Friday, March 20, 2009

how much fun is that

I was despairing of ever emerging from this deep, dark, dungeon I had dug myself into over the winter. My social life was suffering. All of my own doing, I must admit, as I couldn't find the energy or enthusiasm to do anything that involved getting dressed and heading outdoors. (unless I was getting paid)

Then, a couple of weeks ago, round about the time I was getting quite bored with my own company, my brother phones to tell me they are coming down for my birthday. This is a rare treat. In fact, I had given up inviting my family to visit, as it never happened. Not even when I moved to live nearer my brother in the hopes of more get-togethers before they moved out of town did they ever stop by. Never have they come just to see me. This meant a massive spring cleaning. Which was good in many ways. I feel so much better now in my less cluttered space, having frantically gotten rid of anything I couldn't find room for. Anyway, the visit came and went, they discovered for themselves that the 1 1/2 hour drive (in ideal conditions) is quite doable in a weekend (as it certainly was for me going the other way...) and are now making plans to come back for Easter and again in the summer. It took almost 12 years of living here. And the fact that now there are only us left and no parents to bind our visits.

Last week, I went to visit one of my mother's friends and had an interesting visit with her and next week it will be to see another of her friends who I know misses their nightly chats. This weekend I have the garden show, the Live at the Met opera at the cinema, then a dinner date to round it out. Then, on Thursday morning when I went into work, I saw a notice that I had won tickets to see Disney on Ice! Wonderful - well, you know how excited I get when I win a coffee, so this was a true over-the-moon-excitement. I have a friend who loves this sort of thing, so I told her she and her husband were invited and I would try to find a fourth for our night out. Things were really looking up for a socially exhausting weekend.

The notice said to contact my district manager to arrange to pick up the tickets. But there is a changeover in managers this month and the one I was directed to was on holidays, so I left a voicemail message. This morning (Friday morning) I went into work and the new manager was there meeting everyone. He had been on holidays (were both away?) and knew nothing about it, but there was an envelope in my mailslot. An envelope with four tickets to Disney on Ice. For Thursday night. Last night. How stupid is that?

It's a damn good thing at least the sun is shining today.
It's SPRING and I'm off to the Canada Blooms, to dream away my cares and woes.
Photos to follow. I promise.

19 comments:

  1. Love the new violet sky header, Violet Sky! :)

    Wow, your head must be a-spinnin' with all that social activity keeping you in a whirl, you dervish, you! Too bad you missed the Disney thing and I assume you were directing the stupid remark toward the other person who should have made sure you received them on time.

    I like that name "Canada Blooms". Much catchier than "Central Ohio Home & Garden Show". Hope you enjoy it and please show us some pictures when you return.

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  2. Yes, really, Susan, you'd think a bit of notice would have been warranted, wouldn't you?
    To tell you you won tickets and not tell you it's for that evening's performance and not even give you the tickets in time... it all beggars belief.

    I have to go now and see all the pretty, pretty flowers to calm myself down.

    Yes, you should suggest something more light-hearted to the organizers of the COH&GS

    Oh, and thanks...

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  3. sorry about the tickets - such a bummer.

    but..yay for the family learning the bit about the road working both ways. I know the feeling as I used to live that distance from my family and they always expected me to come south. *grin* a lot of razzy used to be exchanged.

    happy spring - enjoy the blooms.

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  4. At least you got a good story out of it!

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  5. I LOVE your new header...a wonderful violet sky:)

    An hour and a half drive is an easy drive for a day's visit...some people have that long for a commute to work altho I think that is overdoing it!...glad your brother has discovered how fast that drive goes by!

    The garden show sounds so much nicer than Disney on Ice anyways!

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  6. Glad your brother's visit got you out doing things again! With me, my brothers and I have grown even closer since our parents have gone - because we now have only each other:)
    That was really disappointing about the tickets! Have a great weekend though!

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  7. It's me again. I've been following your blog for some time. Someone alerted me that they didn't have my link (on some blogs my yellow rose shows up and others not, and I don't know how to fix it!).
    If you like to visit me, just click on the yellow rose and scroll down to "link: mysteries" and click - it will bring you to my blog. welcome to visit anytime!

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  8. Morning Violet. I hope you have a bloomin' good tine at the flower show and it lifts your spirits into spring.
    Happy Days

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  9. I've always had the same problem with all members of my family. No one ever comes to visit us, but we're expected to visit them on a regular basis. Nevermind -- when we have that villa in France, they'll be begging to come visit!

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  10. I had the opposite problem when I lived in California. Everybody wanted to come visit me and stay for 3 weeks and be entertained. Now that I live in the Netherlands, nobody comes anymore. I guess that's not interesting enough, or exotic enough.

    I am sure you will enjoy the Garden Show a lot more than Disney on Ice. I just don't see you as the Disney on Ice type of person. Still, it was silly how that didn't work out. Major snafu.

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  11. Sucks about the tickets. But I'm glad that you got to convince your family to come for a visit. Mine never does.

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  12. It all sounds too familiar Violet:
    no family member of mine has bothered to visit me the past 5 years.

    They did however expect me to show up for their weddings/birthdays/etc, obviously bringing appropriately expensive gifts, while enjoying the long stories about their personal happiness I never shared.

    Distances are short in Belgium - guess it's all a part of the "me" society that has lost the ability to give and only expects to receive.

    I'm pleased to read your brother showed up for your birthday, even if it was the first time in 12y.

    Enjoy the arrival of spring in Canada - it's been a long winter on both sides of the Atlantic.

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  13. Delwyn, I did and we walked for bloomin hours!

    It's funny you should say that, Irene, because you are right, it is not really me at all! It was better than winning tickets to a Junior A hockey game, though.

    I would definitely come to visit you in Holland - it is a lovely place and I would love to go back.

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  14. Frogdancer, but, but... I had other stories this time. Oh well.

    Thanks, Oliag, and yes, I might have had to forego the garden show, and that would have been a shame.

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  15. Jeannette, I have had trouble linking to your blog, but have visited (even if I don't leave comments) I encourage you all to see Jeannette's beautiful artwork.

    I think it is because we became a bit closer during my parents' illnesses and now since their deaths he sounds excited about getting together. Strange, eh?

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  16. Peter and Kylie and XUP so it's not just because I am the one who is single - and therefore carefree and "always available to travel with no obligations"?

    You are both invited to visit our villa in France once XUP and I get it all organized. We can drink to the absent families and not invite them.

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  17. oops, almost missed you Char! I always just sucked it up and seethed over drinks with my friends.

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  18. You can come and visit me anytime, Violet. I'll pump up a bed for you.

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  19. Oh no! How sad you missed the ice show.

    It's really funny that you mentioned the 1 1/2 hour drive, because just last night we were at friends' for dinner talking about this very thing. Inge is German, but moved to the U.S. when she was in college, so she has adjusted to our big ole country and the geographic reality that any location within 4 hours is do-able in a day. She described how in Germany her family and friends wouldn't dream of just picking up and driving an hour and a half on a whim. It would be a major excursion! Funny.

    Glad you're having these nice outings.

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