Memories of a lovely weekend

I love a good weekend.

Right now, I am especially reveling in having had a good weekend, because I feel wretched.

It was a weekend where, yet again, Gary returned from a business trip. So, Friday night we did our favorite Friday night thing - went to Shogun for sushi and the Friday-night jazz and '70s cover band (I always like a little Steely Dan with my mercury-laden tuna). And a cosmo (martini for Gary).

But even better - we had Sylvia with us. It's often just us, but we got to take Sylvia with us - Alison was babysitting and Maddie was at a party. So we got to enjoy some time with our youngest duaghter.

Saturday I got Gary to go to Best Buy with me to look at washers and dryers. I have a desire for a new washing machine. Partly because I loved my front-loader when we lived in Europe; partly because my 17-year-old washer has a tendency to leak. Partly because I love to have new things.

We didn't buy. But we did see some options. Including one washer and dryer, a lovely little stainless steel ensemble, that, together, runs about $5000.

Somehow, that seems like a lot of money for washing machine. Even though that includes the dryer. I'll be looking to spend slightly less when the time comes.

Saturday night, I planned a movie night with the entire family. My movie of choice was Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day. Alison then got a call to babysit; Sylvia got invited to her friend's house (much as she does every weekend - either Isabelle sleeps here or Sylvia is there). But we still had Maddie; she invited a friend, so the four of us went to dinner (Cajun - one of my favorites) and the to the movies (Miss Pettigrew for us, some other movie for the tween set).

I loved Miss Pettigrew. Not the greatest movie I've ever seen, but I loved it. And I loved it for these reasons (though not necessarily in this order): Amy Adams. Frances McDormand. London. 1930s. Cole Porter and George Gershwin tunes. Fashions of the '30s. Art Deco. Snappy dialogue. And a devastatingly handsome actor whom I could not place for the entire movie - Lee Pace, he of Pushing Daisies. He was drop-dead gorgeous in this film.

Oh - and a happy ending. Which was just what I needed.

Now flashing forward to the present: Gary is gone (again - apparently he came home to drop off his dirty clothes and re-pack his suitcase - but he comes home tonight), and I had a little medical procedure done yesterday. I feel better today, though I am in some discomfort. But the pain pills made me sick - to be fair, they have that warning on them, but I thought it might be better than the pain yesterday. Now I'm not so sure - they made me really sick. But my girls - my wonderful, fantastic girls - took excellent care of me, making me soup, getting me just what I needed to stay as comfortable as possible.

So today I am taking it easy. And reveling in the memories of what was, as well as plans for what will be - vacation, next week. I hope I am feeling better - I really had no idea of what kind of recovery I was in for. Hoping for speedy healing ... and a speedy return to the other parent of my children. That would help, too.