She's Still Got It!

Fiorella walked into Dan's Hamburgers, surveyed the scene, realized that the back corner booth was empty, and sashayed down the aisle to claim it for lunch with Friend Paula, who was running late. As soon as she sat down, the middle-aged man in the booth in front of her turned around, gave her a big smile, and asked "Did you say 'excuse me' or 'kiss me?'

Fio laughed.  "I don't think I said either one, but thanks for the attention."

My God--she was being hit on!

The Life of Leisure

Fio's at it again.  She's hopping in the car at 10:30 today to drop by Beleza at 11:00 and drop off some of her promotional bookmarks, then meet with Friend Paula at Dan's at 11:30, then with Friend Cheryl at Starbucks at 12:45.  After that, she'll run by the post office.  Once home, she'll write, write, write till about midnight, then sleep till eight tomorrow morning and start all over again.

She forgot to say that she'll also work in lifting five-pound weights ten times in German, will do ten plies in Russian, slip in a bit of piano practice, and oil her fingernails.

Eating and breathing are optional.

Happy Hear1

I know--Fio's running late.  She didn't wake up till eight, then had the dogs to take care of and a bunch of Jacquie Lawson cards to send to friends and relatives (and actually, still more to go when she finishes this blog).  Next will come reading the paper while she eats breakfast--Fio is a multi-tasker--and working on Honeysuckle Dreams, a title she has come to hate.

After that, she'll drive into Austin to meet with Friend Paula at Dan's, shop for dinner at Central Market, and rush home to throw herself into a thousand and one other projects.  Laundry and the Golden Heart judging are most pressing, but she also needs to work through the three layers of stuff that has taken up residence on her dining room table:  the framing of Son's painting, the completion of the photo album from her August anniversary celebration, and her proposed new design for the north planting bed.  Then there's the stack of her own paintings on her upstairs art table that she's wanted to touch up for about a year.  And in her spare time, she needs to take down more of the cedar on the edge of the driveway, and maybe even get in touch with Friend Deborah to get her highlights renewed.  And has she mentioned her idea for rearranging the den?

Oops, it's 10:00 already and Fio has to leave at 10:30.  Just enough time to wish you, each and every one HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Dining Out

Fiorella is going out to eat this evening with Husband, Daughter and her husband, Son and Girlfriend, Brother and his wife to celebrate Husband's upcoming birthday. Which is all very nice, but brings up the obvious question: how did restaurants become so much a part of everyday life?  When Fio was a child--and her family was classic middle class--they went out once a week, for Sunday dinner at the Piccadilly.

When Fio was in high school, their culinary outings added Thursday night, to give Mom a break, but that was it.  For one thing, there weren't that many decent restaurants around in Waco at the time.

But now, still middle class ,Fio  regularly meets friends at Dan's Hamburgers, Stabucks, or Chili's.  And once or twice a month, she, Husband, and Son, head off to a classier joint or two.  And for big celebrations, it's upper crust.

Ah, the times, they are a-changin'.

Yukking It Up

Fiorella looked at her calendar yesterday after she finished her revisions for the possible agent and realized she had today free. Sure, there were things on her to-do list, but nothing threatening.

What a glorious, wonderful feeling! Fio raced around the house, picking up stuff and adjusting stuff, then called Friend Sharon, whom she hasn't seen in a couple of months, and arranged for them to meet at the Wednesday noon church service today. Afterwards, they'll head off to Dan's for hamburgers.

So if you see two jolly women yukking it up at Dan's, stop by and say hello!