But not the cool kind, with the thrust and parry and epees and foils. Oh, and they told me they are the Jaycees. But I think they may have lied.

Anyway, this weekend? Busy. Saturday morning was the fencing. I headed out to Brookhill to help get things ready for the race. We only have a few more weekends, and I think I may be only able to work one more. Anyway, we fenced the paddock. I learned how to pull and mend fence. Which may serve me well someday. I'll let you know.

Best part? Our former chapter president drove us out to the paddock area in the back of his pickup. He started going rather fast over the bumps. He then slowed and said, "Sorry. Forgot I had people in the back." Well, he almost didn't.

I ran out to work that afternoon, and since I was quite tired afterward, picked up a movie on the way home. Flightplan. I enjoyed it. Of course, I would watch a movie entitled Sean Bean Sitting in a Chair for Two Hours, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Today, I woke up late, read the paper, and went back to work. (If you want to be even more jealous, I got to dump thermophilic wastewater sludge down the drain. (If you don't have any idea what I am talking about, boy howdy are you lucky!)) Met Cdub for coffee, talked her into seeing V for Vendetta. Most excellent.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to crank the music and dance. Fun for me, scares the cats. Or, as I call it, win-win.

Friday night, I went to a wine bottling party at Innovative Winery. We bottled and Australian Shiraz. We tasted it beforehand, and it's quite good. A little spicy, not too dry. I came home with two bottles of that, which I cannot open until mid-May. (You must either drink it the day after it's bottled, or wait. Apparently bottling it shocks it somehow.) I also bought a Viognier and a Muller Thurgau.

Of course, having started South Beach today, no wine for 2 weeks.

Yes, South Beach, I know. But I know many people it's worked for- friends, my aunt, and I think even MB. The most weight I ever lost was on Atkins, so this has a fair chance of working.

Oh, and when my alarm went off this morning, I couldn't figure out why the lights were flickering (since they weren't on!) Thunderstorms!

Y'all, so many things going on right now, and I don't really feel I can talk about them. They say God doesn't give you more than you can handle. He certainly thinks I'm stronger than I do.

For those of you who really know me, things are so bad that I didn't make my bed today. And I am going to go crawl in it anyway.

First of all, I want to thank y'all for the kind and supportive words. (Dreadmouse, that was what the blogosphere can do for me. Oh, and take care of their new babies. Who will definitely forgive you.) Things aren't better today, but I am. I didn't sleep well last night, so I stayed home from work. I am trying to eat, because I was very shaky when I finally got up. and I realized that in the last 18 hours, I had had some cottage cheese.

Jasper has let me know, in no uncertain terms, that he loves me.

Oh, and since I stayed home, I got to see mom on Martha. She's the one in the audience wearing lavender. (Don't make fun of her, either. Her boss made her go.)

I've spent the past 2 hours doing productive things. I called my Steeplechase clients. (I know!) I uploaded Vegas pictures to my flickr account. (Not all of them. There's more. I have to find the discs- I took the trip before I had a digital camera.)

I've also realized that I don't have a vacation planned for this year. Now, I don't have tons to spend, but I'd like to go somewhere I haven't been. (Note: this does not affect my plans to visit NH later this spring. Which, I'd really better get on.) So, any suggestions? And who's coming?

So, things are going. I did make my bed this morning, so that's a good sign. (Actually, I made it before going to bed last night, which is normal for me, but maybe not an actual "good sign".)

And I read this yesterday, which helps remind me that people are basically good. (Side note: I love Dennis Rogers's columns. I think I would enjoy having lunch with him on occasion.)

Yesterday, at the barn:

Dylan: Hi!
WG: Hi Dylan! Can I have a hug?
Dylan: No. I'm sweeping.

Little Matty: Do you want to go see the collegiate roller hockey championships this weekend? They're in Cary.
Watergirl: (incredulous) What? There's collegiate roller hockey?
Little Matty: Yes, I mean, at most colleges it's a club sport, but...
Watergirl: Oh. Roller Hockey.
Little Matty: (questioning look on face)
Watergirl: I thought Roller Derby.

Good friends let you crash in their guest bed when you've drunk way too much.

Really good friends have also drunk way too much.

(phone rings)
Watergirl: picks up phone
Bud: I told you, if you grease the pan, you're going to burn the cookies.
Watergir: Um, OK.
Bud: Not talking to you. Sorry I called you in the middle of that.
Watergirl: You also called me in the middle of eating lettuce wraps. So now I will crunch in your ear.
Bud: Lettuce wraps? You wrap lettuce in lettuce?
Watergirl: No, it's this thing you get at Asian restaurants. You wrap a chicken mixture in lettuce. Cdub and I went to Bamboo Club for dinner last night.
(Pause)
Both: You know what a panda has for lunch? They have bamboo...

Later
Bud: [my girlfriend] has a recital at 3:00.
Watergirl: Oh. What's she playing?
Bud: The piano.
Watergirl: I know that. What pieces?
Bud: Asks girlfriend
Bud: Actually, she's singing today. You just got me in trouble. Why'd you get me in trouble? Why'd you have to ask me in front of her.
Watergirl: Maybe it's a good thing you know that beforehand now.
Bud: True. Otherwise, I'd be all, "Where the hell is the piano?"

can be summed up by the fact that I laughed out loud, perhaps even guffawed, at the following quote from this program's Antietam episode.

"McClellan got perilously close to taking decisive action. It was quite a moment in his life."

(Quote from Gary W. Gallagher, UVA)

Watergirl and some fellow Jaycees are standing in the Jaycee office. Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" starts to play.

Watergirl: (answers cell phone) Hello?
Bud: Do hard boiled eggs go bad?
Watergirl: I would think so.
Bud: After how long?
Watergirl: I don't really know.
Bud: Well...
Watergirl: How old are they?
Bud: Um, like, two weeks?
Watergirl: I wouldn't eat them.

It may appear that I am stealing this from Michelle, but I thought about doing this when I was getting ready for bed last night. So, it's really a case of great minds.

Anyway, here is a list of things that made me happy this week.

1. Talking to my brother 4 times. He's one of my favorite people, and yet we don't talk much. I will try to rectify that.
   
2. Jasper being very appreciative because I took him to the vet. (He gets a steroid shot every 5-6 weeks. He understands that before the shot his mouth hurts, and afterwards it doesn't.)
   
3. A good ride yesterday. I learned canter leads. And also felt comfortable at the canter, finally. (Probably because I was thinking about leads and not about the canter. Revelation: I tend to overthink things.)
   
4. My plans to make Easter dinner for Cdub and D.
   
5. Jenna's latest post. I'm happy for her. Although I would be tempted to respond to "You never buy me nothing!" with a "No, only sometimes do I buy you nothing." Because confusing kids with proper grammar = fun!
   
6. Long talks on the phone. It's been a phone week.
   
7. Spring. And flowers.
   

1. Oh my aching...
2. I'm addicted to...
3. This week I discovered...
4. I don't understand....
5. ...makes my blood boil.
6. I should have....
7. WooooEeeeee, this weekend....

1. Oh my aching... quads. No idea what I did at riding this week to cause them to be so sore.
2. I'm addicted to... Caffeine Free Diet Coke
3. This week I discovered... that my vet won't be mad at me for switching to a closer one.
4. I don't understand....why I can't find another job.
5. People hanging out in the left hand lane, not passing anyone...make my blood boil.
6. I should have....bought something for lunch today when I was in the grocery store yesterday.
7. WooooEeeeee, this weekend.... pedicure with 2.0, bookstore and farmer's market with D, then I'm cooking Easter dinner for D and Cdub.

I hope y'all had a lovely Easter weekend. The weather was beautiful here.

Friday night was the mixer odyssey. I had to drive across town to buy the new mixer I wanted. (I had my grandmother's old one. It didn't have a polarized plug is how old it was.) Anyway, Linens 'n Things had it for $10 less than Amazon, plus I had a 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon. However, the stores by my house? Did not have it. And yes, I have just admitted to driving clear across town with the sole purpose of buying a mixer.

Saturday Morning 2.0 and I went to get pedicures. I chose a light pink, which is odd for me. I was inspired by the season, I suppose. Pedicures were a necessity as sandal season is in full force here.

D came up, and we checked out some used bookstores. He found a few books; I was looking for the latest book club book, and had no luck. Must check library. We had dinner at the Rockford, and rented some movies. (Fun with Dick and Jane and Yours, Mine, and Ours) The first one had potential, but failed to reach it. The second was cute- I enjoyed it very much.

Sunday, I cooked Easter dinner for D, Cdub, and myself. The menu: Pork Tenderloin with Gorgonzola sauce (found at Shea's cooking site), mashed sweet potatoes, escalloped pineapple, and steamed asparagus, with a mocha dream cake for dessert. Yummy. Later, Cdub and I went over to 2.0's. Hung out, drank, played Atari, scared the Boo. (Do not all 5 of you yell at the video game at once in front of the baby.) All in all, an excellent weekend.

I hope you had the same.

This weekend I am driving up to my parents' house in NJ. The purpose of the trip is to see Goose perform in Little Shop of Horrors. (Yay for high school musicals! I did Annie.) I have not been up there since Christmas of 2004. This is because seeing my father stresses me out. Anything and everything can set him off into a rage, and he takes everything personally.

I'm starting out behind the ball, because he is upset that we are going to see Bud's girlfriends' final recital on Sunday. (We are not telling him that I am then spending the night at her house. I am doing that because she is in Newark, DE. I would have to drive back through there the very next day if I returned to my parents'.) Since Bud is Persona non Grata in my father's eyes, he sees it as us choosing Bud over him. Which, yea, but Bud isn't the one forcing the choice.

So, I am excited to see Goose perform. I am looking forward to getting to know Bud's girlfriend better, since it looks like she will be family eventually. But I am very nervous about spending time with my father.

So, some of us from book club are going to the beach in May, to celebrate one of our member's graduation from med school. (She's leaving us for her internship/residency.) House was booked today. We're staying here. I am very excited! I've never been to the Outer Banks.

I may have preemptively bought rum and tequila this weekend. Although it was a small bottle of rum...

Good Mojito recipe, anyone?

I totally figured out last night how to import my old blog (the original one!) into MT with the correct date/time. Well, it's not so much import as copy/paste/change date, but still! All my entries in one place! Well, not yet. But soon.

So, I called what I think will be the boys' new vet. The (male) receptionist was taking down my information, and kept saying things like, "How many babies do you have?" "What's the other baby's name?" etc. Now, they are not, in fact, babies. In any sense of the word, as Jasper is 10 and Orion is 6.5. I do not refer to them as babies. I do occasionally hold Orion like a baby, but that's just to annoy him.

So, I made it to NJ fine, although there was much traffic. My parent's dog, Rocky, greeted me at the door with his rope. (Rocky: I remember you are good at rope. Let's play rope!) Their cat, Casper, woke me up that night by scratching on the door. I couldn't figure out what it was- I thought someone was rifling through tupperware.

Saturday morning:
Dad (downstairs): Holy Shit!
Watergirl (upstairs): Goose, go see what's "Holy Shit."
Goose (runs downstairs): Dad, what's "Holy Shit"?

Saturday morning, later, outside of Manhattan Bagel:
Mom: So where do you get that shampoo you have?
Watergirl: The Kiehl's? Nordstrom, or there's a place in Raleigh at North Hills that carries it.
Mom: Oh. (seems disappointed)
Watergirl: Did you use it? Did you like it?
Mom: Yes. The mousse stuff? Cleans all the buildup out of you hair.
Watergirl: The mousse stuff is face wash.

Saturday night was chicken piccata and Goose's play. Was most excellent. I am starting to have feeling again in my buttcheeks. The chairs in the auditorium in our high school? Not so comfortable.

Before the play began:
Dad: So we went into the anti-room...
Watergirl: You mean the anteroom?
Dad: Yes, the anti-room.
(It was later decided that the slogan for outside should be: Outside: The Anti-Room.)

Sunday we headed to Delaware to see Bud's girlfriend's graduate recital. (I have no idea if that is punctuated correctly. Need a Garner's.) I had no idea that she was so talented. I enjoyed it very much. Afterwards, the three of us went for a walk in downtown Newark. (I like Newark. And the University of Delaware has a beautiful campus.) We had a beer and some pretzels at the Deer Park Tavern. Yuengling on special!

Today, an uneventful trip home. Well, except for the fact that there was no traffic in Springfield, VA. Not sure what happened there.

And in keeping with road-trip tradition, the Denny's on Route 1 in Fredericksburg, VA? Terrible. Slow service, and they seated me right in front of a vent, blowing full force (the vent was on the wall.) But the Applebee's in Ashland, VA? Excellent. I recommend the Pecan-Crusted chicken salad, which none of my local Applebee's seem to have.

I am moving! On June 24! To a house! (Not mine, but still, it's a house!) Good-bye smelly cooking neighbors. Good-bye annoying security light that has been added behind my house in the last six months. Good-bye non-ample parking.

Hello hardwood floors. Hello beautiful kitchen. Hello extra bedroom for which I have no furniture.

So, who's coming to help? I'll supply pizza and beer.

I first saw this over at The Noodle Incident and then over at Michelle's. We all love books! I stole Michelle's modified version.

1) Total number of books I own?
I don't actually own that many-probably about 75. I don't have the room to keep them, so I usually give them away, donate them, or sell them to used book stores. If I keep it, it means something to me.

2) The last book I bought?
I just bought a cookbook (Easy Basics for Good Cooking) off of half.com. As far as reading books go, I've been doing the library thing lately. I did buy James Patterson's 4th of July at the used bookstore a few weeks ago.

3) The last book I read?
4th of July by James Patterson

4) What I am currently reading? Wyoming Stories, by Annie Proulx. We're discussing Brokeback Mountain at book club next month.

5) Five books that have meant a lot to me or that I loved the most
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute

Y'all play along!

Janet, she is interviewing people today.

1. Do you say meaner things to your friends or your enemies? Well, I try not to say mean things at all. The meanest things are to the other drivers. And also my inner monologue is mean.

2. What is the last thing you want me to know about you? Hmm... I'm not quite comfortable putting it out there just yet. I'll tell you in an e-mail, though.

3. What is one question you wouldn't want me to ask you? Don't ask me about my dad.

4. Would you ever date someone significantly younger than you? Probably not. I tend to date men older than I am- younger ones remind me of my brother.

5. Are you happy with the person you are becoming? Yes.

6. Is there a wrong that you have righted in your life? I don't think so.

7. What's the one thing you want most in life and do you think you'll get it? Marriage and kids. I don't know that it's in the cards for me.

Saturday, 2.0 and I headed out to Spring Daze. (This was after I fed her son his first piece of banana bread. Kid makes funny faces when he tries new foods. (Side note: 2.0 Spouse will hereafter be known as The Cap'n, for reasons known to Bud.)) I bought a new purse from here because I fell in love with it. I've been looking for a spring bag for some time now, and hadn't found one I liked. This one is not found in stores! And handmade!

Later that afternoon, Cdub and I met 2.0 at the movies. We saw Stick It, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. It was entertaining, and made some interesting observations about judging in gymnastics. I recommend it, if for no other reason than seeing WeiWei's facial expressions.

Cdub and I headed out to Greenshields for dinner. I was underwhelmed. The food was merely OK, certainly not good enough to make up for the extremely slow service. And the hostess (who was somewhere between 17 and 21) was wearing a skirt that was very short. Imagine that you are having her do the finger-tip test. This skirt would have hit her mid-forearm. It would have been cute if she had been hanging out with her friends. It was not, however, appropriate for work. If I were her boss, I would have sent her home. Anyway, we won't be making that a regular spot.

Today, Heather and I went for a trail ride at Umstead. I was on Solie, and she was on a pony she has at the barn on trial. He's a good pony, but was unsure about some of the things out on the trail. He balked at a bridge and a creek, both of which he went through immediately after seeing Solie do it. If a bicycle or walker or dog made him nervous, he sidled up right along beside Solie. They'd not met before we loaded them in the trailer, but apparently whilst in there together came to some sort of understanding. Heather's decided that if/when the pony joins the rest of the herd, she'll turn him out with Solie first.