One Long, Catch-Up Post

[earlgreytea68]

I haven't written about my life in a while, mostly because I've been so busy lately. Aside from my terrible job that thinks I'm supposed to work all the time, I am way too popular and far too in-demand for social occasions.

Plus, I was traveling a lot, because I'm not good at planning my vacations and end up going away all at the same time every year. So I was in Florida for spring training with bouncy_castle79 and then bouncy_castle79 came to Boston to visit me, and then it was back to Florida for Easter with the family. This Easter trip involved an excursion through a neighborhood thoroughly infested with...peacocks.



Then, last weekend Kristin came to visit, so she could see in person that the Boston episode of "Criminal Minds" was definitely not filmed in Boston. I picked her up at South Station, and we went immediately to Wagamama for noodles, and then we went to

arctacuda's and bscotchpuma's Peeptini party. There may have been an incident with a cork exploding out of a champagne bottle, I will neither confirm nor deny this, but I will confirm that there was definitely a great deal of Wii playing. Bscotchpuma and I beat World of Goo, without being quite prepared for it, and so we were a bit depressed over reaching the end.

I drove Kristin back to my place, and we crashed, and spent a little time in the morning lounging around until I picked up arctacuda and drove us to Harvard Square. We took the Brem Tyler Tour of Harvard Square, ambling through the Law School and Harvard Yard, to lunch at Border Cafe and tea at Tealuxe. We kind of wandered along the Square, chatting and ducking in and out of stores, before heading back to my house for many, many hours of DW. I made us my specialty no-bake cookies, warned arctacuda and Kristin that I was having one of my no-appetite days so they needed to tell me when they got hungry, and then we settled down for as much sexy as we could handle. Which turned out to be quite a lot. It was 10 p.m. before they said they were hungry, and by then the silly Chinese place near my house had closed. We ordered Chinese food off Dining In, and kept watching DT. About 45 minutes after placing the order, I receive a call from Dining In telling me the Chinese restaurant I ordered from is closed. Nice of them to be timely about letting me know, wouldn't you agree? We found the one Chinese restaurant still open, ordered food from it (for $20 more) and then waited. Lots of time went by. It had to be midnight before we finally got the food. And, when it came, it was TERRIBLE. My lo mein was not lo mein, the chicken was dark meat instead of white, there were no crunchy things to go with the wonton soup, no sauce for the scallion pancakes, and no fortune cookies! MAJOR FAIL. But we picked at it, and kept watching sexy, and finally went to bed around 5 a.m.

I woke the next morning STARVING, which I blamed entirely on the terrible Chinese food experience, and we went to Newbury Street for brunch. We then walked down to Boston Public Garden, and sat on a bench and discussed how I was going to marry a goose because he was standing on one leg (Kristin and arctacuda make *no* sense). We then went to arctacuda's apartment, and wasted yet more time playing Wii, and by the time we were ready to eat again, it was once again after 9 p.m. and we were almost out of options, so we just went to the pub near my house, while I apologized profusely to Kristin for the terrible job I was doing taking her out in Boston. Then it was back to my place, for my DW--S1 this time--and some "Blackpool." We finally dragged ourselves to bed around 3 a.m.

Last Monday was a holiday in Boston, in honor of the anniversary of Paul Revere's ride, and the Boston Marathon is run, directly down my street. So I made sure we left early to give us plenty of time to get to South Station so Kristin could make her train. Coming home, I was just in time to watch the leaders pass by.

I'm not sure what I spent the balance of the day doing, but it was probably dozing.

After a thoroughly exhausting week at work, arctacuda and I went to the Red Sox - Yankees game last night. It was arctacuda's first live baseball game, and she started right at the top. She has nowhere to go but down. I mean, Fenway is already the best place to watch a game, but a Red Sox - Yankee game has an extra-special energy, and a Red Sox - Yankee game won by the Red Sox in extra innings is the creme de la creme.

Today was a thoroughly gorgeous day, in the 80s, with bright sun. I threw open all the windows and relished the summery feeling. I met my friend Colleen for a matinee of the ballet--"Sleeping Beauty"--and then her husband and baby joined us, and we had tapas outside, while the sun set and we sipped wine and enjoyed excellent food in a perfect evening. For dessert, I had dark chocolate truffles sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt, and you know what? They were delicious, and I loved them. This is why I always trust a good restaurant--they so very seldom lead me wrong.

I have to work tomorrow, so I have decided on a low-key night tonight. It's been way too long since I had one of those. I've been working on my Support Stacie fics. ramblinsuze, as the winner, got the first thing to come out of the auction, and I'm also writing her winning fic first. I feel like she deserves that. Once that's out of the way, I'll work on everybody else's.

 

Comments

[fishface44.livejournal.com]

Sounds like fun! And hooray for being so popular!;)

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

lol - I don't think I really am popular, I think I'm just a Planner of Fun Events.

[aibhinn.livejournal.com]

I have to applaud your choice of baseball games to take her to. My two favorite baseball teams are the Mariners and whoever's playing the Yankees. :D

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

I completely lucked into those tickets, they're impossible to get around here.

[yanks-02.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of how great of a time you must have had last night. bastard

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Heh. It really was fabulous.

[wojelah.livejournal.com]

"Last Monday was a holiday in Boston, in honor of the anniversary of Paul Revere's ride"

Really? That's awesome.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Yup. It's called Patriots' Day, and it's awesome. The Marathon is run, and they re-enact the ride and the battles in Lexington and Concord.

[fishface44.livejournal.com]

Me again. The "neighborhood thoroughly infested with...peacocks." is pretty enchanting. I have a *peacocks where one would usually see pigeons* mental picture of this; and I am enjoying it immensely!

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

It was exactly like that! It was so, so weird!

[frakup.livejournal.com]

The idea of Patriots Day is still amusing to me. One of my best friends is from Boston and when she moved out here she was all indignant about it.

And go Red Sox! I got to tick Fenway off the list a couple years ago when I was out there for a conference. Being born a Cubs fan, I can't count it as the best park ever, but it's up there and I'm really glad I got to go.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

I do love Patriots Day, and I do like what it's remembering. But, then again, I first moved to Boston because my favorite book was "Johnny Tremaine," so I've always been to partial to the Revolution.

I keep meaning to go to Wrigley, but have been very lazy about it.

[qtrhorserider.livejournal.com]

I've always thought the sound of the bat connecting with the ball was very satisfying. It's one of my favorite sounds.

I've only been to Boston once and I was pregnant with my first baby, which would make it 1980. It was for the World Science Fiction convention. I was very out of it that week so I remember very little of the trip.

Fenway park sounds grand though. I've been to Wrigley Field and old Comisky Park in Chicago. Great ballparks. My daughter lives in Wrigleyville and gets to see a lot of traffic when the Cubby's play. Omaha only has a farm team and the College World Series. Rosenblatt is ok, but it's nothing like going to a game at Wrigley.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

It is a *fantastic* sound, and one that is so intertwined with happy summers to me.

I hear that Wrigley is the only major league field that holds a candle to Fenway, and it is a beautiful old park, a way they don't make them anymore. I live right near the field, so I get a lot of Red Sox traffic, too, and I *love* it. Love to see dads taking their kids to their first games. It always makes me think of my grandfather, who took me to my first game when I was a girl and who I miss at baseball season the most.

And Boston's such a fabulous place! You should come visit again!

[auntiesuze.livejournal.com]

I've yet to see a game at Fenway. Very, very sad. :(

I love the idea of the Brem Tyler tour! The one place I really want to see is Tealuxe. And Harvard Square is just a fun place to hang out.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Oh, Fenway is so, so, so fabulous. I feel I am the luckiest sports fan in the world to have it as my home field. It's tremendously uncomfortable, and that's what makes it charming.

Someday, I'll have to post a map of the Brem Tyler Tour. Tealuxe is just the most phenomenal place, as is Harvard Square, possibly my favorite area of Boston.

[jellybean728.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a fun time! One of my work colleagues ran the Boston Marathon, but since we're from RI we had to work :( I always thought it was supremely unfair that my ex-husband got an extra day off work.

I've never been to Fenway, since I'm only a casual baseball fan and I can't imagine spending the money. But I try to go to at least one PawSox game every summer.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

I know, I used to really resent Massachusetts today. BUT don't you get V.J. Day or Governor's Bay Day or whatever it's called now?

Yes, Fenway is phenomenally expensive, which was why I couldn't believe I lucked into the tickets or face value. But, if you're going to see a baseball game, it's the only place to do it. Although I love McCoy as well.

[jellybean728.livejournal.com]

I think the banks may still close on VJ Day (Um, that might be called Victory Day now) but most business don't close anymore.

If I were a true fan, I think the cost for Fenway wouldn't be such an issue. But I'm happy to watch the PawSox play.

[(Anonymous)]

It was SUCH a great visit! You didn't do a bad job of taking me out in Boston! We went to awesome places. I am still craving that tea I had at Tealuxe. Something with roses that I'm sure I can't find around here. Alas.

And it's not "Criminal Minds'" fault that Boston as teeny alleys! Also, I probably brought on the bad Chinese food luck what with my poor choices in tv episodes! Sorry! ;D

~Kristin

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Victorian Rose.

WHATEVER for your choice in episodes. WHATEVER.

[catyuy.livejournal.com]

I've heard of the Peacock infestation on the local news.
Maybe the peacocks are really aliens.
So Brem and family should come by and check on that *nods*

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

You know...that's an excellent point...

[chicklet73.livejournal.com]

So much goodness - and so much Sexy - in this post!

I cannot wait to spend a night watching various iterations of DT being awesome until 5am. I should also send you some emergency food rations in case you are thwarted by bad Chinese again. *nods*

Yay for the picture of Ten and friend at Fenway! I am so glad you got to go and enjoy such a fabulous evening out.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Yay! I can't wait, either! And don't worry, we've learned our lesson--NO MORE CHINESE FOOD. I actually just got a menu for a place that delivers until 2 a.m., so I am keeping that!