packed saturday

too much to do, too much to eat.

7:30 AM
oil change. the assistant manager serviced my car. honestly told me everything was in good shape, transmission was in good shape, all my fluids were good, and not to let anyone tell me otherwise. after wincing at my dirty air and cabin filters, i firmly told him my husband would take care of it. a simple and sincere "OK, great!" from him. a mini lesson on how to turn my maintenance dash light off. so nice to be treated like this rather than pressured into crap i don' need, as usual. yay for employees not on commission!

random errands on the way home, including a stop at staples (bing! that was easy). their new M by staples line of goods is cute, although not quite as cute as the goods you'll find at the smaller stationers and paperies that they're obviously trying to emulate. i took a bunch of photos, but they're really bad and really blurry because an employee was staring at me strangely. don't believe me?

told ya.

10:00 AM
leave home for brunch at alcove cafe with the joy luck club. charming place, great company + conversation, and you can't beat eating outside in the shade on a beautiful summer day. pretty pictures of the delicious food here. loved that they had fresh flowers inside. it was buzzing and busy, and everyone looked so much like happy summer. maybe i was just projecting my own feelings on the crowd.
next time, i'll have to come when the cheese shop is open.

+/- 12:15 PM
bow out of brunch early (i was late, too...loser). go back home to get the bear, then go out to ex-househusband's parents' house to begin my freelance project for them. i have issues (all my own, not my clients') with freelance projects, but i'll have to elaborate on that at a later time. ex-househusband's parents are sweet and funny, and e11even was hanging out there to keep the bear company while i did my thing. we were there almost 3 hours as i was moving sloooow while measuring the whole dang house.

5:00 PM
head out to my mom's house to welcome baby brother home the way we do--with korean bbq. deep fried dumplings + pigs in a blanket for apps (random combo, i know...you tell that to my mom). samgyupsahl (pork belly/bacon) + galbi (marinated beef short ribs) cooked over mesquite charcoal galore, kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) + purple rice (rice with grains in it that turn it purple), and soju. we all had a wonderful time...a lot more fun than i had anticipated, even.

11:15 PM
arrive home. finally. i love our bed.