Saturday, February 06, 2010

recovery

When you have a hellish week and need to recover, you should try to do the following: (it worked for me!)

1. Get your hair cut and colored. It had been so long, I had almost forgotten how rejuvenating it can be.

2. Go on a big shopping trip to Costco. This was the first I had been able to do since our return from Paris, due to Christmas expenses. I filled a cart, filled my trunk. I came home and unpacked everything, stocking the pantry, freezer, and long-term storage. It was such a thoroughly American experience -- it made me feel more thoroughly home than I previously felt.

3. Have an overnighter with girlfriends. Collette gave the book club girls a night away for Christmas, and last night was the appointed night.

today happened to be Collette's birthday! {photo by Jill}

We may have all been a little giddy to actually be getting away, even though we hardly had to travel at all. {photo by Jill}

We went to the nearby theater to catch a movie while Amy went to a dance recital, but the movie was sold out. (Collette's husband had forbidden us from seeing Made in Rome, causing us to curse his name.) Instead, we hung out at the hotel and talked.

We met up with Amy and went to JCW's for burgers, fries, and fry sauce. Mine had thick chunks of avocado, yum.

Then back to the hotel for jammies, game-playing, and book discussion.

Okay, what the? I found this to be completely distracting the whole time we were there. What circumstances necessitated these signs? (Lelly?) I just can't imagine people hanging things on the sprinkler heads...

Amy gave us belated Christmas gifts, which morphed into handmade Valentine gifts. So so cute!!

Collette, ready for a game. She proclaimed herself a "game virgin," which we all found hilarious.


We played Quiddler, which is highly enjoyable. Jana and Amy both had their iPhones out, checking dictionary.com for the validity of their words.

Jana creamed us!

I am in love with this picture the Jill took. I tell you, she has the best angles!

We had a good discussion of our February book, The Help. It was a great book, and a great book club book. So much to talk about.

Jenn introduced us to her new favorite treat, Oreos with raspberries inside. Never in my life would I have thought to combine the two like this, but it is delicious. {photo by Jill}

When we eventually went to bed, Jana, who is 7 months pregnant, declared she would be sleeping on the floor. As you can imagine, that caused an uproar. We insisted she sleep in a bed, of course!

Amy went out to her car to cool off in the middle of the night (it got really hot in our room). I found this hilarious.

I can't tell you how delicious it was to wake up without hearing someone calling out "Mommy!" -- that was the best part. Also eating these fabulous tiny bundt cakes for breakfast. {photo by Jill}

We were admiring Amy's shoes, which apparently she bought at Smith's Marketplace (local grocery store). No way.

We all got ready and prepared to leave...

and then went to a matinee of Dear John. It wasn't a movie I would choose (definitely NOT a fan of Nicholas Sparks), but at least the actors were easy on the eyes, and there were a couple of tender moments.

Collette, Jana, and Amy left for home after the movie, while Jill, Jenn and I went in to the deli at Thanksgiving Point for lunch. We ate and then taught Jenn how to play Jill's Skip-Bo game. After a nice, long game, Jenn had to leave. Jill and I browsed at Emporium for awhile and then went home ourselves.

Ah yes, the prescribed treatment has worked. I now feel like I can (possibly) face another week. Thanks, girls!

13 comments:

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

What a fun time! I think the fact that your bookclub travels to Paris and to the local motel makes for a great story. It would be fun to hear your founding story.

I'm glad you had such a good time.

"It was such a thoroughly American experience" made me think about other experiences I take for granted.

Natasha said...

I always enjoy a night away too. When I get away for a night or two without kids, even for business, I always return home well rested and ready to be a better mother! This all just looks like so much fun!!

The Help was one of my favorite books that I read last year.

To funny about Amy's shoes but I have found the same to be true. The inexpensive ones from places like Payless hold up better and get more compliments than the expensive pairs.

Jill said...

I think you have more than your fair share of Hellish Smotherhood-filled weeks, I really do!

I'm so glad your recovery included a new cut and color and a stock up at Costco, only adding a pedicure and Creative Friday could have helped right, but a getaway with the book club girls and no one calling you mommy for 25 hours is pretty good too!

Crystalyn said...

what great ways to be cheered up! and what a fun getaway! where did you all stay? were you all able to stay in the same room? i'm looking for someplace where quite a few people can stay together.

so glad you're feeling better. your hair looks beautiful.

wende said...

rich and i love to get raspberry oreo concretes from nielsen's frozen custard. i'm normally very open to trying to new flavors of any kind of ice cream, but i love raspberry oreo WAY to much to venture out. i've never tried an actual strawberry in an oreo though...sounds yummy.

Price Cream Parlor said...

What a fantastic 'pick me up'!! You have such great friends...what a fun idea to do your book club away!
THE HELP is one of my most favorite books. I often wonder how someone writes a book like that as their first novel?!!

Cut and color is always an extra bonus!

Hope you week is smooth sailing and sick free!
-ps LOVE your recipe blog!!! Holy Cow!

Melinda said...

THis looks like it was such a fun, fun night! You girls are so lucky to have one another.

Susan said...

What a fun break! I feel as if I have't had one for a long while, and can't even fathom anything of the kind for the next few months...at least I have no smotherhood moments anymore!

Your cute bookclub is covetous.

Unknown said...

fun getaway!!

i actually had an MOB (mother-of-the-bride) almost hang her daughter's wedding dress from the sprinkler head last spring!! WTH?!? we ended up installing a hook just for her.

[truly, if she had done that, not only would the dress have been ruined, but half of the hotel would have flooded as well.]

[high school sporting teams are notorious for hanging their uniforms from sprinkler heads to dry between games.}

jenn said...

I am still suffering from the lack of sleep- I'm really slow moving today. But it was worth it! I always feel rejuvenated after time with you ladies and this was a nice, big, solid dose of good times to get me through the next couple of weeks.

melanie said...

What a perfect getaway! We've been sick for going on two weeks and there is no better word to describe it than smotherhood. Friends can recharge a person so fast.

I now want oreos and raspberries, that looks SO good. Plus I love Nothing Bundt Cake. Sweet tooth attack right now....yes~!

Charlotte said...

Costco is a wonderful remedy! And what a fun trip with your friends—that sounds like a great way to recover from a substandard week. I'm sorry your week was so crummy—I hope this one is going better!

Rebekah said...

I love, love, love restocking at Costco. It's such a wonderful feeling to fill all of your cupboards full.

Funny story, one time we were staying in Vegas and the sprinklers went off in our hotel room. When management came up to assess the situation, they actually asked my parents if I'd been hanging things from the sprinklers. Based on this, Lelly's testimonial, I guess it does happen quite a bit! Who knew, right?

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