Sunday, December 2, 2007

Old Friends

Today was mercifully busy...even though it required little effort by me. Although I did wipe up a few icky spots that were completely noticeable in the kitchen. I also put away pop cans, cleaned the toilet (blech), wiped down doors (flu season freak am I), and cleared off the table. Wow, you say...she's finally moving. It was because one of Leonard's (and my) oldest friends was coming over. Leonard grew up with him, while I met him at 13, in my 8th grade social studies class. Are you noticing a pattern as to how I met my closest friends and my sweetheart? Social studies has always been good to me. Al is a wonderful human being. When Leonard and I were first married, he would come over every month or so for dinner and, crazy wild ones that we were, Monopoly. It became a tradition we all looked forward to. When Al got married, Leonard and I both missed those times. We didn't spend as much time with him after that, as often happens when people get married. Al came over with his daughter (2 and adorable AND well behaved...figures) and sat for a couple of hours. For about 10 years Leonard and I, Al (and later his girlfriend/wife), another friend Jerry and his girlfriend now wife, and Al's brother Aaron had gotten together around the Christmas holidays for dinner. We would go somewhere nice and catch up. It was an assurance that we would see each other at least once a year. Al came over to try and change my mind about not going. I don't want to go without Leonard. That was a total Leonard event. I cannot imagine going without him...functioning while there without him...and coming home without him. I can't, I just can't. I am also private (again believe it or not, me with the blabbing blog) and don't want people to see me cry. Also, they are expecting a very different Laura than the one they would see. Everything...everything...everything...about my life was destroyed and/or horrifically changed.

Al left, and before I had his coffee cup rinsed, Leonard's cousin Russ and his wife came over (these are the ones who will soon be joining you in Texas, Tessie) with their children. These are the people we spent most of the last decade close to. Leonard and Russ grew up like brothers and, when Russ met Suzanne, it was even better. We spent so many wonderful times together. Russ and Suzanne had a New Year's eve party every year at their house where children were included. It grew every year and was a wonderful way to ring in the New Year. I loved watching my husband enjoy being surrounded by his family. I loved watching my husband play with the children he loved. And they loved him. We also went out to dinner with them every once in awhile. Tonight, the kids and I went to a Mongolian BBQ with them. And it kills me to hear "7" in answer to "how many...?" when it used to be and should still be "8". It is good to see them and yet I feel sad and jealous and sick all at the same time. I am going to miss them so much when they leave after Christmas. Thank God we aren't still in the horse and buggy era, or this would be truly awful.

I appreciate, again, the comments that you've all left. I am so grateful for the blog friendships I have made. Gina, I finally went to that blog you mentioned in your entry the other day (before taking you much needed post nanoblopomo rest) and it was a lot like a million other blogs out there... What is funny to me is that I have visited blogs who list that site in their blogroll, and a lot of them strive to copy that...or at least seem to. Maybe it's me. Sometimes it really seems like a blog is written off a template i.e. ***insert over descriptive comment here*** about one's ****child, husband, job, dog/cat, coworker**** here. But maybe that's what most blogging is about. I know I did/have done/do a lot of that. Anyway, Gina's entry got me thinking about it and I really enjoy visiting the blogs of others possibly more than spilling my guts here. Okay, I know I do. I just wanted to post something that wasn't all "man I hate this" for a change.

Anectdote from tonight: As we were standing in line, waiting for our Mongolian concoctions to be grilled, Suzanne turned to me and said,"Oh ick! That cook just walked over and blew his nose and then didn't wash his hands..." The cook happened to be the one who was grilling my food. ***insert overly descriptive wanting to barf comment here*** As anyone who knows me knows, I have a problem with all gross things relating to noses and the emptying of them. I have been known to throw up at the slightest mention of nostrilicular fluids (erp...gag). This did not bode well for me eating. I said to Suzanne,"Oh...I wish you hadn't told me that..." She then spent the next five minutes attempting to restore my appetite by assuring me that,"Hey! They only touch the handle of the spatulas..." and,"Well, I'm sure the temperature of the grill cooked any germs off..." Oh....vomit.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

"nostrilicular"

I have a new favorite word. :)

Laurie in Ca. said...

Hi Laura,

I am glad to read you had some good company today and got out for a while. Nostrilicular fluids, now that one cracked me up. Sounds more proper than snot or buggars. I've been thinking about you all weekend and hoping some good peace is finding its way to you. Please know you are loved!! (((HUGS)))

Laurie in Ca.

Kathy said...

Laura, I am thinking about you daily, just haven't been able to check in, as you know. Thank you so much for the sweet thoughts and comment. It does help doesn't it? Things are improving here, the terrible fear I carried is ebbing away. I have caught up with your week and I feel that you are most brave and strong, you didn't chose that you have to be be, but you are. and... then you throw the marvelous Nostricular out to us proving to all that Dear Laura is also delightful. Thank you. I pray you find peace.

Kathy said...

sheesh I can't even spell tonight, of course I know it's spelled nostrilicular!

Marshamlow said...

Oh man, I wouldn't have been able to eat my dinner either. I am going to have to go and get a dictionary to read your blog now. Nostrilicular wow.

Donna said...

Wonderful to hear you're getting out....hugs

Jess T said...

Vomit is right! I went to Red Lobster a while back and one of the cooks came out of the kitchen, in his apron, and went to the restroom. He was not in there long enough to take it off and put it back on. In fact, I doubt he washed his hands. BLEAH! I had to leave the rest of my dinner. I am a total nut about germs.

Ever find yourself spending too much money eating out? Look on the health dept website. For germ-fearing people like us, it works like a charm. :)

misguidedmommy said...

i would have spent the whole night thinking my noodles were actually long boogers....eww ewww i think i'm off noodles for a few days now

misguidedmommy said...

it took me three battles with comment verification to post my last comment

Shari said...

Ugh. Don't get me started. My barf-o-meter is really high at the moment. Think sick dog. At the other end. Enuf said.

Interesting word, nostrilicular...

I've had my fair share of battling word verifications, too. I just copy my comment and do the word verification and if it causes my comment to disappear, causing me to rewrite what I typed in, then I have the handy-dandy paste feature to do that for me.

Tess said...

I'm so sorry your friends are moving, even if we COULD use an influx of Awesome here in TX.

I agree, when you read a lot of blogs many of them DO start to seem the same (including MINE).

Rach said...

I've known it for some time, but I wanted to tell you, you are an amazing woman! Not only are you working through something no one should ever have to deal with, you can make me snort water out of my nose with new and exciting words like "nostrilicular"! Hee hee! :oP

I've been contemplating blogs recently. In the "oldy days" (as Han called 'em), people kept journals detailing their daily lives--boring though many of them were...:oP. I know that that is essentially what I'm doing with my blog. I figure ultimately I'm keeping the blog for me anyway, so although I like to know I have an audience (and they have really been the most supportive group), if no one read it, I guess it would still be okay. Does that even make sense??

Jess said...

Oh, ugh. The not washing hands deal really gets to me. I am always so surprised when I use a public restroom that so many women don't wash their hands! I am the one teetering, then using my pinky to turn on the faucet and saving my towel to open the door! Ella even shouts, "NO TOUCH!" upon entering a public toilet because she has heard me tell her so many times, lol. I keep hand sanitizer in every bag so I can get Ella's and my hands regularly when we are in public. I wouldn't say I am a germ phobic but there are a lot of unclean, gross people out there!

I agree with you completely about Dooce. I have only read her a couple times and while she is funny I'm not sure she is all that different from the much less popular blogs that I frequent. When a blog gets that huge of a following I guess it loses the intimacy of the medium for me and I might as well read a magazine. I like to form connections of sorts with folks I bump into online that I like and feel like I have something in common with and if your blog gets 500+ comments a day then that possibility is lost. Not saying those blogs don't have their place but I don't find them as appealing.

My blog is probably not very entertaining but I just write what I feel like, it is MY blog, right?!

Jeanette said...

I never could figure out what was so great about Dooce that she has such a huge following and it always bugs me when a blog doesn't have a blogroll. Its like a "I'm good enough for you to read me, but I can't be bothered with you" sort of thing. Anyway, that said, it must be nice to be able to support your family that way!

If you get a chance check out Pioneer Woman. Talk about a huge following. She gets hundreds of comments on her entries!

Thinking of you often. Hope your doing ok.

Gina said...

Laura, I'm glad I'm not the only one, then! And yes, I have heard really good things about Pioneer Woman, but my hands are so full at the moment that she is just going to have to wait until January.

And yes, nostrilicular is an instant classic!