Coming Home

All is right with the world-- Charles was released from the hospital yesterday, Deb is coming home to me on Monday. What a crazy week it's been.

It all makes me so happy that I'm going to ignore the fact that Hyde pooped in the house yesterday.

Bad Dog!

Why do dogs look so frickin' cute when they're all guilty about doing something bad?

Hyde has been missing Deb something fierce. He's moping about the house, staring at the door and generally being just a sad sack of shit because she's gone.

I decided to give him some extra attention yesterday, to make up for Deb's absence. I had plans to catch the matinee of A Streetcar Named Desire, but somehow I just couldn't muster getting dressed and going into work if I didn't have to. (I'll see it when we close, I promise!) So I stayed around the house, tidied up a bit, took Hyde on a bunch of walks and played his favorite game, find the kibble under the cup.

Then we snuggled on the couch together while I read a book that Laura lent me and he blissfully snoozed for a couple of hours. Sounds heavenly, right? I got up to take a shower, leaving him still asleep on the couch.

When I got out of the shower I found him in his bed, surrounded by a completely ripped up book. He had that cute guilty look on his face, but I was not amused. I was totally into that book! And it wasn't even mine-- now I have to buy Laura a new book! Not to mention the fact that he'd chewed up the end of the book-- he could have at least had the courtesy to eat the part I'd already read!

Argh, I was fuming. I ignored his pleas for attention for an hour or so, and that seemed to get the message across: he was a VERY BAD BOY. He curled up in a sad little ball and followed me around with those puppy dog eyes until I decided it was enough and gave him a little love.

Not too much, though.

God, I can't wait for Deb to come back.

Meanwhile, and perhaps because of the stress of Deb being gone, his poo is all kinds of bad again. The vet suggested trying a high-fiber prescription food as opposed to the hyper allergenic prescription food he's on now. Plus a parasite medicine. If this doesn't work, we may have to get an expensive biopsy to determine whether or not he has IBS and colitis. We're keeping our fingers crossed. It's just too much fun to be dealing with this by myself, I can tell you that...

I've never met a dog who was so much trouble and yet at the same time so wonderful. Being a doggie parent is a weird and wonderful thing.

On a Roll

A casserole, that is. OMG, I LOVE PUNS!

I spent today being blissfully domestic-- I walked the dog, I tidied the house and most importantly, I cooked.

In light of my recent obsession with casseroles (with the cookbook Casserole Crazy to be specific) and my recent awesome birthday gift from Weas, I went a little hog-wild today.

And naturally, I documented the whole thing. God, I'm weird.

I made the Broccoli Cheese and Rice in my gorgeous new casserole stoneware from Portugal, the aformentioned birthday present. Gorgeous, right? And DELICIOUS!


I also made Potato and Cauliflower Gratin, on the right.

Yay for a fully stocked fridge!

Boo to all the dishes casserole cooking creates!

Images of 30

I had an amazing, transformative birthday. It wasn't at all what I had planned, but somehow it was just perfect.


It started with the amazing news that Chuck was out of the woods and slowly improving. He's still on the ventilator, but he really turned the corner and is making progress every day. Deb is flying back to Philadelphia on Monday.

We've been keeping each other updated with pictures, and this one has to be my favorite:



It was a birthday of cupcakes-- Melissa surprised me with these beauties on Sunday night before my party, and Alison baked me some delicious chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting on Monday night.


And my party on Sunday night was super-fun: Sugar Mom's was practically deserted, and we rocked the joint with pool games, corn dogs and whiskey shots.


Yesterday was my actual birthday. I didn't have any real plans, so I decided to take myself out. I had a lovely lunch by myself at Beau Monde and then spontaneously decided to go ahead and do this:
So although of course our best laid plans didn't exactly pan out, I am extremely grateful to have had an absolutely wonderful birthday. My friends, both here in Philly and long distance, blessed me with gifts and phone calls and lots of love. My family blessed me in an unexpected and somehow very adult way.

And my baby is safe and sound, taking care of her family and sending me lots of love from Texas.

30 has already been such a confidence booster for me. I'm looking forward to the rest of the decade.

Update

Early this morning I put my baby on a plane to San Antonio. Her brother is still on the ventilator, not "out of the woods" yet.

I'm so glad that things fell into place so quickly-- Alison jumped right into Deb's track on Streetcar and I'm holding down the homestead in her absence. She needs to be with her family right now.

All of my thoughts are with Chuck, his new daughter Janessa, Deb's sister Sheree and of course Deb herself.

Before leaving, Deb insisted that I not cancel my birthday plans. So I will be at Sugar Mom's tonight, rocking my new slutty dress, and missing my baby something fierce. Hope to see you there.

Get well soon, Charles.

Pray

Deb's little brother is in the ICU now. He had a severe asthma attack yesterday and is now on a ventilator.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Fun with Obamicon

I've been having a little too much fun with Obamicon:



I think this one is my favorite so far:



Today was absolutely lovely-- 52 degrees! Deb and I took Hyde out for a long walk and enjoyed this brief respite from winter. Very brief-- temperatures are supposed to plunge again tomorrow.

It was pretty awesome to roll into work around 6pm too. No rehearsal, no meetings, just a very short (only 90 minutes!) show tonight. I'll be home by 9:30pm.

Warm weather, short show... I could get used to this!

Back to reality soon.