Ahhhh, the weekend

I can't remember when I have welcomed a weekend quite as I did this one. After a hectic couple of weeks with work, kitchen remodeling, yardwork and wedding planning, I needed a day or two off. And that's exactly what I did.

• On Friday I caught up on some errands that had gone neglected, got a hair cut and colored (only because I like my hair colored, not because there is any GRAY hair!!!) and had lunch with Tammy, a friend I haven't seen in a couple of months. We laughed and caught each other up on our twenty something year old daughters and it just felt good. I came home and enjoyed some of my favorite therapy: dirt therapy. I recommend it. There is just something therapeutic in getting out in the yard and getting filthy dirty and sweaty and not thinking about a thing, while thinking about everything.

• Saturday morning I got up early and drove to Little Rock to drop off "Baby" (my Volkswagon EOS) to the dealership so that they will hopefully find the rattle in her rear. I love how that sounded! She has visited the local dealership here four times and they keep thinking they have found it and then it rattles before I am off of their lot each time. ARGH!! It was pretty fun to drive all the way with the top down, music blaring singing out loud. I usually don't keep the top down on the interstate going that fast, but the day was nice and I was by myself and it just felt good. Usually if Steve is with me he doesn't like that top down going very fast because it will mess up his hair. Okay, folks....I will let one of you explain that to him. I have tried and he says that it really does. I know you are thinking what I'm thinking. Anyway, my theory is that there is no way anyone can ride in a convertible on a pretty day with the music going and stay in a bad mood....there just isn't any way. You always feel better after it.
  Well, to keep you going with this story...they promised to give me a rental car for free to bring back to Fort Smith while I leave my car there, since I've been having so much trouble. They took me to Enterprise and we said our goodbyes. Then the folks at Enterprise informed me that they only had one vehicle left....a big ole pickup truck in cherry red!!! I had just left my cute convertible that gets 36 mpg for a gas guzzling truck!!! No way!! But, alas, it is sitting in my driveway now. I could almost see the gas gauge go down as I came down the interstate. So much for a free deal.

• On Saturday night, Greg's longtime friend, Brian Grizzle and his parents invited us to their new home out in Fianna Hills. We had no idea it was such a huge house until we arrived. It used to belong to the Hadley's that own the McDonalds franchises here. It is 5000 sq ft. and has about 7 bedrooms. The pool is completely secluded and they have so much privacy in their backyard that you forget you are in town! Rick and Sherrie say they used to walk down that street when they had first gotten married and dreamed they could someday live on that street and now here they are. She said that they just kept praying about it and now here it is. I looked at Steve and said "Well one of us just isn't praying enough!" We all laughed. Greg and Brian have been friends since they were in 3rd grade and Greg will be a groomsman in Brian's wedding this Dec. 19th. (can these boys really be starting to get married???)

• Today has been more dirt therapy to get prepared for the week ahead while Steve has worked on the kitchen/dining remodel. I convinced him to take a couple of days off this week to work on it since he has days he can use.
  
• And then suddenly the weekend is drawing to a close again. One thing I have learned, at least for a short time, is that I really need to take my Fridays like I had in my original retirement plan that I laid out for myself. Even if I know I could work and make extra money....it's not any good if I am tired and worn out mentally as well as physically. When we all make time for some fun and relaxing in our lives then we are better prepared to face our Mondays. Heaven knows there are enough Mondays in our lives. Some weeks have more than others. And it is always something....