Surprise!

I love surprises.  Well, the good ones.  And this one came at the perfect time.  I had been feeling kind of down and forgotten during my vacation.  Mostly because an old friend of mine was in town but couldn't make the time to see me. That kind of thing always hurts, but it couldn't be helped.  But then a surprise...

The first surprise this holiday weekend, was finally getting to see Ginger Snap and Sammy Bo Baggins on Friday night.  Second Daughter and I took them for ice cream and I finally got to catch up on Ginger Snap's summer away.  My surprise was that he was kind of bored waiting around for his dad to make some time to see him. (his reason for being there, but anyway)  He decided he would allow himself to start watching Doctor Who.  All by himself from my example as his nanny and grandma.  I'm glad he took something of me with him, and if it was the summer of Doctor Who, well I can think of a lot worse things a young boy could do with a summer being watched by his grandparents.

The second surprise was I finished Act One of the play I'm writing.  Well, I should say the first draft of it.  But it's got a life of it's own now and is half way done.  So after I sent it off to The Poet In My Heart to get her ok, I took myself out to a surprise brunch.  Just on the spur of the moment.  And it was nice.  Feeling accomplished I went back home and had my pretty typical vacation day.  Gaming.  Writing.  Watching Dr. Who.  Just hanging out with myself and sometimes catching an episode with Mr. Practical long distance. Its been a very quiet vacation.

The third surprise was out of the blue, Benny Sweat of the Sweat Boys was in town on Sweat Boys secret business, and last night as I was finishing watching the tear jerking season two ending of Dr. Who, (Doomsday...poor Rose and the Doctor)  he texted me and wanted to meet me for a drink.  He had told me he was going to be in town and if he had time he would look me up.  Right.  We all know how that usually works.  Like all other friends I've had visit my city in the last year for comic con or concerts or vacations, and never call or show up for that drink.  But not Benny Sweat.  He called, and I convinced him to come to me and see my favorite English Pub.  It's not a showy bar, nor is it loud.  And it was perfect, he said it was just what he needed after all the exhausting but exciting business trip.  And it was great to catch up to him with The Blues Brothers and Animal House playing in the background to the regulars on the television.  The music last night was the sound tracks for these shows instead of their normal jazz and I was glad he enjoyed himself at my favorite bar.  Catching up with Benny about our shared good news and successes was just what The Doctor ordered for me; and while my weekly conversation with Mr. Hopeful cheered me up and started to set my mind straight from its negative narration, by reminding me how much I am missed and not forgotten; catching up in the flesh with an old friend was healing on the level I needed.  And this old friend is kind of a perfect one to see my new place first and my favorite bar.  Because he crosses over into many of my little clicks of friends.  He leaves town tomorrow, and I know I wont see him again this visit, but I hope to see him and his wife the next time my city calls.

Cheers