Back to life, back to reality

We're back in L.A., back to 70 degree weather instead of 35 degree "wintry mix", and it feels nice.

You know what's odd? I was sooo ready to drop the kids off with my in-laws Friday I practically threw them out of my moving car. Yet by the time I got to Raleigh some 6 hours later I already missed them. Then, I missed them terribly all weekend and yet when we went to pick them up, within twenty minutes they were driving me crazy again. ACK.

Despite the missing of the children, I had a fabulous weekend away. Two of my college roommates came into town from Virginia, and I got to see the other one in her home in Durham. We stayed with my favorite brother in his fabulous house (yes, I am quite green with envy over that), and enjoyed my favorite spot in all of this glorious country.

I'm not sure what it is about Chapel Hill, and the people from my time there, that make me so happy. Is it just the aura of the place? The history, the beauty, the friendliness of the inhabitants? Or maybe it's that the town is mostly populated by attractive, smart 18 to 25 year olds, which gives it an incredibly youthful, exciting vibe? Then again, I can't deny the nostalgia factor--who among us can walk past that first bar we were ever thrown out of, and not get all warm and fuzzy inside?

Then the people--my old college roommates, and my fabulous brother--who knew these people would mean so much to me? I don't leave near any of them--not even the same coast--and because I have such a difficult time with the phone, we don't get to talk much. We e-mail all the time, and the blog keeps them aware of my doings (more on that later), but I feel much closer to them than our communication would indicate. Is it because we share a common experience? Is it because we were at that impressionable age? Is it because I picked people of exceptional quality? (Obviously, this has something to do with it: there are many other people that I was very good friends with in college that I no longer keep in touch with.) My brother didn't share all the same experiences, as he attended five years after me, but we still have the college itself in common. It seems perfect to me that he is the one who lives there now: it just fits him.

I guess the quick answer is: yes. It is all of those things. So without further ado, a photo-blog. (This is incredibly difficult since I only took 6 photos all weekend.)



My two college roommates, Sarah and Lori, with Sarah's younger brother John. John is twenty (you heard me right, he was four when we were in school), and a sophomore. He kept stressing out about a financial accounting exam he had on Monday, and all I could think (and say, aloud, just to be a patronizing old hag) was "Oh, if that was my only problem!"



My brother and Lance. Note Lance's eyes, which look a bit cross-eyed. Although this photo was taken Saturday night, his eyes looked quite similar on Friday night. Which only partly excuses his hungover behavior on Saturday morning, when we got to hang out with Mommygoth and her fabulous husband. She made an awesome cheesy eggy spicy casserole for us all, yum!



My brother, moments after Lance told him that I had a blog. I know! He told a family member I had a blog! I tried to explain that night, and I'll do it again here: it's not that I didn't want you to read it, Chip. It's just that if I told you, I felt like I should tell Mom and Dad and Ann, and that's, well, different. They might judge me! They might ask questions! They might correct my grammar!



Here we are, the three amigos. Sarah, Lori and I were roommates for two years, and suitemates for one. We will be friends forever, to my great delight. Sadly, I have no photos of my other roommate, Mommygoth. Too hungover to remember to take the camera to her house, but you can see photos at her blog. All I can say is: Kayleigh is HILARIOUS, David is fantastic, her house is gorgeous, and it was too good to see her.

I love these people, all of them.

Now it's off to the laundry/unpacking/grocery shopping/cleaning that fills my days. Yee-ha!