Day Six

When I was in like eighth grade, my best friend and I had these little calendar books we called our "Day Books." Each day we would rate it like a letter grade, with plusses and minuses, or extra Fs or extra plusses attached to the A if it was a really exceptional day.

Today was an A+ kind of day. On all counts.

I seriously think I needed a day like today. It was like a Thelma and Louise day with friends, although without driving over a cliff and getting a hot Brad Pitt look-a-like sequestered into a hotel with us. (I never did see that movie, but these are the things I think were in it).

So, a few girlfriends and I had plans to drive out to this one place to see our other friend who works at a place that is like an antiquey place. These girlfriends are like the only ones in my neighborhood who know I am also Manic Mom. Not a lot of the neighbors know this about me. And I wonder what would they say. It's not like I'm hiding it, but I really kind of keep the writing part of my life pretty personal. Anyone who was bored enough to Google me would find my alter-ego. But anyway, we had made plans to spend the day together, doing girl stuff.

But first, the day started with me sleeping in and missing the strength training class I had somehow convinced myself last night that I was going to take at 8 a.m.

So what. I missed it. You'll see by reading this post that my attitude has done a complete 180 since this time yesterday. Which makes me wonder if maybe I really am manic or bi-polar. Because today was a really great day. Even though I missed working out, and didn't count points today.

WHAT!?!? Day Six and I've already screwed up the Cabo-Diet you ask? Nah, I didn't screw it up, but if you don't let yourself enjoy life, then it's gonna suck. And I didn't feel like being sucky today.

So, there's a elementary basketball game we all attend because, well, we all have kids on the team, and I really love watching Ajers play. I think it's his sport. I like watching him play baseball, can't stand watching him play football (because really, you can't see the kid, it's hard to keep track of where he is, and it's usually cold, muddy, rainy, snowy or all of the above at a football game. Maybe if it became an indoor sport I might like it better.

So, the boys win the game, and we girls suggest the dads take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese as we are saying our goodbyes and heading out for a day of lunching and shopping.

But first, we have to go get a Starbucks, because what's a girl's day out without a cute little latte to carry around on our expedition? Just not the same. So, we get our coffee, and I won't bore you with the details about how Homecoming Queen has no clue how to order a coffee, and she's sitting there chit-chatting with the neighbors who are all in there, and misses the call for her drink because she didn't know that going to Starbucks is like going to the Soup Nazi in that you have to keep moving and go to the pick-up section to get your coffee. So, when she's done chit-chatting, she's like "Where's my coffee?" Duh. Someone else took it. So, we wait for another one. In the meantime, Hot Five-O Babe, aka J.Lo gets a green tea that tastes weird so she exchanges it for an iced coffee, and I almost forget to pay for my latte, and when I realize I hadn't paid, I just tell the cashier girl to put it on Homecoming Queen's order.

That task complete, we all get into the car and J.Lo Hot Five-O Babe has her video camera in her purse because she brought it to the basketball game so we start taking videos, and Homecoming Queen hams it up, because, well, because she's a Homecoming Queen -- ha, just kidding but I know she'll read this and yell out loud to the computer screen: NO I WAS NOT! So, it's kind of a joke.

Then we get to PF Chang's and have a great lunch. It could have been a great lunch had it been at McDonald's because we were without kids (and hey, by the way, who out there knows you can order GRILLED CHEESE HAPPY MEALS at McD's for the kids?) See how much you learn? Found this out from my other good friend, who I will christen for the sake of this post, Queen Mickey D. Like that Patty? Hee hee.

So, then we go to PF Changs for lunch and up until I just found the website like two minutes ago and read the nutrition facts, I had thought the food we ate wasn't too bad. Oh no. The fat grams and calories in some of the dishes are worth about a week of points for some. Not good of me to check the info. But whatcha gonna do? So, we had Swezchwan (spelled wrong, I don't care) Scallops, Mongolian Beef, Orange Peel Chicken, and some other stuff, and it was all fab, and the iced tea is even incredible, and the atmosphere was great, and the company was splendid. No kids, no husbands, no pressure, no stress. Just friends. And I so needed that today.

Then, we did a little shopping at our friend's store, and then hit Pier One, and smelled all the candles, and oogled all the cutesy things and felt all the pillows, and laughed and were just happy to be out and be someone other than someone's mother.

Stop right there.

I LOOOOOVE being a mom. I love my kids. I adore them. They are great kids, they are sweet kids. In fact, when I arrived home, Diva had a beautiful picture for me and on the outside of the envelope, she had written: FOR MY DARLING CUPCAKE. So, I love them, but sometimes it's just refreshing, recharging to get out there and be a friend, a lady person, a diner, or a shopper just for a while. It's calming. It's good for the soul to remember who you once were before so many little cutie pies came to depend on me.

Does that make me rotten?

If so, then deciding at the last minute to head to the movies to see Freedom Writers with Homecoming Queen might just give me an award for rotten mom. Nah, I deserve it, and I certainly feel no guilt for my Mom's Day Off. And the movie was SOOOO GOOOOD! I didn't know much about it other than Hillary Swank and Swoony Patrick Dempsey are in it and it is about some inner-city kids who learn from their teacher. It's kind of like a Mr. Opus ... Mr. Opus's what... Hollandaise sauce? I forgot what that movie was called. Great movie, though, Freedom Writers, and now I want to read the book. Have you read it, seen it?

So, sleeping in, lattes, lunch, laughter, little bit of shopping, and then a movie, Oh, and a two-point glass of wine when we got home... pretty great day.

And my gal pals convinced me NOT to get a Target bathingsuit, but to spend the extra money to get a more supportive piece of swimming attire so that I will feel comfortable and relaxed on my vacation. They're right, they're absolutely right.

And, for the points factor today, not a biggie. It's the weekend, I'm more lenient on the weekend, I'm not beating myself up over anything, I know I went over, but I never count my exercise points, and you always get 35 extra points to play with throughout the week, but in keeping with consistency, here is what I ate today:

apple.
latte.
PF Changs.
My special concoction of Smart Pop popcorn I smuggle into the theater mixed with a little bit of regular movie popcorn.
One lemon WW snack cake.
Seriously, two-to-three ounces of Chardonnay (and that's only because that's the amount that was left in the bottle.)

** Addendum--somehow I completely forgot about the small cup of ice cream I also ate! **

How can one go from completely depressed and blah to the point of me not wanting to be around MYSELF yesterday, to the happy, cheery person I am right now. Manic that's how. Totally, utterly, and completely Manic.

Tell me some fun things you did today!

Peace Out! Peace Within. (oh cool, I just made that up.)
MM