Saturday, September 12, 2009

BITS OF A ROMO WEEKEND


Beginning on Friday:

She works. Meeting with cohorts. A lunch.

He has the day off. Miscellaneous to-dos done while Silence of the Lambs plays in the background.

She comes home and they chat about how delicious a villain is Hopkins' Hannibal.

She goes to change, putting on the jeans she went running in, and they head out for date night. An al fresco dinner at Whole Foods. Even without misters on, folks can do that in Reno, for the evening temperature is ideal.

Post-sup, as it is a while before their movie starts, he drives them around downtown Reno, exploring the area they've lived in for two years and still not experienced. She spends most of the ride alternatively commenting on all the dog walkers out, covering her eyes, and reading street signs aloud so that he won't miss them (It says No Turn On Red!). Though he is an excellent driver, she has always been a fearful, bossy passenger. They discover that there is a nice park by the river downtown. Yes, a river runs through it. Their city, that is.

After touring around, marveling that anyone would pay money to vacation in Reno, they make their way to Sparks for a 7:45 showing of District 9. He chose the flicker show in advance, and she is determined not to let him know that she thinks it an incredibly stupid choice. Things she cannot take seriously: aliens in movies and opera in church. He never catches on that she'd rather stare at the wall than sit through that movie.

She rolls her eyes as the movie launches. Rolls them and then keeps them and her little mouth wide open as they experience a movie like none they'd ever seen before. She takes the aliens seriously. So seriously that she cries when the aliens are treated unfairly and things go awry for the little Son alien. She appreciates that the alien weaponry blasts humans to mush, because she prefers not to watch suffering. Humans are more inhumane. She nearly cheers aloud when they worst of the bad guys gets his head ripped off. She learns her lesson: judge not a flick by it's apparent content--see and then see.

They drive home, and on the way discuss that she has just now realized that she gets immense satisfaction out of movies and books featuring revenge. She's very excited for Law Abiding Citizen. And not just because Gerard Butler stars. They get home, play with the dog, and then enjoy the rest of the night with chatter and other Activities.

The next morning they wake. She opens her eyes to the dog stretching across her chest seeking petting. They lounge in bed reading the day's headlines. She advocates breakfast out. Mimi's? She suggests she drive him to work, and they can enjoy breakfast on the way. She'll pick him at the day's end and they can catch a late Harry Potter at the adjacent theater; though he already has, she's not yet seen that one.

He agrees. They go through the a.m. rigmarole: showering, dressing, and running product through their short hair, and drive the 20 minutes to the freeway. On the road, they decide that Mimi's might put them behind schedule. So it is back to Whole Foods for another al fresco meal, this one to the lilt of the Saturday morning gossip of a knitting group seated nearby.

He has a breakfast burrito and a bite of cheesecake, because one should have a bite of cheesecake for Saturday breakfast. She has mint water, fruit, and other morning vittles from the food bar she so adores--including some perfectly firm grape tomatoes that taste better than candy, and she's a big fan of candy. She'd really like some of the cheesecake he offers but would rather not loathe herself later; so she declines and enjoys a moment of triumph. In addition to their breakfasts, he gets lunch to go and she grabs a tea for the road. A tea with which she later burns her mouth.

She drops him off at the Apple store for a day of matchmaking and then makes for the grocery store to pick up some pink grapefruit, rock hard nectarines, soy milk, Clif Bars, and cut fruit bowls.

She's home now enjoying a quiet day. She just finished downloading some more Nellie McKay and the Dave Matthews Band's Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King album. The dog sleeps at her feet. The mint water's not quite gone.

Perhaps she'll go nap now.

Happy Weekend all.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

You forgot the bit when we did IT last night. Best 2 minutes of my week.

rabidrunner said...

Sorry to distract you from the IT, but your mentioning of IT reminds me of:

"IT puts the lotion on before IT gets the hose again."

I must disagree. Hannibal is NOT the most delicious villain. That other guy is (but his name has now slipped me pea-sized brain... and evidently google is broken over here too.)

whitneyingram said...

Dear Vanderpoolred, you are my favorite brother in-law.

My weekend has been nice. Went to the Beesley farm for grilled kebabs alla Andrew the Jeweler. I made guacamole that was perfect, as usual. Van fell off the trailer on the tractor and got splinter in his hands. When they were removed, he didn't make a noise. Opposite of brother Jack.

Once home, Jack, Ethan and I laid on the trampoline and looked at stars. Sounds cheesy, but we really did. I turned in early, only to have Jack's big fuzzy head in my face around 2am.

Morning brought bacon, sausage and eggs. The most unhealthy breakfast we eat all week. But there was some fruit. After breakfast, one and all participated in the cleanup and getting dressed. Then we all went outside to wash the car, inside and out. Van played in the back of the truck and ate crackers and Ethan searched for his ugly sound system in the garage.

After car cleaned and ugly sound system set up downstairs, Ethan left to watch the BYU football game with the men of the family and the boys and I crashed. Naps for all, happiness for me.

Jessica said...

i hope you love the new Dave album. i have truly enjoyed it, despite my bitterness over the canceled utah concert and the sold out LA concert.

and just a note: Activities, capitalized? funny.

Megan said...

Did not forget IT, Vander. Jessica caught it: Activities. Capitalized.

And Rabid you mean Jame Gumm (or however the heck it's spelled)? The skin-sewing seamster? I font like him, but I do like Hannibal. In fact, Hannibal, the next move that came out, is one of my very favorites.

Markelle said...

dang, that sounded like a nice, chill{childless} weekend. Perhaps the hubby and I will go see 'District 9'

Nai said...

I had a similar movie experience with the husband Friday night. He's a sci fi buff, and while I was in no way eager to check out aliens and human alien conflict, I figure I have probably chosen a handful of movies that he has seen however so reluctantly. But it WAS an experience... grrr humans and the inhumanity of it all, the greed for technology and experimentation and the negligence of beaurocracy. We aren't all, or always like that in the real world.. but just seeing the extreme, the near truth is a scary eye opening reminder to get out there and love, smile, laugh and CARE about each other.. maybe write a congressman or two ;)