Saturday report

On Saturday morning, Justin and I went on a date to the movies. First, he surprised me by showing up at church on Good Friday without my even suggesting or asking him about it. Since Thursday was his 'easy' day, working for his father rather than doing landscape work, worship on Maundy Thursday was a given. On Friday when I left for choir rehearsal ahead of the service, he was sleeping, worn out from the day. I knew he had plans to go with his friends later on, so I left him snoozing. It was good to have him with me at church!

Justin and I went to Steak 'n Shake for a quick dinner after church on Good Friday. We had coupons, and ate for about $5 a piece! He remembered the time many years ago when our family met Joe Z. and Robbie at Chili's after church on a Good Friday, and Joe had an Oreo cookie shake. How does he do that, remember those details???

While we were eating, Justin asked me to go to the movies with him on Saturday, his treat. Nice! Not that I really wished to see "The Hunger Games" but hey, why not? It was not a comic book cartoon-type movie so I was sure it would be okay. Going for the 10:50 a.m. showing got us in for $5 each, and, sadly, my soda cost $5.50! But it came with free refills...We shared it, but he wanted less of it so he wouldn't have to get up to go potty. Wait, what?? 

The movie did not actually begin until well after 11:00 with the previews and pre-movie showings going on. When it did finally begin, Justin leaned over and whispered to me, "Do you have any Dramamine in your purse? I forgot to mention all the movement..." My bottle was empty, used up my last flight home from WI. Oh oh! Worse than watching our home movies---all the swinging, swaying, and swooshing with the cameras to indicate the action of the movie brought my stomach closer to my throat. Rats!

Okay, here's the plan---I would watch with my ears, and Justin would nudge me when it was still or something I should really see. In the meanwhile, he put up the arm rest between us and asked me to lean against him so he could whisper in my ear to tell me what was happening. What a sweetheart! He felt so badly not remembering the camera motion in the filming. At one point, he asked me if perhaps a salty pretzel would help the urpiness but I refused, knowing I would be okay if I did not watch until nudged.

It is a good story, creepy in its concept, and surprisingly, the books are geared toward the younger set. After Justin saw the movie the first time, on its opening day with his buddies, he either read or listened to all three books before seeing it again. Then he wanted me along to get my opinion on the political implications made in the movie. As I told him, the implications I would describe as being more cultural than political, but that's another posting!

After the movie, he wanted to stop at Old Navy as they were having a sale but was concerned about me. I told him I would be so happy to sit on a bench in the sun with my giant cup of Diet Coke, refilled for free, to wait for him. He said, "I know you're a good waiter but if you're not feeling good...", but I shooed him off, positioning myself with a man on a bench. As long as the sun was on me, I was good!

Before I sat down, I asked the man if it was okay for me to join him. He assured me it was, and scooted over a bit to allow me adequate room. For about 10 seconds we sat there without speaking...I now know where this man works, where he lives, why he moved from the beaches area, that he moved here from NJ after his 3 year old daughter was killed when a TV fell on her, how his girlfriend of three years and he 'are going through some stuff' ("I would think that after three years you'd have it pretty well figured out..") Oh, yes I did say that!

                                

This bench on the left is where I was situated, in order to get the full sun benefit

I asked him if his girlfriend was shopping or something, why he was on the bench, and he said, "No, I just came here for some peace of mind..." I busted out laughing and said, "..and then this magpie sat down next to you and talked your arm off!" He was a man of color and I am sure we looked a sight, yukking and yakking on the bench in front of the Mall! He said he was glad to have someone to talk with, and if Justin had not come out of the Mall, I could have offered some more unsolicited advice. Instead, I shook his hand and wished him the joys of Easter, and he said he was glad to share the bench with me. After the first couple minutes, we were no longer strangers...

Justin dropped me off at home, came upstairs really quickly to grab some Wal*Mart returns and off he went to the Island. He bought the shirts on impulse and decided to take them back. He had my debit card and a shopping list to buy the ingredients for a strawberry pretzel torte recipe Linda M. had sent me. It sounded so good and the picture looked pretty too! He also took advantage of the sale for Diet Coke at Walgreens so we are well stocked. 

Justin did not feel like making the torte on Saturday, instead took a rest before meeting his pals for wings, using up some Groupons they'd bought. Then, they were meeting at Jesse's mom's house to car pool to the County Fair, to save on parking. Originally they were going to see the Oak Ridge Boys, for which they had free tickets, but instead they went to see acrobats, aerialists, and something else, I cannot recall. He said it was pretty good stuff for a small-time Fair.

The problem with ride sharing is when one person with influence is ready to go home, the rest have to fall into step, so Justin and Jesse had to miss the pig races. "But I wanted to go, just for you!" he told me last night. When we first moved here, my sister and her hubby came down for a visit during Fair week. Lori and I were sitting on the bleachers to await the much-heralded pig races, having no idea what to expect. 

              

What we saw was absolutely hysterical---pig races, teeny tiny piglets, wearing racing silks, running through their paces for vanilla wafers. Oh my goodness! Lori and I were paralyzed with laughter, I believe the first time that ever happened to me. What a great memory that is for us, and Justin wanted it for me, in my absence. Of course, never again would it be the same, since we now know what's coming, but back in 1989, we never saw THAT coming!!! In Manitowoc, they have tractor pulls---in Clay County, pig racing!