tickets when for some reason I look inside and see the four of them walking towards the concession stand. It felt like I was barging in on a double date. Even though I was led to believe that was not the case. Anyway, I open the door and start yelling, "Guys, guys, Tony, Jaye, Tony, Jaye!" When finally they turn around and say, "Oh, Christina.", as if they're surprised to see me. ?!?!? I find out we're going to the 9:55 War not F4 and left to buy my ticket. I have to say I was surprised to find them actually waiting for me in the same spot by concessions when I finally was allowed in. So much fun to be remembered (please, read previous sentence with extremely sarcastic voice in head.)
4. Wednesday, July 13-Cleaned up around the house and did all of the cooking prepwork ahead of time. I had to go to the store to get more food, and drinks that my dad didn't think of. Plus, I wanted to buy some new serving bowls. I got home in time to shower, set the tables, do a last minute dusting and begin cooking. My dad dropped my grandmother off very early (around 4 when everyone else was trying to get there by 6:00) and we got to spend some time alone together which was nice. Unfortunately, my grandmother is getting forgetful. At 85 that's allowed but it makes me worry about her living in Mexico with my Aunt Chris. I hope that she gets good care there. We'll see. The family slowly but surely trickled in. The kids were so funny. Robbie and Carina came early, around 5, and were great helpers. Then later, Jessie wanted to clean dishes with me so she was my helper. At one point I decked all the kids out in tee-shirts that I rarely wear to run through the sprinklers. (Stockton in the 100's you've got to do what you can to stay cool.) After around 7 hours the last of the families left. Mind you I spent the last half hour to forty-five minutes wrestling with Carin's kids. I finished the last of the cleaning up about 11:30 and decided to head on to bed. Although, I think I may have surfed and responded to blogs first.
5. Thursday, July 14-Sent my brother a birthday text which I found out later he never saw. I went to work out, came home and took my second shower of the day and then met my friend Jeanine for lunch. I took the rest of the day easy. Looked at lines, and eventually took my tired behind off to rehearsal. I got to wish my brother a happy birthday in person and showed him the text he never saw. He loved it. We had a nice drive home and then I met Joe and Liz for coffee outside of Starbucks. They close early in the evenings, so we went and used Baja Fresh's tables and sat out under the stars bitching about the play and things that need to be fixed, GETTING A FREDDY IS A BIG WAY TO FIX THE PLAY! Jaye, the director, finally came and we told him of our concerns. He talked them out with Joe while Liz and I caught up on real stuff, aka family concerns. I ended up talking with Jaye about all sorts of stuff after the Smiths left. It was good to catch up even though I needed to be home in bed sleeping. We ended up at one of the 24 hour Safeways talking as I prepared to restock my now empty refrigerator.
6. Friday, July 15-I picked up Jeanine at her rental car place in Stockton and returned her to where her car was being serviced in Lodi, I texted, emailed and called Shanda to let her know that I didn't have directions to her place outside of Oroville, I talked to Michael on the phone (and no, we didn't get around to break up talk....yet.) I cleaned around the house, packed the car for the slumber party I was going to later that night, got gas, got the new directions from Shanda and after a pedicure and a manicure went to pick her up. Six hours later we were back in Lodi at Jeanine's. We stayed up late into the evening with Jeanine and Liz and watched "Sex in the City." I prefer the later seasons. Jeanine wanted us to go chronologically so we started at the beginning, which most of us had never seen.
6. Saturday, July 16-Sat around talking with Jeanine, Liz, and Shanda before we went to a little cafe for brunch. Took Liz to where her car was being serviced (I'm afraid it's going around). I stopped by my parents to wish them well on the anniversary of their meeting and to hear their agenda. Then Shanda and I went home to my place to take showers. We decided to go see "Wedding Crashers" which I found hysterically funny, even though I had to pee through most of the movie. We went back to my place and I just wanted to crash. I had started feeling really ill. I had a low grade fever. My eyes were hot and my lips were completely dry which are always the symptoms I get when I have a low grade fever. I didn't even bother to take my temperature. The worst part is my regular temp always runs low, around 97.7, so when I hit the traditional 98.6 I am not happy. (As a child I was rarely ill but when I was I would easily hit 102-104 in about sixty seconds flat.) We went to dinner at Outback and then went back to my house. Shanda was restless after surfing the net and wanted to go out. I offered her my car but she didn't want to go alone. I knew that she thought this would be her last chance to have fun since moving north. Also, I was in good hostess mood, so we went to a karaoke bar. I was so hot that I had to sit next to a fan at the back of the bar. Shanda was sure that there were guys looking at me. I didn't feel like even flirting let alone dancing which is how I knew I was sick. Shanda drank and I just did everything I could to keep from putting my head down on the bar and sleeping. I drank water all night and barely urinated. I wasn't even sweating it off.....I was not doing well. We saw some old friends and I got to catch up a little. Then Shanda did that one thing you should never do, drink and dial. So then we had to catch up on other old friendships at the house. While the catching up was being done it was all I could do to keep from passing out. I was exhausted and sore. My whole body felt like I was moving through molasses and it took so much effort just to keep my body in an upright position. Finally, I said, "I'm going to lay down. Let me know when you need to leave."
7. Sunday, July 17-The day my parents met 41 years ago. I was glad I got to see them. Shanda and I both took naps in the morning after waking up. Then showered and met Jeanine at the Duck Nook, a local restaurant. In honor of my actually feeling hungry, I broke with my diet and had a some of the country potatoes and tortillas. I couldn't finish anything so I guess it wasn't that big of a break. Jeanine decided to come with us to take Shanda home. We all had a nice chat on the way up which is about a two hour drive. On the way back Jeanine and I caught up....which is funny since we talk nearly every day. I went home and straightened up and then took a nap. I felt better than the night before but only just. I went to my parents' house took in the paper, checked on the mail from Saturday, and watched network t.v. after deciding I didn't want to watch anything on the Dish. When I got home I thought I'd surf the blogs for a while. I had turned on the sprinklers on the left hand side of the lawn that had not received any water in about three days. I was so out of it that I forgot about them. I went upstairs and passed out from the exhaustion. Yeah, I nearly flooded the front yard. I guess it helped to have five days in the 100's because the ground just soaked it all up.
8. Monday, July 18-My period starts and I text Jeanine and Shanda that I told them that I was right. I had thought that PMS was what was probably going on. Sometimes it hits me like a ton of bricks (I'd say like a bus but being hit by a bus wasn't nearly so bad.) I think Shanda and Jeanine wanted me to be pregnant. Normally that is not even a possibility. Michael and I are always safe. However, I'm not on the pill (because I never really liked how I felt on it...all four months of it,....and because of my age, 39) and the last time Michael and I had intercourse (the first time in two months) he GASP didn't wear a condom and came prematurely. So I could see how Jeanine and Shanda could get their hopes up. They really want me to have a baby. So do my family members. Not that I don't want one....just not necessarily in that way. Hey, at least my fever was gone and so was the swelling that had been happening since the big dinner party. I even caught up on my sleep although I think I was still a little out of it at rehearsal last night. I went out for coffee again with Joe, Liz and Jaye after rehearsal. It was nice just to enjoy the summer breeze and talk casually. Oh, I nearly forgot. I got my hair done too. It was great to see my stylist, who is also a friend. It's been a while and she finished with me early so we were able to go see the house that she and her husband just bought. I could also understand immediately their reasons for wanting to remodel the kitchen. ;-)

So here I am on Tuesday being extremely lazy. Steaming artichokes, reading trashy love stories and now prosing on monotonously about my life. I guess I'll go work out around 3:30, take another shower and head to rehearsal.

Sometimes vacation is harder work than work!