4 Reunions and a Funeral

This past week has certainly been a week of reunions for me.


Reunion1: I had the luxury (and trust me, it is a luxury in this economy when someone flies somewhere just for the day to hang out with you) of meeting a friend in Dallas for a Rangers game. We both flew in that morning (he was supposed to get there the night before, but due to the first of several flight complications, he got there about 10 am the morning of the game). I arrived with not a minute to spare (okay, really about 15 minutes to get my bag checked for my return flight, catch a cab, and get to the game) because of some additional flight complications and some terrible weather somewhere in the country. Isn’t the issue always weather somewhere. We only missed the first inning, but had enough time before my return flight to see the whole game. And what a game it was. This may not mean a lot to those of you who don’t know a thing about baseball, but there was a walk-off HR in the bottom of the ninth that won it for the Rangers. And we got to see it all from the third row. What a fabulous day?! Not only was the game great, but I got to catch up with an old friend whom I hadn’t seen in almost five years. And the best part is, he was exactly the same. And I knew he would be. As predictable as the sun rising. Only we’d both matured and gotten to the point where we can laugh about the stupidity of the way we acted in college. I think if it was five years before we saw each other again (and I really hope it’s not!), it would feel the same way.

Reunion2: After the return flight (which was a return flight to the ‘Burg for him, but really more like a second leg after a long, long layover in Dallas for me) I got to NOLA on Thursday night where I was to spend the weekend. I had arranged to have lunch with a friend from college (we were friends freshman and sophomore years when she played soccer and we lived on the same hall, but not really after that. Don’t know why….) the next day. I found out that she was living there through the alumni magazine and sent her an email letting her know I was in town (for the last time, sad!) to see if she wanted to get lunch. She falls into that second group of friends from years past. Not the ones like Pittsburgh who haven’t changed at all since college, but one of those friends who is completely different. Husband, check. More grad degrees, check. Baby, check. Different outlook on life, check. Anyway, I remember her as being this real goof-off from college (and luckily she admitted that she wasn’t very good at school. But not that it matters now….you’ll see where I’m going). It turns out she married the boyfriend from sophomore year (and the reason she later dropped off the face of the Earth) who’s now a doctor. Which means that while she got an MBA (just killing time while he was in med school), she’s a full-time stay at home mom. Who doesn’t work. And doesn’t ever want to work. Wants to stay at home with children if only because that means she won’t have to work .Love it!! It was nice to catch up with her and sort of get the scoop on what happened after sophomore year. I had also been to her house in Houston and vacation house on Galveston Bay, so it was nice, as well, to get an update on her parents. Her gramma makes the best cakes and pies of anyone in the world. And I mean that. At no offense to either GrammaMondays. Long story short, she’s doing exactly what she wants to be doing, and I’m happy for her. It’s her plan to not have to work, to just stay at home (with the cutest, calmest 10-month old I’ve ever seen. Truly. He just gurgled and cooed for about 4 hours in the heat of NOLA while we lunched. It made me want a baby).

Reunion3: This one is short because it’s still on-going. I went to NOLA to bring my hunnie home. He’s been down there for 3 and a half years, but has a new job that he’s starting next month. So I went down there to pack, celebrate a last weekend in one of my favorite cities (I drank Abita, wore beads, ate at my favorite places, scarfed down jambalaya on my way to Harrah’s , won $20 on slots, and generally sweated myself to death). Then I had the pleasure of following a 16’ moving truck across the county in a 15-hour drive on Monday (don’t worry, we stopped at Ikea, so it wasn’t all painful). But I got my baby home. If only for the next month.

The Funeral. The Family dog passed away Friday afternoon after a long, hard-fought battle with bone cancer. The dog has been “dying” since the end of February when he was diagnosed with one to two months to live. This spring has been a really hard one for DaddyMonday, who got this dog from a puppy seven+ years ago. They’ve weathered countless storms (including HurricaneLinda, my former stepmom) and are really each other’s closest friends. Many of you would think, “it’s just a dog,” but for us Mondays, regardless of whether it is a dog or not, we get very attached, very easily. And this wasn’t just any dog. He really was something special and seemed to be very in-tune with dad. I won’t go into all the dog’s wonderful attributes, but will say that this is a huge loss to our family. So please keep DaddyMonday in your prayers.

Reunion4: Before I left for my whirlwind trip across the South last week, I dropped off GirlFairway to stay with dad and his dog. It worked out so that I saved money on the kennel (aka, sleep-away camp), she got to say goodbye to his dog (I will humanize her for these purposes…), and his dog got some company during the day when dad was at work. Turns out she was really freaked out the first several days she was there. It’s not like going to dad’s is something new for her. In her three years, we’ve probably been there 50+ times. But apparently she could tell the dog was sick. She stayed away from him and dad, retreating to the bed in the guest bedroom. But at some point last weekend, she mad a complete 360, instead choosing to be right there with his dog, laying close, but not touching him, at all times. So Sunday DaddyMonday called and asked (instead of me swinging by on our drive back) if she could stay. So she stayed until then end, being there to comfort both dad and his dog Friday when they both needed it the most. But that means I’ve been away from my dog for almost two weeks! Sunday was the reunion of all reunions. I’m just kidding. GirlFairway, for those of you who know her, is not one to show excitement. AT ALL. So I think she’s happy to be back, but she’s still a little skittish, I think, from all the stress of the last week. We’re going to have to get her some doggie therapy.