Sunday, September 27, 2009

Wonderful Weekend

After a pretty hard week, this weekend was wonderful and exactly what I needed. I took Friday off and used the day to prep for a dinner party we were having on Saturday - IKEA, Target, Jo-Ann's, and Party City. Rachel arrived in town around lunch time and we took it easy until we had to leave for Tucson to see Pink Martini at the Rialto Theatre. What an amazing show! They were just so fantastic...a lot of shimmy-shimmy in our seats. And, the Rialto is a beautiful theatre. I won't go into too many details on our KISS-rocking on the way down to Tucson and our experience of eating dinner on a bench outside of a restaurant. Just know that, as usual, Rachel and I had some quirky fun.

Saturday, we spent the day getting the house and food ready for our dinner party. We were hosting 13 of our closest friends (people who in reality were more like family). Highlights of the food: ricotta cheesecake styled by Miss Rachel, rosemary roasted almonds and homemade tomato sauce, courtesy of a recipe from Mario Batali. Before the party, Ry (yes, he was home on a Saturday -- a wonderful treat), Rachel and I went to Costco to get a few things (including delicious goat cheese with figs) and take a break over a super-cheap lunch.

Dinner was so great! We ate outside at our lovely decorated table, sharing laughs and stories. I really enjoyed seeing all of the smiling faces around the table. People I loved and cared about were all in one place. I felt blessed. The party was a hit. Most everyone left by 12 a.m., but a few of us played Guitar Hero until 2 a.m. Oh, what fun! I didn't even realize how late it was; I was enjoying myself too much.

A testament to the kind friends we have...everyone brought a gift for us. Our home looks like a florists at the moment with the flowers that were given to us -- calla lily, orchid, bouquet of sunflowers. Add chocolate bars and a beautiful-smelling salt scrub to the list of gifts and I almost don't feel worthy of the generosity. The love everyone brought to the house was enough of a gift for me. I am a lucky girl.

So today has been a wind-down, preparing for the realities of work and the grind of the weekday. Before Rachel left to drive back to Cali, we had dim sum. I can never have enough chinese broccoli with oyster sauce. Delish! After Rachel headed out on the road, I realxed a bit and read a book...which turned into a nap. Ahh! The rest of the afternoon was filled with football, a bit of work and then some TV.

What a weekend! Does tomorrow have to be Monday?

Weight Loss Challenge Update: 7 pounds lost so far

1 comment:

rachelsaysso said...

Super Fun Weekend!!! Thanks for more fun memories to add to my already enormous pile of funny/awkward/"It could only happen to us" moments I have with you.

And I dreamt of goat cheese with figs last night.