(no subject)

Tomorrow, I am going to take a very good friend up on an offer for a vacation. I was offered some time in way Northern Michigan with one of my best and longest-standing friends (your legs must be tired, have a chair!) and her mother. I wasn't going to go at first, for a lot of reasons. But she thought I deserved a vacation, and she's very generous, plus that means she won't be alone with her mother all week. I still didn't think I deserved a vacation, but when two of my other closest friends said "go, you really should go", I started to rethink this. So I'm going. So I will be out of town from tomorrow until Monday night. If for any reason there is an emergency, I'm leaving a number with my family. You can contact one of them, who can contact me.

I'm very excited. I get to spend a week with wonderful people who are practically family, I'm going to swim my ass off (literally, I hope!), get a great tan, read a shitload of books and practice like crazy. I hope to return on Monday night a whole new woman. Or at least a more relaxed one.

Its been a strange summer. Not a bad summer. Just a strange one.



p.s. Beth- I found that flute/violin duet music I was searching for when you were here. When I'm back in town, I'll bring my axe over and we can play some, 'k?

**EDIT: To all those people I said "see you at the meetup!" to.... I lied muahahahahahaaa....... but I hope all the chicago types I know do go to the meetup and meet and enjoy each other and drink coffee and all that glorious get-to-know-you shit. I am sore sorry to miss it.**

HA!

( ain't THAT the truth )

A pre-emptive birthday message

I know your birthday isn't 'till Thursday. I also know that you don't usually like having a big deal made of your birthday. But I thought since I'm not going to see you the exact day of your birthday, plus the fact that since I'm now officially a pauper and I'm not going to be able to buy you anything for your birthday, that a little public humiliation was in order. Would you expect anything less of me? Probably not.

We've known each other for just about six years now. We bonded immediatly, as seems to be the way things happen on such kind of weekends. I was sick and shy, you were late. But the friendship we've had since then has meant the world to me. Even if I haven't always shown it to the best of my abilities. And when I say that the the moment I truly felt accepted into the group of friends was when you threw up on my shoes, I mean it with every conviction of my being. Well, with a little snicker thrown in for good measure, of course.

We've been through a lot together. Some of it, I'm sure, I inflicted on you. There has never been a moment of true down time within this circle of friends, and I suppose that's especially true of the friendship between you and I. I think we can safely say that we've really taken turns carrying each other when things have been really rough. I don't think I can say that about everyone I've ever had a friendship with. And that means a lot.

You're my friend, and you've been my brother since the day we met. Almost literally. Even though our "mom" put us up for adoption a couple years ago (Cheers to wildrose80 for taking us under her wing- but we could sure use another girl in the family.....). You've come to my concerts, you've been to church with me, you've spent holidays with our family, you've read what I've written. You've even put up with my recent mood swings and ultra bitchiness.

Look closely, folks. That's the definition of the truest friend in the world. Not many people fit that. But I'm lucky to have so many people who do. Especially this somebody.

I can't wait to see how the story unfolds. I'm looking forwards to the day I can send my kids over to Uncle John's place to play (muahahahahahaaaaaaaa) some afternoon. Hang in there. Life is good and so are you.

Oh, and by the way- if you bring Corona next weekend, don't forget the limes. I know for a fact the Old Mission grocery store doesn't carry them.

Happy birthday, and I love you!