Estoy Nueces

I'm up too early. I don't like starting an entry with that. Mark had to be up and out early. I would have slept throught that well enough, but the neighbor is watering or something with strange swooshy sounds and I had to get up to investigate. So here I am, coffee close by, and I may as well get started on this day. Lots to do this week.

Nice weekend in Dallas. Mark did his typical beating around the bush Friday afternoon. He asked when I would be leaving on Saturday. I said noon or one, I expected. Hmmmm, he said. Why? I ask. Well, when would be the latest you might leave, he asks now. I don't know! What do you need me to do? Finally, he says, well, if you would leave as late as 2:30 I could go with you. Well, duh. Of course, I'll wait for him if it means he could go with me! Like I'm going to rush up an hour early and not let him go.

So Saturday I had to run to the station and do some things and he went to work and did a few things and we reconoitered at home. As cranky as Mark was, I almost left him at home at this point. Poor guy. He's been sick all week and was feeling lousy, but man, he was volatile.

"I'm going to put my futon in the back of my truck so I can sleep laying down on the way up."

Me: "Oh, are we going to go in your truck?"

Anger boiling up his spine and face is ready to explode.

Me: "I'm just asking!"

Geez... If I had gone alone I would have gone in my car so once he was added into the picture I didn't know. My car is newer and nicer, but he likes the way his truck drives better. Fine fine fine... just let me know.

Mark did sleep in the back all the way up while I drove in the rain. Well, he didn't sleep the whole way. He rose up and said nice things like "Is it just that I'm back here or are you driving kind of manic?"

"Shut up and go to sleep! It's just you."

Sigh.

Made it to Dallas in the evening and visited with his mother and stepdad for a while and had a nice dinner. We haven't visited them in a long time.

Went on over to my sisters and sat and drank wine and talked there. Mark went on off to bed and she and I went and retrieved a partying nephew and then sat up some more. Nice visit with her and they were all very surprised and pleased that I had brought Mark with me.

On the drive up I talked to my sister and told her I was bringing a surprise. After some "bigger than a breadbox" questions she knew it was "alive" and wasn't a cat and wouldn't need it's own bed. She was sort of disappointed when it wasn't a Paul McCartney Rose that she has asked for. But everyone loves Mark and was happy he was there.

Yesterday we slept late and had cinnamon rolls and coffee and more visiting. My folks came down too and were very very happy to see my sweet husband (who was much more normal and sweet and happy and cooperative after all that good sleep). My folks are in great shape and seemed happy. My sister can put together a great lunch (steak, potatoes, salad) and we ate and ate. Mark had gone out with the younger nephew to the guitar store and came home with fabulous desserts for us.

We dashed off early and Mark drove all the way home and fought the traffic the whole way. Bought some Italian food on the way home and stuffed some more while we watched the Sopranos. Great Sunday evening.

Good weekend. I enjoy my family and so does Mark. I wish we could see them more often and they were closer. The folks are coming down in a another ten days and that will be fun. If I could be in two places at one time, I would have stayed home this weekend, too, and caught up on laundry and cleaning and gardening and resting, but since I can't, I was glad I had a weekend where I could see the family.