Where Were You When the World (Didn't) End?

Friday night I went to one of the stranger slumber parties I've attended in my lifetime. While slumber parties were popular when I was growing up, aside from a few occasions, it's been quite a few years since I've gone to one. But my movie-going buddies Rosemary and Vance and I have said for a long time how much fun it'd be to sit around in our pj's eating popcorn and drinking wine -- so we finally made a date. It was pouring down rain, and thunder and lightening most of the night, so I was glad we didn't make plans to leave the house. RoRo lives alone -- not counting her golden retriever, Annie -- so we met there. After a pizza dinner with a neighbor where we talked about politics and everything under the sun, we played a round of 'Smart Ass.' I'd never heard of it, but won, being 1) Smart, and 2) an ass. I guess.

By 12:30 RoRo was turning into a pumpkin. Sir Vancelot and I are both night-owls. If I'm up past 1 a.m., I get a second wind and it can see me through into the wee hours. We started watching two different sci-fi movies off Netflix but they were both dreadful, and before I knew it he was snoring away on the couch. I was awake and alone by 3 a.m., too wired to sleep. It occurred to me that should the world actually end, I'd very much regret not having spent my final hours with Excy and the kitties. But it was a fleeting thought, and I was pretty sure that wasn't gonna happen. (It was a good thing I hadn't heard about the horror in Missouri that night; how awful). I read, and before I knew it, was drifting off to sleep when the birds began chirping.

Saturday we had a fabulous brunch using fresh eggs another neighbor gave her, and lounged around some more drinking coffee. I arranged flowers for a wedding shower Ro was attending that afternoon. As I prepared to leave we noticed my back front tire was flat. Triple A is expensive; Excy and I had discussed just that week not renewing the policy, but when you need it, boy, is it convenient! My spare looked like a doughnut, however, and I didn't feel I should drive on it all the way home, so Vance followed me to a nearby tire place. Saturday's a busy day for them. They estimated a 4-hr wait to patch it (picked up a nail), so we left the car there and went shopping for the afternoon.

An estate sale had two contemporary 'womb' chairs -- both for $1800! Such a deal. I'm hoping to inherit one of mom and dad's, but with an acquisitive brother, it's debatable. But didn't buy them, regardless. Looked around a jewelry store. Fell in love with the black diamond chip necklaces last year, and found one of black spinel that is half the cost and just as fabulous, so put it on layaway. Found a small hostess thank-you gift for Ro. Went by Pier 1 and bought some napkins and napkin holders and place-mats for next week's WOW. Treated Vance to Starbucks. This $25 tire turned into a far greater expense.

Weekends like this remind me of the importance of making time to spend with friends and loved ones. (And how, when one is in the mood, it can actually be fun to shop, sometimes). I slept in Sunday and read the paper in bed surrounded by cats, who were glad to share the bed with me. I think Excy had missed me, too.