In order to make time for this, I have to run some errands before I pick up friend #1 to meet friend #2 and friend #3 (The Birthday Girl) at Bertuccis near the airport. I spend the morning madly getting stuff done, then hitting the store for lottery tickets, the post office to mail the bills off, and stopping by a clothing box to donate the one bag of stuff I missed the other day when clearing out closets.
Friend #1 and I decide to drive the back way, avoiding the highway except for the few miles it takes between her house and the alternate route. It's a lovely, scenic drive, and we arrive so early that I have time to introduce her to The Paper Store. She spends money; I cover my hands in smelly lotion from an open test bottle. Then, we're off to lunch.
The best part about these friends is that we are mutually generous. It's crazy, but we're always doing for or gifting or supporting each other. Somehow we know it's not just the birthday celebrant who will be dragging loot home. Friend #1 hands me a bottle of cabernet sauvignon. Friend #2 gives us all roses. I hand out lottery tickets (two of which are winners right there) plus hand more to the Birthday Girl. There is also a stuffed vulture and a bracelet involved in the exchanges.
By the time this blog posts, I will be back in school, longing for a do-over of my break because I will be feeling like it has passed too quickly (which is true), but what a great week. I get some work done, some chores done, some bills paid, do some snowshoeing, accomplish some crazy-savings while shopping, do some cooking and some baking, go bowling, have multiple meals out, and probably will need to have my facial features realigned from laughing so hard all week.
I guess if I could do it over the exact same way (maybe minus the school work), that would be even better than winning on those lottery tickets.
