Random Thoughts and Musings

Yesterday, you probably giggled over our hotel fiascos … today, read about the “Free day Friday” fun …

The next morning was … bad. *L* Lil B & I woke up early to go down and get the birthday girl’s breakfast so she can have breakfast in bed. Only, the continental breakfast was not only not free, it was $10/person (yes, for mini boxes of cereal or a bagel - WTFE!!) … a fact we did not realize. We got back up to the room, found out the birthday girl wasn’t feeling well. I didn’t have a car, so I had to wait for C & B & the kids to wake up. I’d been texting for nearly two hours at that point, trying to find out if they were awake. I got back into my pj’s and crawled back in bed (it was 8:30, but i’d been awake since before 6 am).

C calls to say they plan to go get breakfast in a little while … only she’s at my door much quicker than I expect, rushing us. She snaps at me to hurry, I snap at her that I am trying, I had to wait for her daughter to finish up first. She snaps again, so I snap back that she can just go, I’ll walk or take a cab. It was more involved and uglier … but that is the basic concept. It didn’t make either of us happy - we hate fighting, and we hate when it isn’t resolved within a few minutes (normally we snap, say our piece, and it is over). They head out the door to go to breakfast, I head out right after them and walk to the gas station down the road. They end up AT the gas station, getting gas (of course). I walked over and we sniped some more, cried, then apologized, and it was over. The argument *actually* stemmed from the fact that the plans had been changed FOR us, and neither of us like when that happens. We hadn’t been given full information, and things were being shifted to change our full day, which we had planned around having fun at the botanical gardens.

With the birthday girl not feeling well, I tell C & B to go on without us, and we’ll see them for the gathering that night for the wedding rehearsal. They offer to call before they head out to the gardens, so I said that would be great.

In an effort to help my daughter feel better, I fed her breakfast in bed, flipped the tv to something she would enjoy, and let her relax and nap the morning away. After a couple of hours, I took her down to the hot tub b/c her tummy still wasn’t feeling well. I figured if we could encourage the inevitable to happen quicker, all the better. We went down to the hot tub, enjoyed it for 7 minutes (i watched the timer), walked around the hotel a bit, then headed upstairs. As we walked up to our door, she said to hurry b/c she though mebbe she was going to be sick. Poor kid puked for about five minutes straight (anyone who has had the pleasure knows it feels like five hours). I gave her mouthwash and water to rinse, tucked her into bed, let her sleep another hour. Woke her up with water and semi-flat soda. In the meantime, BFF had called & I told her to go on w/o us b/c the birthday girl was definitely sickly. She told me about the surprise party the wedding couple had arranged for the birthday girl that evening. I told her I would do everything in my power to make sure she was feeling better by then.

They came back a little earlier than planned, to hit the pool. They said the gardens were absolutely beautiful (and it was free!), but it was really REALLY hot out there. They were all drenched with sweat just from walking around, and it was 95 degrees in the shade. Yikes! Good thing I didn’t try to talk my siccie gyrl into going … she would have ended up in the hospital! They also had lunch that the onsite restaurant. They were handed a menu, which was pricey, but had some delicious meals listed. Then, the waitress said, “Oh, the kitchen is only minimally staffed, so we can only offer you salads, this soup, and this, this, and this, sandwich.” Jeeeeez louise!

Evening came around, we headed over to the wedding rehearsal dinner … but the birthday girl had to go lay down, isolated from everyone else. She didn’t feel like she could eat or drink, and she might be sick again. We left her with TV & a cool washcloth for her head (she sprouted a fever, of course), and headed over to meet our  new nephew (BFF’s younger brother & his lovely bride-to-be had a baby a few months after Baby S was born … we didn’t get to meet him, b/c of Baby S’s health concerns). We saw the groom’s cake being decorated (Bride’s mom did a fabulous job with all of the cakes), socialized, and then went out to the front porch, where BFF’s brother joined us to chat a while. I had kidnapped the baby and was enjoying making him break out into gorgeous smiles (he looks so serious when he’s not smiling!), just like his daddy’s. The food arrived (brisket, beans, and tater salad), so we ate. The bride showed up and we gave her hugs and kisses. We caught a brief glance of the bride’s special photo in her wedding dress (absolutely gorgeous). The evening was a success despite my sweetheart being sick on her special birthday (#13!).

We asked how they wanted to handle the birthday surprise party, and if we could do it outside so the birthday girl wouldn’t infect anyone else … and the bride offered to have the party the following day, after the wedding and official reception. We asked if she was sure, because it was her day, and she said absolutely - a 13th birthday was something a girl should enjoy. I have the greatest friends, truly! Not many brides would be willing to share their day!

So, we packed up to go back to our hotel (the birthday girl did manage to eat some food, though not much). Once there, I convinced the hotel bar to get me a piece of apple pie although the restaurant was closed. They also found me a candle, and so my sweet gyrl got a birthday slice of apple pie.

I am sure you all know that the worst fights can be with the ones you love most. Luckily, BFF & I know each other well enough to know when we’re fighting because there is a problem, and when we’re fighting because of stress. And, also luckily, her husband knows how to laugh at us and let it go … he doesn’t try to get in the middle of it, and he waits til the right moment to try and diffuse the situation so that we do not turn on him.

So, “free day Friday” was not nearly as “fun” as originally planned. Honestly, though, we made the best of what we could do, and none of us came away feeling awful about the day (other than the arguing, which we know by now to just let go of … ). Tomorrow, read about the wedding day …

xoxo