Vacations are fun

Delicious vacation has come to an end. Oh, so sad.

The dogs are happy. Herbie because if there is anything worse than being a deck dog, it is being a kennel dog. Having to be in a same run with Olive for FOUR WHOLE days, pretty much just like death. Olive on the other hand, thinks that the kennel is fine and when we picked her up today, pretty much had no idea who we were. Though she left with us just fine. When we got home, she ran upstairs, got into my suitcase and chewed up another pair of unmentionables, guess she remembered those. Nice to know she is using her brain for something fun.

We shopped and ate too much. The kid, because he is truly wonderful, bought me some lovely vintage stirrer sticks. They are delightful sea creatures and will look delicious stirring something. I have sparkly clean teeth and beautiful hair. A new coat. Piles and piles of unread books and magazines. We attended wine hour. We went to a movie, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. Slept in until 9:00 am one day.

Vacations are nice. I actually think they are more enjoyable for me now that I am not in a relationship. During my marriage, I was "in charge" of everything. Where we ate, what we did, where we stayed, on and on. I felt like Julie, the cruise director on the Love Boat, only I didn't get paid and my duties didn't get to end after the hour episode was over. Nope, mine went on for the whole dang vacation.

Now, while I still run them, I am more flexible. I don't like mornings, never have, never will. I choose not to get up early. I like a breakfast snack, not a whole meal, so we have snacks. I like a big lunch, so we eat our nicest meal of the day at lunch. It goes like this. I still plan for the kid but now I figure, if he doesn't like the plan speak up!

It has only been now during the divorce that the ex brings up all the stuff he hated about me. I'm like, hey idiot boy, you should have either spoken up, or better yet, done it yourself! So with three vacations by myself under my belt, I like it better. Sure it would be nice to have someone to talk to at night but it is not an necessity. In fact, the longer I am single, the more I don't want a relationship EVER.

I do however, want a boatload of vacations.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I'm alone!

Well, with the two rambunctious nut cases still here, I guess I am not really alone. The kid has flown off to Chicago for the weekend. He is attending the Speech and Debate Tournament at Northwestern. Very exciting for him. Very quiet for me. Win, Win.

Last night we needed to pack. We are very different packers, I couldn't care less what I bring, I just want the luggage closed and waiting by the front door. He wants to bring EVERYTHING he owns and wants it to fit into a carry on. It was war I tell ya, just a big old battle. One that he puts off until 9:00 pm, just to make sure we are both tired and wore out from our day. That way we are in a fine mood to deal with each other.

It starts so innocent. With smiles and kind words. Then it travels at warp speed into frowns and a little bit of sniping. Then it crashes into yelling and lines being drawn. If we were two guys this would be the time for the throw down. Bring it on would be uttered and West Side Story would be happening on the second floor of our home. But I'm a chick, so I go the silent treatment accompanied by the shake of the head and the look that says "You are so wrong! the wrongest you have ever been! the wrongest the world has ever seen!" He goes with the tried and true "You are the worst mother EVER! and back when you were my age, you traveled by wagon train and COULD bring everything."

I try and leave. He wants me back. He debates about why I don't buy quart size plastic bags and he has to use the sandwich size. It is now 10:30 pm and he wants me to run to the store and buy quart size plastic bags because his GIANT deodorant won't fit in the sandwich size. No, I won't go and the whole lovely scenario starts again.

Finally everything is located inside the suitcase, including the giant deodorant and it is indeed parked by the front door. We tap dance around each other for a while but it blows over fairly quickly.

This morning I drop him off at the airport and he hugs me goodbye. Stands with his Speech and Debate team laughing and joking, I start to go. A voice calls out "I love you, Mom!" I turn around and there he is waving and smiling at me. All is good.

The Stunt Girl - The story of Nellie Bly

On Friday night, the kid and I went to the theater. We saw "The Stunt Girl" which is the story of Nellie Bly.

I love the theater. We have gone in New York to see Cats and The Lion King. We have gone to the 5Th Avenue Theater and the Paramount in Seattle to see many shows. This theater was in Issaquah, which I had never been to before.

Nellie Bly was an American journalist. She is most famous for her undercover expose in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. She also is known for her record-breaking trip around the world.

She had a fascinating life. I am a huge feminist and I love to read about the accomplishments of women. So when I saw that this was playing, I bought tickets for both the kid and I.

It wasn't as good as I thought it would be. It didn't help that I had a ear infection. And that the kid and I were horribly overdressed for the Issaquah theater. That in and of itself is a tale for another day, what is it with people and not getting dressed up? The kid ahead of me was in shorts and two different t-shirts, one that he needed to remove right in the middle of the play. Plus, he needed to text on his cell phone the entire play.

With all that Nellie Bly accomplished in her life, the overwhelming theme of the play, was WHEN WAS SHE GOING TO GET A GUY! Granted, I may be a little sensitive to this subject but it just seemed to beat me over the head with the message. Be anything you want, be very successful, and then get your ass in gear and get married.

I was expecting more of a tale of a woman making a success of herself in a male dominated field. Not so much batting of the eyes and stroking the male ego when she started to do better than he did.

I would have left at intermission but we stayed for the whole play. The actors and actresses were very professional. This is a musical and it was well choreographed. The work that goes into a production is awe inspiring and they should be very proud.

I just think that in the future, I will read about Nellie Bly in her own word's.