Journal Entry: Memorial Day Weekend

I just finished a four-day weekend, and I definitely made the most of it.

Thursday night T-- and I met N-- at the gym, and I worked myself sick. Afterward, T-- made us all Tilapia for dinner (an experiment for us, since T-- and I don't, generally, like fish). It was really good. We plan to try more in the future.

Anyway, N-- hung around and we watched TV until 9-ish, then she headed home, T-- decided to read, so I headed to the office to play some AoC. I think I got to bed around 2:00.

Friday was my RDO, so I was able to sleep in. After I got up, I just had time to do the dishes before heading to Mazzio's to meet T-- and my sister (with all three kids, between the two of them), and D-- for lunch.

After that, I went home with the goal of catching up to D--'s character in AoC. I got close, and when he showed up around 3:30 he helped me out some. We played until 6-ish, then he went home because the laptop just couldn't handle the environments he was fighting in. I put the game aside, too, and went to watch Lost with T--.

Saturday, we got up early to head to the gym, but once I got there I started feeling sick, so I decided to put off my workout until Sunday. Instead, I went and picked up K--'s birthday present while T-- worked out.

Then we had a quick lunch, and headed downtown to watch the new Indiana Jones flick in celebration of K--'s birthday. It was...pretty good. I've never been a huge fan of the series (I've seen each movie once), but this one didn't seem as much a departure from the old ones as some people are saying. I think it's just an adventure for kids, and all the kids who loved the old ones are grown-ups now, and turning up their noses at the new movie.

After the movie, T-- and I ran home to pick up AB (because we couldn't find a babysitter for all day Saturday), and then met K-- and N-- and D-- at Olive Garden for dinner. Afterward, we all went back to our place and started our summer 80's review with Mannequin, which was not good. It was a really fun time watching, but the movie was not good.

As far as the 80's review goes, I'll go into more detail on that some other time.

Sunday morning we went to church (and I got some writing done on my SK storyline for the first time in a while), and then we went to a Mexican place called Ole with K-- and N--. It was pretty good. It's nice to have another place to toss in the mix, even if it didn't particularly stand out.

T-- didn't have a very good time, though, because AB was in a real fuss. She hadn't had a morning nap, and she did not want to sit still. That was no fun.

We went home and put her down for a nap, then I ran up to the gym for my workout. I did my strength training, then went for a jog on the treadmill. I talked K-- into trying it with me, and he had no problem jumping right in at the end of week 3. I made it through, too, so I'll start on week 4 tonight.

Turns out there's 9 weeks (I thought there were only 6), but I should be doing a lot more jogging than walking by the end of this week. By week 7 or so it should be closer to a 20-minute run.

Then, Sunday evening we went over to the Huddlestons' for dinner -- old family friends of D--'s, who have fallen in love with AB. We got some free barbecue out of that, so we're not complaining. When we got home, I played AoC on the laptop while we watched an episode of Lost, and then we went to bed relatively early.

Monday morning, Memorial Day, I had to make a quick run to Wal-Mart because B-- and E-- had requested that I bring salsa to lunch, and I was only too happy to oblige. I was up late enough that, after hitting Wal-Mart and then mixing up the salsa, it was time to head over there.

Lunch at B-- and E--'s was something of a last minute development, but they invited D-- and K-- and N-- and us over sometime late Saturday. They grilled burgers and chicken for us, and we brought sangria and salsa and (among the others who came) several delicious sides and desserts.

The sangria was a new recipe T-- stumbled upon in one of her cooking magazines, and it was a hit. We'd brought the same thing to the Huddlestons', too. It's essentially just lime juice, sugar, water, and Pinot Noir. I thought the recipe sounded foul, but the end product is actually really good.

Anyway, we had lunch and talked much. We also tried out B-- and E--'s Wii Fit, which was a huge success, and introduced B-- and E-- to MarioKart, which was roundly denounced. Whatever.

The girls (by which, at first, I meant AB and Maddy, but it ended up applying to all of them) went out in the back yard where E-- had set up an inflatable wading pool, but I know not the details of that adventure, because I shun the outdoors and didn't even glance their way. AB ended up sitting on Maddy's head, though, and that brought an end to their fun.

It was a great afternoon, though. We were there until 4:30, and I spent most of the rest of the evening playing AoC. Overall, that was probably the most relaxing holiday weekend I've had in years.

Other than that, it's just things and stuff.