Saturday Night Serenade–Baby, It’s Christmas

I don’t know where you are, but baby, it’s COLD outside.  Here in south Florida, we’re having a front move through.  Yesterday we hit a record high of 87.  Now, at 1:00 pm, it’s 66 and dropping fast.  You know it’s serious when the fuzzy socks and the Cornelia Marie sweatshirt come out.

For this second weekend of December, I’m breaking out the baby songs.  I love Merry Christmas, Baby.  One of my favorite versions is the one by Cheryl Crow, but this version by The Boss is cool.

And I couldn’t resist this fun spin on Santa Baby from America’s Got Talent.  I just smiled the whole time.  I hope you enjoy them both.

The forecast for tonight is temps in the FORTIES, and I predict a fire in the fireplace and a nice glass of wine.  Bundle up where you are and be sure to hug those you love.

Happy Saturday night!

Saturday Night Serenade–Come Away With Me

It’s been a great week and I’m feeling kind of mellow.  I’m at the tail end of my Spring Break.  Come Monday it’ll be back to the grind.  Ten more weeks until I walk out of there for the last time.  Man, that sounds like an eternity!

So I’m daydreaming about Mr. R and I making our escape to someplace fabulous, and by fabulous I mean quiet and peaceful and stress-free.  If I ever find it, I’ll let you know, but it sounds a lot like the lower Keys.

It’s a Norah Jones kind of night, for sure.  One that calls for candles, a glass of wine, and curling up with the one you love.

Happy Saturday night!

Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can’t tempt us
With their lies

I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won’t you try to come

Come away with me and we’ll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I’ll never stop loving you

And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I’m safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me

 

Happy Friday Eve!

It has been a week!  You know the kind.  And I’m not going to kid you, my ass is dragging.  Maybe if we consider this Friday Eve, we can all get through one more day and then enjoy the weekend.

So raise your glass in a toast to Friday Eve!  May she never again be so long in coming around.

Date Night–A Walk in the Woods

No, we didn’t go hiking for Date Night.  Instead, Saturday night Mr. R. surprised me with tickets to see the Robert Redford/Nick Nolte film at the fancy-pants movie theatre.  I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, I can’t see going to a movie at a regular theatre ever again.  I’ve been spoiled by being able to choose our luxurious leather recliners online when we order the tickets.  I’ve been spoiled by friendly and efficient wait staff greeting us and taking our orders, only to return moments later with glasses of wine and an elegant cheese platter.  It’s the high life, I tell you.

On the downside, there was a woman in front of us who slipped off her sandals and put up her feet.  Shed of their coverings and propped up right there in front of God and everybody were, without question, the ugliest feet you’ve ever seen.  Mr. R. took a photo as proof but since this a classy blog, you won’t see the picture here.

But I was excited to see the movie, A Walk in the Woods.  I read the Bill Bryson book a lifetime ago, way back when I was married to my nightmare, and I loved it.  It’s the true story of Bryson, an American writer who lived in the UK with his family for years, and had recently moved back to New Hampshire.  Determined to reacquaint himself with his home country, he found a willing partner and set out to hike the 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  The book is at turns humorous and heartfelt and the movie is the same way.  If you’d like a break from movies about robots, superheroes, and shit that blows up, you’ll like A Walk in the Woods.

I also recommend reading the book because like so often is the case, the movie can’t tell the whole story.  While you’re at it, I actually recommend any of Bryson’s books.  He’s sharp and witty with a dry sense of humor and a keen sense of observation.  And by the way, he knows that’s a grizzly bear on the cover of the book.  It’s a joke. Get it?

Another of my favorites is A Short History of Nearly Everything, the very title of which reflects his tongue-in-cheek pomposity.  It’s a terrifically informative and fun read.  So with this Date Night post, you get a two-fer–a movie review and a book review.  Plus a reminder to try out the fancy pants movie theatre in your community.  You’ll never look back.

Um, Ew!

It’s Thursday night.  I’m just a girl trying to relax at the end of a long day.  I thought I’d have a nice glass of wine.

Only when I took a sip, something was odd.  I mean, I’m no expert but Sauvignon blanc isn’t supposed to be lumpy, right?  Or fluttery?

I spat wine across the room.  And I owe the swear jar.  Does motherfucker count as one word or two?

Oh, You Laugh Now

It’s a real thing. Be prepared.

Don’t let this happen to you.

Is It Friday Yet?

My needs are simple, really. If we could just make it Friday, it would be a trifecta.

Date Night–Royal Palm Beach

We tried a new place for dinner for Date Night.  One day recently, Mr. R. received a postcard from Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach.  In honor of his March birthday, he was cordially invited to bring the postcard in for a free wings and ribs dinner, plus a complimentary adult beverage for everyone in his party.

The place is located in a strip mall along Royal Palm Beach Blvd.  We entered around 6:30 and were told to pick any table we liked.  It was fairly full and we walked around to the bar in back where we found an available high top.

Normally, I  enjoy sitting in the bar of a restaurant.  Usually that means less ‘little kid racket’ and more music.

We showed the postcard to our server and wasted no time ordering a white zinfandel for me and a Diet Coke for Mr. R.  The wine was not good, probably should have gone with the pinot grigio, but I drank it anyway.  We were not given coasters and I had to put a napkin under my glass because it kept sticking to the table, which only mildly grossed me out.

It took a long time for our server to return to take our dinner order which might have been annoying save for the floor show to which we were treated.  When we walked into the bar we’d noticed two guys sitting at the bar and a very drunk woman talking to them very loudly.  I assumed they were together until she turned her attention to two other guys seated at a table.  Not to be unkind, this woman was not attractive.  She looked what my daddy would describe as “rode hard and put up wet.”  My sense was that she was not nearly as old as she looked.  And did I mention the fact that she was exceedingly loud?  She was chatting up the gentlemen and eating food off their plates, all the while extolling the virtues of Grand Marnier.

Oh, and we finally got to order.  Mr. R. had his free wings and ribs dinner and I had the fish and chips.  The portions were huge and he loved his dinner, actually ending up taking part of it home with us.  My fish was tasty but room temperature.  I ate about half of it and didn’t bother to take the rest home.

Eventually, Lady Marnier left with her two gentlemen and the entire room sighed with relief.  The quiet was deafening.  You could tell that the employees were glad to see her leave as well.  The staff were very nice.  They were helpful and friendly.  When we left, there was not a vacant table in the whole dining room.

All in all I have to say that I wouldn’t make the trip back to Tree’s.  But you can’t argue with a two very large dinners complete with wine and tip for $20.  My birthday’s in October.  Just saying…

It’s A Good Thing He’s Cute

My sweet and I were relaxing, enjoying our Friday evening.

Mr. R.: Do you have enough wine?

Me: I do not. I have no wine. I’m without wine. Wine free. Completely sans wine.

Mr. R.: Oooohhh, no you’re not.

In Need of a Date Night–STAT!

I’ve turned back into a pumpkin again.  It was a great summer with lots of sleeping in, a little traveling, plenty of time with my love.   Just like Cinderella at the ball.

As of Tuesday, summer break is but a pleasant yet distant memory.  It’s back to meetings, lesson plans, setting up classrooms, class rosters, new state standards, professional development and the like.  Sigh. 

Students don’t return until Monday, but tomorrow night is Open House/Meet the Teacher Night.  It’s when we get the first glimpse of what the new school year holds.   Will it be a nightmare like last year?  You haven’t really lived until you’ve been flipped off by a seven-year-old.  Or will it be a kinder, gentler year?  I’m hoping so. 

I do know that after a busy, stressful week of pre-school work, I’m ready for date night.  It won’t be tomorrow because I’m planning to shuffle home to crash and burn. 

Saturday night is looking awfully good, though.  I’m thinking maybe a bottle of wine at the Jupiter Inlet.  Sitting and watching the boats go by, listening the sound of the waves pounding the jetty…It sounds absolutely heavenly.  That’s what I’ll do–knock out one more day and keep my eyes on the prize.  Toes in the sand, chilled wine in my hand.  Pretty sure I’ve found my happy place.