Fully Alive…Ready to Smile

posted by erin on Mar 15

Just got back from a sweet little jaunt to the U.S. of A. We made a last minute trip down to Grand Forks, ND with our friends Bentley and Helen (and no kids). It was originally going to be just a round trip evening to pick up some materials for Bentley and a little fiesta at the local Mexican restaurant. We decided the day before to make it an overnighter (even though we had to be back by lunch time today).

We left after Jer and Helen got back from work at 4:45 p.m. and we arrived at our hotel at around 7. We checked in, checked it out and then headed for some Mexican madness. We enjoyed all you can eat tacos and salsa (“Chips are free, dinner extra”…love that slogan!), Chimichangas (which I was still enjoying this morning), fajitas, refried beans, guacamole, fried rice…mmm…Arriba!!

That taken care of, the number one thing on the agenda (besides the reason we were there) was hot tubbin’. Yeehaw! I even went out and bought myself a new bathing suit for the esteemed occasion. I did take a couple of self portrait Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition-esque type pictures, but me thinks we’ll keep them to ourselves! No, really! Not going to show you. Nope.

We hit the hot tub at 8:45 and soaked until they had to bodily remove us…okay, maybe not bodily, they did tell us quite nicely that it was closing time. I suggested a human chain and if that didn’t work, the lifeguards were only like 18 or something and I figured we could take them. I mean, why would you in your right mind close your hot tubs at 10:00?!? I’m just sayin’!

We changed and just hung out and talked (and watched C.S.I.: Miami) until about 12:45 when Jer dragged me kicking and screaming back to our room because he thought they might want to go to sleep. I’m not sure if Helen being asleep on the couch had anything to do with it…whatever. I was a little defiant and quite wired from the coke I drank at 11:00 and decided to go exploring. I wandered around the hotel, read some fabulously interesting brochures, looked at some pretty pictures, sat and stared at the ceiling in a nice big overstuffed chair in the lobby until I thought I might look somewhat pathetic or maybe a little insane, and headed back up to the room. Jer was asleep, so I decided to just call it a night. I don’t think I actually fell asleep until just before 2 a.m.

The big plan for this morning was for Jer and Bentley to be up at 6:30 to make it to Menard’s for opening time at 7:00 and load up so we could have breakfast and be back on the road by just after 9:00. I was awake at about 5:50 despite the fact that it was a childless morning, so I decided to go with them. Better than watching useless crap on cable for 2 hours. They were even nice enough to check when Target opened for me. I was rather hoping that it would be open 24 hours like Walmart, but alas, shopping was just not meant to be. So I wandered the aisles of Menard’s, fending off all the very nice staff members who so desperately wanted to help me (weird, cause the guys said there wasn’t anyone to be found when they needed someone…and in fact, they used me in their desperation to lure someone into helping them) : )

We finished up there (I say “we”, but I really mean “they”…hey, I don’t load insulation and plywood in 3″ heels, uh, uh!…hmm, those 3″ heels might have had something to do with all the friendly staff…) and headed back to the hotel to check-out. A nice breakfast at Denny’s and we were back on the road heading home. Sigh. I really, really wanted to stay, but it just wasn’t a possibility. We are going to do it again really soon, though and take the girls with. It’s such a nice weekend away and it’s so close.

And guess what? I stunned the customs officer at the border when he asked what I’d spent down there and I said, “nothing.” Bug-eyed customs man just stared at me…”Not even a shirt?” “Not even a shirt!” No shopping for this senorita!

And that, if you cared enough to read, was what I did in the last 24 hours. I lead an exciting life, huh?!?  This, dear friends, is why I blog : )