Back with a blue vengeance

blue typewriter, originally uploaded by roxydynamite.

Sorry I was incommunicado there for a wee bit. Everything was going at such a breakneck speed there for a while. Once the crush passed, I took a full weekend to relax. Evidently, relaxing is like riding a bike. You do remember how to do it no matter how long it's been since you last tried.

The flurry of activity around here was preparing the house for a visit by Sweets' parents and our engagement party. We were pretty much cleaning and prepping until moments before they arrived. Hopefully, they couldn't tell that when they walked into the guest suite. The ceiling fan cooled the air, fresh flowers greeted them from the bureau, new linens invited them to rest for a while. The room came out so nice, I'm tempted to move in there. (Better book a visit soon before I get it all messy.)

We had a really nice visit with the parents. Sweets took them on a tour of the Jersey Shore. Stops were made at some of our favorite restuarants: Barnacle Bill's in Rumson, Nagles in Ocean Grove, Cold Creme in Belmar for gelato, Strollo's for Italian ices. We all went into New York City one day. We took a driving tour up Central Park West and down 5th Ave. I pointed out the sights as we went along. "On your left the Dakota Building where John Lennon was shot, on your right the New York Public Library and Rockefeller Center, to the left Trump Towers." We parked near the Empire State Building so Sweet's dad could take a look at it. Then we introduced them to Korean cuisine for lunch in Little Korea. Next their first ride on a subway down to Union Square. We shopped around. I wanted his Mom to see one of my favorite stores, ABC Carpet and Home. Then we popped into City Bakery for cocoa, coffee and cookies.

I hope we were able to show them what our life here is all about and that we are lovingly preparing for our future together. It must be hard when a child moves far away. Hopefully, they'll be able to imagine what Sweets is up to better now that they got to see his favorite haunts and our home. We go back to Indiana to visit them for Thanksgiving.

The engagement party went swell. It was about 90 degrees out but other than that everyone enjoyed themselves. It was so nice for the families to meet now before the wedding next year. And especially nice to see some of my old, dear and farflung friends' faces. My mother was right about the cake. It was delish. Here's a photo of us cutting it.

After a week of hostessing, I was pooped. A rainy weekend was the perfect excuse to do a whole lot of not much. Saturday morning we picked up the dogs from the kennel. We all camped out on the couch. The dogs napped. We read and watched tv. Went out for ice cream and the late showing of Nacho Libre. Yesterday we shopped for thank you cards and then drove around the oceanfront looking for wedding locations. Making stops to frolic on the beach, take a somewhat outlaw tour of the Convention Hall on Asbury Park and eat more ice cream. Finished off the night with Woody Allen's Matchpoint on dvd.

Free time leads to craft time. I finally had the time to experiment with freezer stencils. It's so easy to do and they come out terrific. I'm working on a project for Cyndemouse's birthday and my Coloriffic swap partner. Then i might go bonkers and stencil everything I own.