2.18.2011

A little Valentine's Day Drama, perhaps?

Eric and I went to a swanky 5-star restaurant for Valentine's Day dinner.  That's actually what we do on V Day -- Just dinner and cards.  No gifts or anything like that -- because seriously, V Day dinner and our anniversary dinner we go all out for.

So of course we're at this beautiful, well-known restaurant, dressed to the nines like all of the other patrons there.  With the exception, unfortunately, of this one table seated just a few tables down from us.  Those guys (literally two guys) were dressed in very casual if not construction worker clothes.  Well, the one guy was.  He also wore a bright red beanie.  The other guy at least had a polo shirt on over messy jeans.

Well, the beanie guy was severely drunk.  He was making foul comments, loudly, at all of the surrounding tables, and we were all doing our best to ignore him.  It was really unnerving to know he was staring at me and Eric, and then talking about us directly to his friend.  Seriously dude, just leave us alone!

And that's how the evening continued, until this nice elderly couple was seated right next to Drunkie McBeanie.  This couple was probably in their mid-60's or so, nicely polished, and obviously just looking to have a nice night out together.  I felt so bad for them  . . .

Because Drunkie McBeanie decides to scootch his way down the booth until he's all but sitting in that poor woman's lap.  She of course balks at that, and moves away from him, and waves her arm to indicate an invisible privacy wall; "There is a wall here!  Do not cross this wall!" -- And that sets Drunkie off.

He starts shouting all of these profanities direct at this woman, calling her every filthy name under the sun and telling her she's horrible.  And when her husband goes to make a move against Drunkie, Drunkie turns his foul mouth on that poor guy, calling him a d-bag and a whole lot more.  This is causing quite the disterbance; if people weren't aware of Drunkie and his friend, they surely were now. 

I leapt up and walked straight over to the manager, who was towards the back of the room getting the low down on the situation from a server and an assistant.  I told him directly, "You need to get that man out of here this instant.  He is berrating that poor woman, and you will end up loosing a lot of business from the rest of your tables if you allow this continue."

When the manager approached Drunkie, he spoke in a low voice, I think to alleviate any additional attention being drawn to the situation.  Soon we started to hear Drunkie get louder and louder, saying "Sir, you are dead wrong.  DEAD wrong.  I went to Oxford," and other drivle such as that.  Then the potty mouth started back up again, and random things about how he owns the place started coming out.  Eric assumes he is a rich kid just trying to prove some point.  I don't know what point -- it's hard to decipher any sort of sense out of insobriety.  Eventually, though, Drunkie ended up splashing the table with all of his credit cards and cash, and storming out, leaving his friend to make the necessary apologies and excuses, and to clean up his mess.  I'm sure that particular friend has done this on a number of occasions.  I'd feel bad for him, too, except that he sat there and let it get to this point. 

Did I mention how delicious our meal was?  It was exquisite.  Lobster bisque with full chunk lobster claw, beef carpaccio, french onion soup, au gratin potatos, steak au poivre, petite filet and lobster tail.  MMmmmm -- makes me want to go back right now!

2.10.2011

Keepin' it on the DL

We've been laying low the past few weeks.  We've spent some time around the house just organizing, and Eric spent several painstaking hours ridding our house of all of our past bills and credit card statements.  We've apparently been living in the past, where we need a hard copy of everything we've ever spent a dime on -- until recently when a good friend pointed out that we could go online and print off payment confirmations if we needed to.  It's like a big weight has been lifted from our file cabinet. 

Poor Cass is back to teething again, after pushing through a couple the week after she turned one.  Mom took her for that weekend and when we picked her up on Sunday she had two new teeth to show for it.  If I had known time with nanny would get those suckers through, I'd have dropped her off months ago!  So, I'm betting it will still be another few weeks before we see this new guy come through, and oh, what a long few weeks they will be.

Mom went through her first round of chemo yesterday, and she seems to have fared very well.  She gets a shot today, and was told that the side effects generally occur within the first few days, usually peaking by day 3.  So we'll see this weekend how she'll hold up physically to the treatments -- but so far so good.  I am so blessed to have such a strong lady for my mom!!

Eric got himself a snowboard, so we're planning on trying it out at Massanutten next weekend (president's day weekend).  I'm hoping the weather will be a bit on the warm side, so that the snow is a bit slushy.  I like the slush, I am an east coaster.  Massanutten's typically pretty fun, regardless.  I hope to be able to take Cassy tubing.  Oh, boy, she will LOVE that!!

I got myself an elliptical, and though I haven't grooved into a good workout regiment yet, I have started using it whenever I field long phone calls from the parental units or cooking dinner, or watching cassy.  I anchored this machine in our den, and then went out and bought bunches of those foam tiles to create a comfy floor for Cassy to play on.  So the den is now a play room with my elliptical to keep me active and a bunch of toys to keep Cassy active.  I actually really like this room now!

I've also started paying attention (again) to how many calories I keep taking in.  Before Cassy I was really good at 1800 or fewer a day . . . compare that to the 2500 or so I'm at now!  YIKES!  Thankfully I haven't gained any weight -- I've stayed a steady 145-150 -- but I want that number down about 10 lbs (mixture of losing weight and toning muscle).  I don't think I'll ever be smaller than a size 6, but that's ok.  That's only one size down from current! 

We've been doing alright with our "no media Wednesdays."  Mixture of chores, reading, games and just . . . gasp! talking.  Eric is still one of my most favorite people to talk to.  You really just never know what that guy will come up with next!  I'm also thinking of starting alcohol-free weeks -- one or two each month -- just to help me cut out some calories.  I'm not making Eric partake in that.

I was supposed to go up to PA this past weekend for cousin Lucas' birthday party, but nasty weather in State College kept that from happening.  Apparently I-99 ended up getting closed entirely due to 16 accidents that happened, and that would have been our way home.  So it's a good thing my aunt made the call to stay in town.  Of course, that means that Lucas will just have to have a mini-party sometime soon!

So, the Super Bowl, huh?  Very low key -- just went to the in-laws for some BBQ.  I have to say the MVP of the night was Cassy -- who put herself to sleep around 7p, and slept soundly just a few rooms away from the rowdiness of the Bowl game.  Mom moment:  one of my favorite things is when I have to wake her up to go (if she falls asleep at her grandparent's house, etc).  She never cries, she just sorta opens her sleepy little eyes and yawns and grins, and then lays her head on my shoulder until she's settled in her carseat.  She's just so cuddly when this is happening! 

Commercials . . . I really liked that beetle commercial.  That sucker was quick!  I thought the extended Motor City commerical w/ Eminem at the end seemed a bit harsh.  Is it just me or are Super Bowl commercials not quite what they used to be?

And I didn't mind the halftime show.  I know everyone else thought it sucked, but eh.  Good for the Peas for breaking out of their norm.  I didn't mind all of those glo-dancers, either.  It was high energy if nothing else. 

Thinking about camping in April, on my sister's suggestion.  Probably late April/early May.  Any takers?

TGTF.