What a lovely, lovely weekend I've had. It was filled with two sunny, home-based days that I absolutely loved! In fact, except for church today, I didn't leave the house for 2 days and it was great. I tend to run a very frantic, hustle-from-one-thing-to-the-next kind of life so to have a weekend full of no plans, beautiful weather, a happy family and a holiday celebrating MOI is nothing short of wonderful.

Saturday, I walked on the treadmill for an hour (and used some hand weights for extra oomph while I walked) and then after lunch, worked in the yard trimming the out-of-control rosemary bushes in the backyard and weeding the front flower beds. It was a wonderfully physical day and by day's end, I was quite tired but very fulfilled.

This morning, we went to church and then when we got home at 11:30, Ed made my favorite breakfast-for-lunch (Bev and Mary, you may want to avert your eyes): bacon, eggs (over medium), toast and grits all washed down with copious amounts of Diet Dr Pepper. I *love* that meal and Ed does it so well. It's not all that good for you, obviously, so I only have it a few times a year but always on Mother's Day. I invited Grandma over to share my largesse and she fell in love with grits.

Joey gave me a necklace with her picture on it that she made in school and a couple of cards and booklets that she had made in school and at church. The one from church was a finish-the-sentence thing with space for kids to draw a picture. It had things like "My mother's favorite food is..." and "But she doesn't like..." to which Joey wrote sushi and Slurpees, respectively. It was very sweet but I almost cried at the end when it said "If my mother could have any wish come true, it would be..." and she wrote "to have another child." That girl is amazingly perceptive and thoughtful.

My gift from Ed was a stand for the P@wley's Island hammock his parents sent us from Myrtle Beach a few years ago. It had never been used because we had no place to hang it--no trees around and no stand. So he got me a stand and we put it together. Guess what I did? I spent the afternoon lounging in my new hammock in the warm shade of the backyard--I read my book, took a nap, cuddled and had "girl talk" with Joey (that's what she called it--it was just the two of us in the hammock sharing a pillow and chatting quietly while looking at the sky) and generally enjoyed the serenity. (Cherri wasn't impressed, though, when she called later. I told her about my lovely hammock afternoon and then when I said that it wasn't *all* I did, she said, "Well I should hope to shout," like there's some kind of imperative that I not lie about on Mother's Day and enjoy my self. I almost told her to call back later when she was in a better mood but knew that that would come to no good end.)

We ate dinner (bbq'd steaks--mmmm) outside on the patio and then just hung out there and chatted and goofed around for awhile. Later, Joey took a shower (and got herself out and dried off and dressed in jammies without parental intervention--a first!) and when she went to bed, I watched the L.A. Law reunion movie. I was such a big L.A. Law fan, back in the day, and still catch reruns of it on A&E when I get the chance so I was excited about the show. It was ok--I didn't like the Dave Meyers storyline but thought the execution appeal storyline was good. And man, has Harry Hamlin gotten better looking in the last 12 years or what? He was looking mighty fine tonight. Trim and fit with just a few character wrinkles.

Ed bought our tickets for Star Wars next Saturday morning, 10am. I'm very excited. Joey can hardly contain herself. She gets to bring a friend and she just can't wait!

The only damper on the whole weekend was Cherri's call earlier. She was just in a put-out, pissy kind of mood and nothing seemed to meet with her approval. Did she want to see Star Wars with us? Well, sort of but her hub wanted to play golf with Ed. Well, Ed's going to be at the theatre. ::big sigh:: So what about the movie? Well, no, I'll go with John. You spent the whole day in the hammock (said with utter disapproval dripping from her voice)? If Joey spend the night with Amy on Friday and goes to the movie on Saturday and we're going to dinner and the symphony Saturday night, I won't get to see Joey at all. Come to the movie with us. Well, I dunno. Look, she can stay home from church and hang with you on Sunday morning. We like to leave early to avoid the traffic. Noon isn't early enough? ::big sigh:: Well, maybe. I'll let you know. Whatever. [Call back later when you don't have the weight of that big chip on your shoulder, wouldja?]

But I shan't let that get me down. She gets like that sometimes and the best way to handle it is to ignore it, do your own thing and fuhgeddaboudit. I can do that.

Did I mention that I had a lovely weekend?

--L