Great weekend

I already posted about Friday's dancing. Came home and my babysitter promptly called her mom to come get her.

I love my babysitters who get picked up by their parents, or drive themselves home, so I don't have to leave the house with my already-sleeping kid!!

Saturday morning, got up (a little too early for my tastes) to go the zoo. Brought our celery. We managed to be among the first 200 to bring food for the elephants and were awarded tickets to enter the elephant's area (the elephants being in their other pen) and place our food wherever we wanted. They want the elephants to move around and get exercise. G initially picked up a big lemon cucumber, but then they encouraged everyone to grab what they'd brought, if possible. This proved to be a good thing, as G snapped off pieces of celery and was able to distribute about 10 of them throughout the area!

Then we all filed out and waited while the elephants were let in. What fun! Next year, we are defintely bringing a watermelon, if not two! Someone had brought a watermelon and stuck it into a crack up high in a rock. Imagine picking up a watermelon with the crook of your arm. That's what it looked like. I thought the elephant would crush it and pick up the pieces. Well, she did--but by shoving the thing into her mouth. She shoved and shoved, to the point that I thought she'd choke. She finally bit down hard enough and most of it fell out of her mouth to the ground. Then she tried to pick up the largest piece with her trunk--by suction! She couldn't quite do it, so happily picked up pieces to toss in her mouth. (Most of the items were thrown into their mouths, just tossed, even entire bananas, potatoes, etc.)

We had done this about 2 years ago with a friend and her son. I want to make sure we do it every year. (They also had special feedings going on of other animals--G got to help stuff a burlap "hoofed animal" with shredded paper and straw. It would later have meat put into it and the tigers would get their prey-drive satisfied by ripping the animal apart to get the meat.)

We went home and got ready for the luau and then GHATD (link is a PDF). My friends from Cal & post-Cal were having a big party. My ex-gf was there! It was so good to see her. We just sat down and chatted and laughed and G did a great job playing by himself and then with the other kids. Another friend was here from NYC. She had lived here and then moved back to the East Coast, and now has a bicoastal relationship with a gal here. I told her to call me when her moving van pulled up in SF. :)

Then we left and hoofed it to Belmont for GHATD. We were about 5 mins late--but made it there before Karen! She arrived and we suited her up. I loaned her a bandana to wear for the sweat. "I'll wear it, but I don't sweat," she said. Uh huh. She did great--I'll have to post some action photos soon--but came off drenched. (hee hee) We had 37 women turn out to try hockey! Several ringers, everybody did great, but not a single serious wobbler, which we seem to have every time (but they stick with it and end up doing just great!). Then a small group of us went to Hot Pot City and ate some absolutely delicous food (moan). We are definitely going back... and I'll bring sufficient cash next time! (thanks for covering me, L)

Sunday, I got up early and practiced my flute music some more. Packed it all up and made it to church early (rather than late, for once!) and ran through the piece with our music director. It went well, but I took the music up to another room to practice some more by myself while she ran through some other things in the sanctuary. I was having trouble with two measures and prayed a little, then tried them again. Prayers work--I played them both perfectly.

In the service, I made a small mistake early on. I told myself, Well, you've already screwed it up, so you might as well relax now. I did, and it really went well. I checked in with the other main flute player at our church, and even she didn't hear the mistake! Lots of people complimented me. I was really pleased. It was a good piece to play.

Off to a garage sale by my soon-to-be former card-making rep, got some great stuff, and took away her hockey gear to sell within the league for her, and rushed home to get my stuff ready for my game. Had to buy gas, too--agh. Was about 15 mins late for my game but managed to get dressed in time. Some guy volunteered to coach the other team, which was good, because Yosh was going to run from bench to bench!

We had just enough players to play 5 on 5, but it was still hard! We rotated 3 on D until Rosemary was just too pooped, then moved one of our forwards back into the rotation. We won 3-2 but it was a good, hard game. One of our subs was the one to score two of the goals! Then a group of us went out to City Beach for food. I had the best spinach enchiladas ever and the waitress managed to find chicken strips for G after he burst into tears upon hearing they were out. (I'm thinking he didn't get enough sleep! Geez.)

Then we went across the way and, although they were closing in 5 minutes, G was able to do some climbing. I asked the guy to give me a break in the $12 drop-in price, and he charged me $5--and then let him climb for at least 15 minutes! He did great. By the end he was practically scrambling up the wall and probably got to 15' high. He loved it, and I could see how it really improves your core body strength. We will definitely be doing that again.

After we got home, G said, "Let's go to the park!" but I just felt too damned tired. Not to be quieted, he thought, and said, "Let's go to the pool!" and that sounded really appealing. We had one false start, having to go to my work to retrieve the pool key that was actually at home, but then set off (on bike w/trail-a-bike) to the pool. The big pool was being cleaned, so we pulled the cover off the kid pool and went in. A much better choice, as it's several degrees warmer and no deeper than 3'. I was able to do some floating and Grdid some swimming and we had great fun. Got out, showered there, and biked home. Wonderful end to a great weekend.

I am so sore today. Ow ow ow! But it's all worth it.