We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.
-Ernest Hemingway
So it's lunch time again, and I'm really quite tired.
The BIG WHAMMY that I perpetrated Tuesday night was to surprise my niece and attend her Pre-K graduation. The plan was to leave work Tuesday night, head straight to Fresno, about halfway call my mom to let her know I was coming, and then just show up Wednesday morning at my brother's place to surprise my favorite girl in the world.
As I was cleaning up at work and getting ready to lock up and head out, my phone goes off. It's my brother - who handed the phone off to my niece who said "Are you coming to my graduation Auntie Rachel? It's tomorrow morning!" So I professed that I was, and we chatted for a couple minutes before my brother took the phone and said, "Oh. Was it supposed to be a surprise? I didn't know."
Here's the thing about surprises. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM. THAT's why they're SURPRISES!!!
But I digress.
So I called my mom when I got in the car and updated her on the whole deal and then headed on out of town.
Made it to my mom's, went to bed, woke up early and got ready for my niece. All I knew was that we were meeting up at my brother's place. (Didn't realize we were carpooling.) At my mom's place, she made us a snack before we left, and in true mom fashion, she kept pointing out the time as if I was totally unaware of what was going on. I managed not to snap and say "I drove three hours to see my niece graduate. I'm pretty sure I'm aware of what the time is."
As we piled everyone in the car, my brother took the driver's seat and headed out to Clovis where the ceremony was going to take place which was in a classroom of sorts. Reminded me of my kindergarten room back in Fontana... maybe a little bigger. The graduates walked in wearing cute little caps and gowns and sat down in their respective groups. Bella and another girl from the other group led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. (I had never heard the beginning "Red White and Blue. We love you." before. The graduates recited nursery rhymes and sang songs. (There was this rainbow song that I started to get a little misty when I watched her sing it. Sheesh. I'm such a softie.)
After diplomas were handed out and pictures were taken and cookies and lemonade were snacked on, we all left for lunch. I remember playing with Bella, chasing her around since she always like to run off saying "You can't get me!" I heard a lady ask my sister-in-law something to which the answer was, "That's her Auntie" in a That's just Auntie Rachel kind of way.
We lunched. We napped. We visited some more. (I finally gave her my graduation presents for her which included a lot of little things including Specs Read A Lot and Tea Biscuit.) We played a little, I protected her from the dreaded blue balloon she took home from graduation, my mom made pork adobo, and then it was off on the road homeward bound.
My cat missed me a lot. And it was only one night!
Today so far has been a good day though I'm a little bummed. Initially when I got my NERDHQ volunteer email saying they wouldn't be needing me this year, I genuinely got a little down, but hey... I can't take it personally, right? I can't assume I'll be chosen every year. The fact that the event is going on this year is awesomesauce enough. I got a couple of my fellow nerds ask if I was going to make it to San Diego anyway, and I can't say for sure now since I got an email from the lead that does the scheduling saying even though I asked for the time off MONTHS in advance, I might not even get it since there are other pending requests for July. So yeah... a little meh about the whole thing.
Okay. Different topic.
Playing out scenes in my head from my novel I worked on for NaNoWriMo a few years ago. It involves a game that I watched my friends play at my friend's comic book shop. (Yeah. I got a friend who owns a comic book shop. I'm THAT cool!) Still working on the end reveal. It keeps changing. Driving me nuts. It's just not quite right. And the lead up? I got work on that some, too.
So here I sit, eating butter chicken leftovers, drinking Sugar Free Red Bull mixed with juice, trying to stay awake and wishing I could just have a big bottle of naptime. (A little hot sex with a hottie of my choice wouldn't hurt either.)
Holy crap! Did I say that out loud? Bow chicka wow wow.
Well it's almost time to clock back in so I'll check y'all later.
Later my lovelies.
Have Goodness!
Rae
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