wonderful weekend

I got to go with! Matty and the other guys were in Baghdad with J. We picked friend Matty up at the airport day before yesterday and I was delighted to be included. I thought we were driving my van down to get him so I even cleaned out the school papers off the floor and got it washed. And of course promptly drove through several inches of water because the workers were flushing the fire hydrants into a street. But we didn't take my van after all so now I have a clean-ish van!

Once we got to the other city I had to pee! Why does this happen? We picked Matty up, and drove around looking for a certain place. Somehow this is always how it happens, we know where we're going, but I have to pee, and then all these wrong turns and roadblocks occur, delaying the restoration of my personal comfort. But we found it! And drank beer at a bar that has champagne on tap.

We came back to our city and went out with the friends & ate outdoor hotdogs at midnight and watched people. A girl with slightly sweaty smelling armpits explained her tattoos to me. As she continued explaining the meanings, I realized, I can't remember how I started the conversation. She was 23 or something. I think I drank beer from 3 PM till yesterday. So yesterday I was not feeling my bestest at 9:20 am when we found out breakfast was at 9:30.

J woke up and went to work yesterday morning. So I was the chauffer.

We went to breakfast, which ended up strange for me, because it was the groom's breakfast with his dad, brothers, groomsmen, and the famous Matthew from Massachusetts. And me. And we got there a little late, so we ordered, they finished up. I was buttering my English muffin while they gathered their things, and they paid the bill and left, and Matty and I sat there at the end of a very long table eating while the waitress cleared off their plates. Blink blink. Blink.

Then we went to the casino. I am not a fan of casinos but Matty is funny to talk to so I finally loosened up. Well it turned out okay really, I'm fine. I think I'm still going to end up at the casino again today. Matt says he loves it because it's so tacky. J. says he loves the casino too, he says there are old people there. Casino people sort of make me sad. I sit and stare and try to imagine the circumstances that added up to their arrival at the casino. I can never see myself in any of those circumstances that I dream up for these people. They never seem human to me. They wear strange clothing compared to mine, and they chain smoke with their eyes glazed over, pulling a handle or pushing buttons. I prefer to spend my mindless button pushing time at home playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. I'm not saying I'm better than them. I'm just saying I'm not throwing my money away like they are. I'm really picky about money spending.

Then we came home and got dressed for the wedding. We attended the beautiful wedding, then afterward I wrapped the presents in the back seat of my van, outside of a Dairy Queen. I sent Matthew into the gas station part of it for wedding cards, but they didn't carry them. So I just wrapped the gifts. It was great. I used a few yards of one of my rolls of Linens N Things wedding tulle ribbon. I made huge pouffy bows. I don't want to say what was wrapped in Matthew's gift, in the bright purple bag, but John got them sheets from their registry list.

Then we went to a little restaurant for snacks & drinks with even more of J.'s friends from work. The friends at the little restaurant seemed very interested in me. "Who the heck is this person," they smiled. J. was still at work! So of course it did not make sense that I was there. But it did sort of make sense. Sort of. I guess they could be my friends too.

We all headed over to the reception. J. got off work, went home, napped showered and changed. And finally arrived! We enjoyed the reception and danced a few dances. I think I did better this year at not trying to lead. We also walked up the hill to the festival which was going on that same day - which was where we met 4 years ago.

Then, at what time in the morning? we were awakened to swearing and loud noises!
I wondered aloud if Matty was turning into a werewolf, because the house seemed to be shaking and there were pounding noises. Then I decided it was okay and fell back to sleep.

So woke up this morning and learned Matty was hot last night and had been trying to open windows but he also removed a full length mirror from the wall - (I guess it's time for me to figure out how the thermostat timer program thingy works!) He doesn't remember moving the mirror off the wall, but lucky for him it did not break.

Currently he is out with some men, shooting things. Which is good because in reality I am not probably the best company for him. I knew this when I was whining about being included/excluded, what did I say? I said I did not want to be that stupid girl? Instead of sitting on a couch in a room full of men, I ended up sitting in a chair with one man in front of a slot machine. I guess be careful what you wish for.

Tomorrow we're supposed to go out on the river. I love the river.