Friday was a day of rest and recuperation after Thursday’s tiring travel. Though with Bella it is impossible to truly sleep in, we did take a nap after breakfast and then accompany Stephanie during her later breakfast. Then we messed about in the room and didn;t actually leave the hotel until after noon.
We called Claudia for suggestions of activities in Houston but rejected anything that sounded to strenuous. In the end we wandered over to the University of St Thomas campus, located the chapel where the wedding would take place, then found a lovely little mexican restaurant that had a $6 lunch special. I had a chicken flauta and a chicken enchilada with salsa verde. Perfect.
After that we took a leisurely stroll around campus, stopping to chat in a sunny spot. We stopped in briefly at the Rothko chapel. Not really my taste, the modern art; but Stephanie found it interesting.
Then we called Claudia again for directions to a grocery store. I was under the impression that I was out of diapers, having forgotten the stash in the bag I checked. On our way to Kroger, we stumbled across a Half Price Books and that became the logical next destination.
I found a couplpe of children’s books for Bella and a couple of paperbacks for me. Stephie found a few books for herself and I suggested one for her as well.
If you’d told me six months ago I’d be breastfeeding my daughter while sitting on the floor of a Half Price Books, I’d never have believed it. Yet I did, nesteled in the back of the children’s section. And Bella fell fast asleep, even when I transferred her to the stroller.
We went back to the hotel, not yet hungry for dinner. Claudia had told us that she’d been planning to invite us to the rehersal dinner but had found herself unable to do so. I hadn’t expected it anyway so no harm done.
This was when Stephie had the great idea about treating Bella like a parrot. After she was asleep we ordered room service, a grilled salmon caesar salad for me and one with shrimp for her. Curiously they brought only one cup and one set of silverware. I guess they thought Steph was really hungry.
I called Dom and read for a while and made an early evening of it.
All in all the day was prototypical Melanie and Stephanie. We couldn’t have planned it better. But that’s the thing. What made it so us was that it wasn’t planned at all. The only difference between that day and a dozen others like it was the addition of Bella who needed to be fed, changed and entertained.
It was nice because Steph and I haven’t really hung out like that since she came to visit while I was in grad school… and even then the visit had a rushed quality because I was in school. When she came for the bridal shower and the wedding she had to compete for my attention. It was nice to have a day just for the two of us to drift along and reconnect.
I’m a snob, apparently.
“You like to think you’re one of the literati, but actually you’re just a snob who can read. You read mostly for the social credit you can get out of it.”
Ouch. I wonder why it said that?
Maybe it’s because I said my favorite book will never be made into a film. (Actually, I think the actual response was “NEVER.”)
…which isn’t quite true. I intend to make it into a film.
😎
I’m a book snob too. “You read mostly for the social credit you can get out of it.”
I never knew. I thought that I just loved to read!
I tried this test twice & I came out a “Book Snob” both times. I know my favorite book will never be made into a film because Hollywood has attempted it for nearly 20 yrs. now & failed (“A Confederacy of Dunces”).
Father Bary,
Just out of curiosity, what is that favorite book you’re going to make into a movie one of these days?