February 23, 2003 1:04 pm
Journalers and Weekend
Friday was another rainy, grey day. I saw movement in Miss L Toe's sides and was sure that she would be dropping kitties any minute. Didn't happen. I went on to work while Mark went off to Lubbock for a gig. Work was fine and there was no stress making me cranky, but I was, nevertheless, cranky. I was really looking forward to meeting the Austin online journalers at Guero's, but more and more work that had to be done at 7 p.m. (or come back during the weekend) kept piling up. I stayed and did my job and grumbled all the way through it. I left work and found it raining yet again. I drove up to Guero's, knowing the party would be over by the time I got there. There was no parking to be had. I could see the place was packed. I had just decided I would be on my way home that minute unless a parking lot appeared. One did. Right in front of Rue's Antiques. Still thinking that the party would be over and I would be alone amongst many margarita-swilling salsa-dipping strangers, I went into Guero's and immediately heard Jette's hello. What a welcome. A full table of my favorite journalers and three new faces.
At this point I would really like to have little highlighted words so that you could easily link to all these other fine folk's journals. At a meeting many months ago, Kramer (see! I would link that to http://astrofish.net if I could) and Abbycat (http://alfred-e.diary-x.com/) taught me how to do it, but it is so tedious! I don't know how you have the patience.
New faces were Bubba Sean, and, no, I'm still not convinced he truly writes his own site, but I'm coming around, Feith, who has beautiful prose, and David, who was a welcome addition to the group. There have been some newcomers at some get-togethers that decide that the entire meeting is for them to tell us about themselves for two hours. I got to know David and Feith in a much more congenial give-and-take. Bubba Sean went for a drink (I thought) and was never seen again (adding to my suspicions).
I'm sure I offended several at the table Friday night. I've become paranoid and suspicious, I guess. Kramer said he wanted to give me a CD. My first thought, "Augh, I'm not working, don't make me listen to a friend's music!" But, no, it's a fun roadtrip mix CD he knew I would like (and I do!) and it was plain generosity that drove that. Devota wanted to give me her business card and I too quickly responded "Why?", again, being suspicious that someone wanted something from me. When did I get this way? I'm glad to have her card because I like Devota. Then Jette and Waterlily were discussing doing a makeover on this dull-as-rice-pudding website of mine and phrased it as the geeks equivalent of "if I could get ahold of her hair" or somesuch. I responded with the phrase "that is so gay!", meaning the wanting to style my hair. With that, I offended sweet Timbrat, who is such a wonderful guy. So, to all I offended from speaking before thinking, I apologize. And, if I offended without even know it, I apologize even more and hope we'll all start fresh next time. Maybe I need to begin my drinking BEFORE I get to the happy hour so I won't have all that crankiness and tenseness from the beginning.
I went home with great satisfaction (despite the gaffes) from the party, glad that I know this group.
Yesterday I did a remote at the Bob Bullock Museum. It was a beautiful day for it. We were outside and the city was beautiful and the people were out in abundance. Unfortunately, the prize whores were also there. Why is it so important to them to get stuff for free? Does it give them self-esteem or personal value to take anything they can get? It gets really old from our perspective. There was a new couple of prize whores I had not caught on to. They won a gift certificate to the museum cafe, then they wanted a t-shirt so since one had already won the certificate, we allowed the other to win the t-shirt (of course, they complained about the size), then, damned if they didn't come back later and see a CD there and want it to. At that point I told them they'd won enough and they needed to leave.
After the remote, the day was mine!! Whoo-hoo. Mine, all mine.
Mark got home from Lubbock and minutes later, Perfect C and her new beau from California came home from California and dropped by. We had a nice visit and a great dinner at Evita's Botanitas and then they went on home to Blanco. Great visit with them, but not too long.
Today, I've gardened and planted 75 tulips that have been in my refrigerator since November. I've got the windows up and the house feels summery. Only slightly dismayed that Mark broke the spell of a perfect morning of rolls and coffee and newspaper by jumping up and running off to have lunch with a friend.
Some sadness last night and today... One of my dearest old cousins died yesterday. She was 92. I saw her a year or so ago, it has been a while. She used to be at our family reunions every August but she hasn't made the last couple. Her younger sister died last May and she was so distraught that she didn't come to that funeral. Lucille was my grandfather's first cousin and she was funny and sweet and lots of fun. I visited her once in her home in Henrietta, Texas, and once after she had moved in with her daughter in Houston. I'm glad I made both trips. I won't be going to this funeral since it is so far to Henrietta. I need to really sit and put my thoughts about her and her life down on paper. This isn't the time.