the 3rd Muskateer resurfaces

Wow, talk about a blast from the past. Tina, Steve and I were the 3 Muskateers. He went off to California and got married and had kids. He calls from time to time. I think he called a year and a half ago. He's still in my cell phone. When my cell rang tonight and it said 'Steve' I was shocked. My birthday is within a week and I wondered if that was why.
What memories. We have so many over 19 or so years. Half my life.
I thought I was going to get to avoid the soul searching and self loathing that comes with every birthday. Who am I? Where am I going? Is this really it?
I hung up the phone and tears came to my eyes and I wondered why. I didn't really know what to feel. When we talked or said good bye in person, we all always said 'love you' and the reply was 'love ya too'. Tonight he said it. And like it was yesterday, the response rolled off my tongue.
I find it hard to believe that as he moved on in life, I'm still in the cell phone. He was stuck in traffic. I don't care why he called, I'm just glad he did. What I wouldn't give to turn back the clock.

busy

I feel like one of Santa's elves...busy, busy. I have 4 of the 11 done and mailed one back to South Carolina. I have stayed on a fast pace that I set for myself...I didn't think I could do it, but have so far. My body feels it. My lower back and hips hurt, I could use a massage. I will be having breakfast with my grandmother and uncle in a about a half hour, then have to go to the quilt store and drop off a quilt and back home to work. I need to do 2 today and think I will because I have some smaller ones left.
My Fridays off in October are over; that was nice a 4 day work week! I have many projects of my own to do: orders and gifts. I remembered last night when I was laying in bed that I had planned on going Christmas shopping yesterday...oops. Maybe next weekend. Next weekend is my birthday and I haven't freaked out about it yet.

the good and the bad

The good news is that the quilting business is booming again; I have 11 to do. The bad news is that I am so tired when I get home from work I don't want to do them!

an impromptu trip

Tina, Catherine and I went on an impromptu trip to Lancaster this weekend. I sent a link of the Whoopie Pie Festival to Tina the week before. Well about Wednesday she asked me what I was doing this weekend and said she thought we ought to go to it. When I asked Catherine what she was doing and what we had planned, she said she had to see that! I can't go to Lancaster without going to a quilt store so of course we had to work that into our plans.
On our way down we beeped at the Nanticoke exit to a certain someone and waved. We also did this on the way back.
Tina got up her nerve and registered for the whoopie pie eating contest. There were about 60 people signed up. You had 3 minutes to eat as many as you could. There were kids and adults and they called them up 3 at a time. An adult man who was small, ate 16, which was very exciting. Then along came a guy, small, probably in his 20s. He had 3 cups of water. He dipped them in and ate 37!! That was it for Tina. She knew she couldn't ever do anything close, so she didn't go when her name was called. I don't think she could have done 10! But it was great to see, and we laughed all weekend about the stupidest little things. And we got fabric!

the wedding

Yesterday we went to Maria's wedding. It was beautiful and she looked absolutely gorgeous. Tina and I are criers, so by the end of the ceremony I had no makeup left on my face! I did lots of thinking last night, a lot about the past. The bride had 3 ex-boyfriends there; she sat them at the same table! One played the guitar during the ceremony. Another's son was a junior groomsman. I saw old acquitances from our bar hopping days. Actually from the drag shows. Some people never change. A slow song came on and Jimmy asked Tina or I to dance and the other would get the next dance. I danced. It's been years since I saw him so I asked him if he was still doing drag. That got him talking and he went on and on about himself, but that's ok, it took away the awkwardness. Maria and Dave haven't been together long, probably 6 months and here they are married. Her mom has cancer and isn't doing well. Maria wanted her mother at her wedding. They look so happy. Every couple does on their wedding day I suppose. I cried all night! I cried when her sister did the wedding toast, when she danced with her father,then mother-who is in a wheelchair because she lost her leg, every time I looked at her-looking beautiful and happy. Tina asked me what got you going this time? One time I told her the alcohol. Damn sappy drunk. I'm a people watcher though. I tend to catch things behind the scene. I watched Tony (an ex- and my favorite) hug her and tell her he loved her. I watched him cry after. I watched her mother watch her and her father dance, with tears in her eyes. I took a picture of her freshening up her makeup. Sometimes it's hard to watch without envy.