Another one joins the flock (Part II)

[Mike85]

Ugh.

Well, today's my birthday, but I'm not feeling particularly festive (yet). Today's the first post-bomb "family" event. So, there's that dynamic working.

Toss in the fact that my parents, who usually make their annual visit across the state to visit us at this time, chose to stay at home this year. They sent me a funny card with a beautiful note (and a generous check!), basically explaining that they were afraid that it would be too awkward or painful for me for them to try the usual routine. Maybe they are right. I'd have hated for them to come all the way out, only to have their presence make me melancholy and have us all trying to fake normalcy. I can't fake "happy" for them - they obviously know me too well.

Things *were* looking up b/c an old friend of mine from college (I was his pledgemaster, we lived together for years, he was my best man) had planned to come out for the weekend. His wife was scheduled to be away on a business trip this weekend, so he was going to drive out and hang with me. He called late last night and had to cancel b/c his wife was having weird fluttering sensations in her chest and was being monitored for heart problems, so her trip (and thus his) was cancelled. I wished him and her my best, and then we talked on the phone 'til 1 am. (He doesn't "get" the DB thing and wants me to go "vendetta" on W, but by 1 am, I had him at least supporting my efforts as a friend and Brother).

Most of my other friends are gone with their families on vacations this week. No grown-ups to play with.

And, of course, all those hours I spent working on our pool to get it to look less like a duck pond (it has rained every other day since the end of June) are for naught today, since it is -surprise- POURING here again. Dark, gloomy, thunder... just great. Can't even lay out in the yard (okay, I suppose I could, but that would be too weird and would freak out my college student neighbors).

So, no visits from parents or old friends, my kids will be with W most of the day (it's her day with them), and the weather sucks. Oh, and I have a summer cold that is sitting in my chest and sinuses.

I've decided that at least I can put a positive spin on PART of the weekend by using some of the birthday check from my parents to take my sons to Chuck E. Cheese tomorrow. Normally, I can't stand the place, but it makes them insanely, maniacally happy, so I'll soak up their giddy mania to help *me* feel happy. That'll be my present to myself.

As for today... maybe I'll watch one of my NY Giants post-season DVD's, MST3K, or "No Reservations: Season 3."