In Utah This Weekend

Just went out to dinner with a few friends (thanks, friends) and had a marvelous time. Oh, I should start by telling you what I did YESTERDAY…

I say, let’s leave for the airport at 4:30. Ben says, it doesn’t take that long to get there so we plan to leave at 4:45 and end up leaving at 4:56. My flight (which is the last of the night) leaves at 6:20. Stuck in traffic, I keep glancing at the time as it gets past 5:20, 5:38 then 5:57. Call up Southwest and the only thing she suggests is to ask for cuts at security to catch my flight or reschedule for the morning (Tiffany and her girls are picking me up at 9:10 and my last dental appointment is 10am the next day). Get out of the car at 6:09 (oh, I should mention that I DID say a silent prayer to help me make my flight). I book it to security… lines are too bad but it’s still about 30 people and I don’t muster the courage to ask for cuts (yeah, ME). The security guy waves me through at 6:12 and I get behind a couple military boys. They’re unlacing their boots when I say that my flight is in 9 minutes and they gladly let me go ahead (and say their flight isn’t for another two hours so they have plenty of time). About to waltz through the x-ray thingy (I know it’s not an x-ray, but you know what I mean) and realize I have my hefty metal belt… rip it off in a flurry and slap it on the dealio before walking through without a beep… YAY! It’s 6:14 so I’m hurridly redressing and start hauling tail to Egypt. Because at SeaTac my gate is ALWAYS in Egypt (almost as bad as the SLC airport). The digital clocks along the way say 6:14 then 15. I have to stop running because my pants aren’t staying up (didn’t get the belt on) and I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate. Yes, now is the time I’m thinking about how out of shape I am and that I should work out… someday. I’m walking as fast as I can and pounding my chest thinking that will keep my heart beating. It’s 6:16 and four minutes from take-off when I think about how they close the doors five minutes before departure. I see Egypt… it’s the round area at the end that you can never tell where the gate is for some reason. My eyes scamper around frantic to find the gate… there it is… but there are a bunch of people standing in front of it. “Excuse me, (gasp, pant, pant) is this the Southwest flight to SLC?” Yes, it is, and they’ve delayed boarding but we don’t know why. Hallyjulia!

So I make my flight, see a buddy (Steve S. who rides a chopper) and friend (Kathy G.) then use the plane restroom because I love the flush and washing my hands (but I’m not OCD, as one attendant suggested… I just like to wash my hands, especially in public). If you’ve made it this far in the story, I commend you (and you’re probably my mother), because it’s not all that interesting and I’m not trying to be creative because I need to hit the hay. But I’ll keep going.

Tiffany and the girls pick me up, we drive through Taco Hell for a Grilled Gordita (chipotle-style, whatever that means but it was good) since I missed dinner altogether and then she shows me her new art gallery on our way to her new loft in the city. I stayed there last night then she drove me to her extra car in the morning (I’m using it while I’m here, YAY). I forgot she had cats but I didn’t have a huge reaction (slight, but I’m not complaining). Her loft is SO cute and the gallery is amazing!

We’re to this morning (I had a cup of strawberry yogurt so I wouldn’t get crap stuck in my teeth). I got my 2nd set of temporary teeth off this morning then meticulously had work done to put on my six new permanent front teeth. Dr. Hillam and my dental lab tech (Hi Craig) spent more time than normal, but they made sure I have the best dang teeth on the planet. Really. I’ll post a picture sometime (although, I just realized I don’t really have “before” pics to show the comparison, but whatever). Dr. Boehme had done the gum reconstruction surgery in August that prepared my mouth for the better, newer teeth. HE did an amazing job. All-in-all, it was an amazing transformation. I’m a big smiler, so this makes me thrilled. I spent WAY more time in that dental chair than I thought but it was all worth it in the end.

Missed lunch (in the chair) and waited ’til dinner/dessert with friends at Carrabba’s. Oh, I did have a chocolate chip cookie with McKinley and Olivia, but no milk (dangit). Saw Lauri and Perry’s new baby, Jack (I’d link but I’m tired), took a gal to see our washer and dryer for sale (she purchased them), unloaded the mail THAT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FORWARDED TO OUR NEW ADDRESS from the mailbox, swung by the Harley shop to hug Lance (he taught the Riders Edge course at the Harley dealership) and maybe pick up a shirt for Jack and Piper (2 separate ones, of course) and started on some med’s to keep my pain at a low threshold.

So, dinner. Laurie, Monica, Tillia, Cathy, Jen and Sarah made my night fun with catching up and talking deep (mostly) and shallow (not as much). Jared was our server, as I always request (dangit it’s his last week because he’s quiting to concentrate on school — yay for school, boo for when I visit). I asked him if he’d do anything I ask… he said yes (that’s a whole ‘nother story about why he’d trust me enough to answer YES before I tell him what it is). So the owner (whom I love and is my friend) came back with the container of cinnamon and a teaspoon. See, this isn’t the first time we’ve done this. Tristan was the first then a few other servers and a hostess. We told him that it’s impossible to swallow a teaspoon of cinnamon. He said, “Oh that’s easy. I can do it,” then put it in his mouth and closed it tight. First came the wide eyes then the poof of smoke from his nostrils. Then another shocked look and another nose poof then a puff out his mouth before he bee-lined to the back for water. I guess we should check to see if that’s dangerous. So far it’s just been funny. Brenen is the one that told me about it in the first place.

Anywho, I’m beat and have a busy day tomorrow with Kristy and Phil’s wedding! Hope you didn’t mind the long and boring story of my day. Peace out.