Wingnut World

So this morning Andy says, "I was going to surprise you, but..." To which I said, "You know how hard I am to surprise and you were well on your way to succeeding. Don't blow it now by telling me!" "...but you're trying to make plans for Thursday night. I made reservations for us to have dinner on our Negative One Year Anniversary."

Think hard.

We're getting married July 15th 2006. I'm working Friday July 15th so he wants to celebrate on Thursday night.

HOW SWEET IS MY FIANCE?!!?!?!?

...when you're working 12 hour shifts! Since we last spoke I worked Wednesday night, Friday through Sunday day shift, and last night. I can't complain that I don't have time to spend all the money I'm making. Oh wait, somehow I still manage to do that pretty well.

My friend Heidi and I went shopping last week. My favorite four letter word was plastered all over the stores: SALE. Especially when that word is plastered across a poster of a supermodel in her underwear at Victoria's Secret. This Angel spent a pretty penny on underwear and lotion. And sandals. Summertime means we must buy a pair of sandals in every color and pattern. And these weren't dollar deals at Target.

I had a very interesting conversation with one of my patients at work about accents on Saturday. Just to give you an idea of what I go through each time I work, some patient makes small talk by asking me where I'm from. Of course, I reply that I'm from Tennessee. "But you don't have an accent." Always the same reply. Why is that the first thing that people should associate with someone from the South? I don't think "Yeah, you sound like you're from PA." Even though they do. I heard another Pennsylvanism-You'ns. Instead of the much more efficient y'all. And a perfect example of Pennsylvanese in action was my coworker's cell phone message "Hi, this is Tammy. Let a message and I'll get back to you." Let instead of leave. And I'm supposed to be the one who talks funny? I just heard Boot Scootin Boogie on the radio and it made me further long for a night out at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge on Broadway in Nashville with a longneck and a honkytonk band. Ahhh, but you can't go home...

Ya'll don't think I talk funny do ya?

For everyone in London. John, if you read this, I was thinking of you yesterday. Hope you and Marissa stay safe and sane. I can't imagine what it's like to feel so vulnerable and violated by terror.

Love and prayers today,
Jen

Everyone jump up and down! Jenni got a holiday off. A real live three day nationally recognized Holiday weekend OFF. I worked until Fri AM, then slept a bit, then Andy and I went to Baltimore for a fun 4th weekend to ourselves. What better way to celebrate the independence of America than in a cool Northeastern port city going to baseball games?

Friday night we ate at a restaurant called City Lights in the Inner Harbor and stuffed ourselves silly on crabcakes. I love crabcakes. I could eat them every night. And on the trip I swore I would.

Saturday we went to the Orioles vs Indians game at Camden yards. Andy swears he had the best tuna melt of his life at the sandwich shop near the stadium. I gave my Miguel Tejada bobblehead to a woman from Virginia whose birthday it was, and she in turn bought me a beer. Andy taught me how to score the game. We ate peanuts, got sunburn, and the home team won. Then that night we went to Fell's Point via water taxi and ate Bertha's Mussels. Remember when I said I'd eat nothing but crabcakes? I lied, the mussels were way fun and Andy's scallops were divine. Then we had several microbrews at another bar and enjoyed live entertainment (which for Brentwoodians, consisted of a very Leonard twins-like pair of twentysomethings playing Matchbox 20 and Journey covers). Taxi ride back to the swanky downtown hotel at 2am and ate the free gourmet chocolates. Watched the end of A Few Good Men, again, very Americana.

Sunday morning was hazy, not as hot. We decided to take in the National Aquarium down at the Inner Harbor. Andy and I blended right in with all the rugrats pressing noses up against the glass ("look, Nemo!" "where's the electric eel again?" "how many poison dart frogs do you see?") My favorite was the JAWS moment in the shark room. When I walked up to look in the tank, a sand tiger shark with a mouth full of snaggly sharp teeth bared swam right up face first to the glass at eye level. It was really creepy. Andy liked the turtles. And we both wish that sting rays could make good pets. We're such nerds.

Sunday the Indians won big, we ate dollar dogs, saw some homers, and drove back to State College listening to Live 8 on the XM radio in the truck. The London line up included Sting, the Who, Paul McCartney, and the first and only Pink Floyd reunion performance in decades. IT WAS AWESOME. I may get ill with Andy's time warp of classic rock every now and again, but I must admit that Pink Floyd and the Who ROCKED. Paul McCartney is always good as well.

Monday night we barbecued in State College and watched the fireworks from the roof of Deike Building on PSU's campus. AHHHH. Jenni got to drink some beers and chill with friends on a HOLIDAY. Good Amerian summer fun all around.

Now I'm back in the grind. Working and rotating this week, yuck. Time to go to sleep for a few hours. How was your holiday weekend?