Two Things

Do you remember last month when I had "Cupcake Night" here? Well.
When I posted the pics on facebook, (female) people were like, "Can you do that again? It looks like fun? I want to try..."

So tonight was Cupcake Night - The Sequel.
Cleverness. I am good with titles, no?

I kinda mentioned it on facebook, had about 10 people respond, and was looking forward to another sticky sweet night with friends.

AND today is Thursday. For some, it's yardwork day (my friend, Terry, for example and a possible relative of hers, Marj's neighbour.) For me, it's the day (every other week) that a really nice lady comes to clean my floors and bathrooms and window sills. It's so fun to have people over after you've worked all day and know your house is clean. Right?

Except, she didn't come today.
She switched to tomorrow.
So boo.
I would have to get things looking company-presentable. (That's a level of "clean" in a category all by itself. Teenaged boys do not understand this category.) But I'd have to do that after my doctor's appointment which was only supposed to be a quick one. Keep-your-clothes-on quick.

Except it wasn't and I was there for 90 minutes.
(My knee? The one that doesn't bend well and hurts all the time? And is weak? And shoots pain sometimes and throbs at other times? Is something that I'm going to have to live with. "Pre-arthritic damage" to this side, here. And possible cartilage damage here. One year wait for an MRI which may or may suggest some sort of surgery - but really? Just learn to manage the pain, and keep moving.) So that was good to know. I'll get knee brace, some Advil and start walking again. Regardless.

So, from the doctors to the pharmacy to the grocery store and then home, I was cutting it close. But I had time. This event of mine had a 7:30 start time.

At 7:05 one of Clint's friend's arrived and zipped upstairs.
At 7:09 Heather arrived. Sqeee! Her and I haven't had coffee in months. 'Cept my dishwasher needed to be loaded and the sink needed to be emptied and the tea wasn't on and my face needed another layer of powder and I wanted to change out of my skirt and
At 7:10 another one of Clint's friends came through the front door and went upstairs
At 7: 12 Terry arrived and brought Susan (who I've met once before) and I still hadn't done the kitchen or my face or swept the floor when
At 7: 20 Andrea arrived, bringing her 3 year old daughter with her and I gave up on my face, my kitchen, my floors, my clothes, my hair and realized the evening has started and I wasn't ready and no one cares.
Seconds later, Melanie arrived and shortly after that, my mom popped in. As I'm doing the introductions, I realized that I had 6 ladies at my table who were all total strangers to each other. I knew them all - each from a different context in my life, but they didn't know each other.

And it didn't matter.
Everyone played nicely.

And talked to each other.
And shared their toys.

And know what?
Sometimes being a woman is the best thing.
This is Elisabeth. She rocks.

These are her cupcakes:

These are Heather's:
















My mom's:

Melanie's:

And Terry's:

Stunning, no?

So that's the first thing.
I love being this age. And being a woman. We are nice to each other. And encouraging. And not competitive or snide.

And thing number two?
I stopped in to chat with Clint this evening after everyone had left (Yay! He's been accepted into both SFU AND UBC!) and there on the bookshelf in the hallway was something out of place. I would immediately notice this because yesterday I put up another bookshelf in the upstairs hallway and put everything in order. (Not by color this time. By size. Books on shelves based on height.) I would rock as a librarian. "The blue books are over there. The yellow books are here. Books that are 9" high can be found in the back..."

There on the shelf was a pink and lime green box of Veet. This is a product for hair removal using wax strips. I am unfamiliar with it, never having used it or anything like it, ever. So I read the box carefully.
There was a girl in my house, waxing body parts in my hallway? Seriously?

"Do you know where this came from?" I asked Clint, in a non-accusatory tone.
"Yeah. The guys must've left it here."
*Blink.
I am silenced.
"They waxed. Here?"
"Yeah. You got a problem with that?"
"Uh.. What body part was getting waxed?"
"Chest."
"Is this, like, a male bonding activity like cupcake decorating is for girls?"
"Maybe."

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Bonding activities
2. Little girls
3. Hope

Shalom,