The musings of a working mom trying to get back in shape
I want you to know how much I love you. We've been friends for over 15 years now (15 years!!!) and in that time, you have always been there for me. You are one of the most loyal friends I've ever had...you stood by my side at times when nobody else would, and made me laugh at times when nobody else could. Thank you for all of the wonderful memories...for everything you've ever done for me (like the beautiful baby shower you threw me in April) and for everything you've been to me (a friend, sister, comedian, confidant, lion tamer, rock star, etc., etc.). I am so proud to have you in my life and wish you nothing but the best in the years ahead. I look forward to growing old with you in my life! 
A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went with our friends to Nantucket for the annual Christmas Nantucket Stroll. Basically, the Stroll is an event where all of the hoity-toity rich folk who have some kind of vested interest in Nantucket flock to bask in Christmas cheer. On Friday, December 2, we flew up to Boston to meet our friends. I had started getting a cold a few days prior and on the plane while we were making our initial descent, my ears started clogging and wouldn't pop. Can I just say that it was one of the worst feelings I've ever experienced?!? I couldn't hear and it felt like someone was jabbing an icepick in my eardrum. It eventually unclogged after we landed, thankfully.
The four of us spent the afternoon in Boston at Faneuil Hall. We had lunch at this amazing place called Kingfish Hall and then hit a few stores. Afterwards, we drove to our friend's family home in Braintree and later, his mom took Stephen and I to the mall for some Christmas shopping. That night, we went out to dinner locally.
On Saturday morning, we drove to Cape Cod to catch a high-speed ferry to Nantucket. It was freezing cold and the seas were super rough, but somehow we made it without a vomiting episode from the pregnant lady.
When we got to Nantucket, I swear, I fell in love with the place. It's so quaint and charming, much like some of the villages we visited in Scotland. Cobblestone streets and little shops and restaurants...it was incredible! We checked in to our B&B and then set out to shop and eat and shop and eat. It was absolutely freezing, but we bundled up and made the best of it (and even ran into Santa playing Scrabble at a coffee shop - see below).
That night, we had dinner at a pretty cool Japanese fusion restaurant, and while we were waiting at the bar for our table, we started talking to some guys. One of the guys mentioned that his in-laws live in Juno Beach, so I mentioned the town that I grew up in south Florida. He looked at his friend and said, "Isn't Billy B. from that town?" When he said that, I about freaked! See, there is this guy, Billy, that I've known since 5th grade. When we were pre-teens, we used to hang out in his neighborhood and play truth or dare and all of those other games that pre-teens play. I went out with his brother (but dumped him for someone else), and have even stayed in touch with his mom on and off through the years. I knew that he was working summers in Nantucket, but didn't expect him to be there in December. I said, "You know Billy? Where can I find him?" He was working at a bar near our B&B, so after dinner we went to go see him. When I first approached him and said, "Do you know who I am?" He looked stumped...mind you, I don't look much like I did back then. Or at least, I'd like to believe that my level of attractiveness has improved over the years. I reminded him of two of our old friends and it came to him right away. We talked for awhile - he's married now and living in Nantucket full time. It was so great to see him! And what a small world, ya know?!?
Anyhow, the next morning, we woke up to snow!!! It was beautiful, yes, but very slippery for a pregnant lady to be walking in. And very cold and wet for a pregnant lady who is sick to be walking in. We had breakfast, did a little shopping, and then got our things and took at taxi to the airport.
At the airport, I was amazed to find dozens and dozens of people with dogs, hanging out on their leashes, dressed in $100 outfits. The rich really are different! Anyhow, we took a 9-passenger plane back to Cape Cod...my first experience in a tiny plane. I got to sit up front with the pilot, which was cool, though he wasn't very friendly.
On the way back to Boston, I started feeling run down and horrible. There was nothing I wanted more than to either a) sleep or b) die. We had dinner at our friend's house in Braintree and then headed to the airport, where we were faced with an hour delay.
On the plane ride home, my ears didn't pop until we landed again, which totally sucked...so I have learned my lesson. Never again will I fly if I have a cold! We finally made it home at 2:30am. Despite being sick, we had a wonderful time. We decided though that next time, we will go to Nantucket during the summer months!
Five weeks ago, my friend, Rob, suffered a heart attack at the age of 33 (the day after his 33rd birthday). It took them over 30 minutes to get him breathing and he's been in a deep coma ever since.
Doctors said there was about a 1% chance of him emerging from the coma. Well, on Good Friday, he woke up.
I kept expecting to hear that he had died...the doctors said he had no brain activity...and then this. When he woke up, he was completely alert. Unbelieveable.
I now definitely believe in miracles.
I received an e-mail message last week from one of my former students, Sylvia. She seemed to be doing great and she and her husband were very happy. Well today, I received an e-mail message from university administration that her husband was killed in a flight training accident yesterday.
Sylvia is only about 23 years old and her husband was about a year older than her. Far too young to become a widow. I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through right now. My heart aches even thinking about it.
When I think about what I would do if I lost my husband, I get choked up. In fact, for some reason this past Saturday at the Elton John concert, something came over me and I said a prayer to God that he never let me live a day without Stephen. I don't think I could handle it.
But when I was 23, I never really thought about things like that. When you are 23, the world still has everything to offer and it seems as though you have a million years to share with that other person. Nothing else makes sense. Or should.
On Friday night, we had dinner (the best filet mignon I've ever had) at the culinary academy where our friend, Wendy, works. Afterwards, a couple of the girls went with me to meet my little brother for a drink. The next day, we took Cory out for a tea party, with finger sandwiches and mini pastries -- it was so much fun! That afternoon, some of the girls were tired so I headed to the Florida Mall for some shopping.
That night, we took Cory to a kick ass place called The Monkey Bar for dinner and then upstairs for drinks. There were 9 of us in all - Cory's friends from high school and several of her friends from Jacksonville. Wendy had made arrangements for us upstairs that were incredible! When we got up there, they had a table ready for us with flowers, balloons, rose petals, and a bottle of Moet & Chandon waiting for us. We drank and drank and fed Cory shots and drank some more. At one point, poor Cory fell off her chair and landed flat on her back. She didn't feel a thing until the next day, of course. This was after Christine broke out the penis straws for us to consume our drinks with. Some freaky guy was taking pictures of us from across the room. I can only IMAGINE what he planned to do with them!!!
Afterwards, we walked down to Rhythm and Flow, a supercool bar, and then headed to Club Paris, just to say we'd gone. They played great music but the club was totally overrated - too crowded and full of punk-ass kids (dude, how old AM I to be saying that???).
We were too tired to walk back to our cars, so after several failed attempts at commandeering a limo or hailing a taxi, we all packed into a rickshaw, which turned out to be the best part of the night. There were 5 of us on that damn thing and the driver, Andrew, was flying through the streets. It was so much fun!
The next day, we all went our separate ways, but what an awesome time we had!
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