So here is my first post using Windows Live Beta. So far I like it.

I’ve been MIA. Jen’s mom passed away, so I went home for the week for the funeral. Jen is my . . . third cousin(?)/childhood best friend, and our moms were related. So it was sad. Like I said at the funeral, my world revolved around my grandparents, the tennis courts, my house, and Jen’s house when I was growing up, and I remember being so shocked when we found out her mom had a brain tumor. I remember Dale missing work and laying on the couch with a killer migraine that had lasted about a week. When she came back from the doctor, they gave her a short amount of time to live. Ten years later, she passed, but she was able to see Jen and Jon graduate from high school, and be at Jen’s wedding. So it was sad, but my sadness is more for Jennifer than it is for her mom. We know where her mom is, and that at least her suffering is over now. But Jen has had a hard life, and I tried to be strong for her all those years. I don’t know if it’s because we grew up being so close to each other, but I really hurt for her. I don’t know exactly what she’s feeling, but I hurt, and I wish I could have protected her from this. That’s life, though, and we’re not little girls anymore, and she has Eddie to take care of her, not me. But I don’t think anyone understands the bond that we’ve always had, and I love her differently than anyone else. We had to grow up, but she will always be my “heart sister,” as I secretly refer to her. I guess not so secretly anymore.

It’s strange to go home and see all the people who knew you when you were small. It’s like I go to Miami and swoop in with stories of my dream job, the bf, the things I did in college, and then they think that I live this charmed sort of life. The girl who gets everything. I tried to explain that it’s not like that, I’m grateful for what I have, but I have my own problems too. I just don’t go into it with them, because they don’t need to know.

As for the rest of the weekend, I drove up to St. Pete for Baby Boostrom’s shower, and to see my Saz. Ipod broke in the middle of Alligator Alley, and if you’ve never driven it, it’s a stretch of road that connects the east and west coasts of Florida, with no radio signal or cell towers. I was not a happy girl when the sad face Ipod icon popped up on Ipod’s screen. I still haven’t looked at it.

Saturday was super relaxing, puttering around Tarpon Springs with Mandy, Pam, and Mandy’s parents. I bought three bottles of Greek wine, and finally tasted real Greek baklava. The shower was fun, Mandy and Brent got a lot of stuff for the baby, and it’s always good to see their families. I can’t believe I’ve known them for six years. And they’re having a baby. In less than two months. Crazy! I never thought I’d get here.

Denis Pete is adorable, asking me to make him a “honey-do” list, and wanting to keep me healthy.

Now that this is going to take up the whole front page of my blog, here’s a pick from Tarpon. Clowns are scary, but puppet clowns are way scarier!