XIV: NUANCE!!!

I actually wasn't planning on doing a post right now, but Marvel Unlimited is down and I had been hoping to do some work on my X-Men blog. There are other things I could be doing, but as I was preparing my customary second coffee (decaf) and though yeah, sure, let's take a poke at it.

March may not be going out like a lion this year but the cold weather is being dragged out kicking and screaming. I mean yes, it is currently about 2 degrees Celsius, which is better than being -2 degrees Celsius, but we're definitely in that early spring limbo. Mel's birthday was not the warmest it's ever been. It was kind of an odd one, because unlike usual she didn't take her week off, because she's about to finish her project and it wouldn't make any sense. So after she officially wraps up on Tuesday, she's got Wednesday off through the following Wed (taking an extra day because of Easter. Which reminds me I should get the decos out ASAP.)

Because she was working on her birthday, there wasn't that manic push do something I usually experience. We had booked dinner at the Keg, and I mostly spent the day on various missions, some of which were birthday related, some not. I had asked her what she would like for her special b-day breakfast, and she asked for Bagel Barn, which always takes some doing but is doable, sure (and coffees from the nearby Coffee Culture.) I thought this was great because right across the street from B-Barn is Dairy Queen, and she had requested an ice cream cake. So I went and got the bagels (inspecting them for being over-toasted before leaving; they were good) then headed over to DQ and there was... nobody there. OK. They open at 10 and maybe they don't expect someone to wander in at 11 looking for ice cream, but here I was. All I heard was the buzzing and churning of machines. I called out "Hello? Anybody here?" No response. Frustrated, I left.

Later, I had to go to Shoppers for unrelated reasons, and I thought while I was out maybe I could zip over to Baskin Robbins, which is closer, and get an ice cream cake there. I almost did, too, but I asked whether they had cookie inside -- the main feature of an ice cream cake -- and the lady said no, it was pure ice cream. Pass. That meant I had to make time to go back out to the far DQ, which I did, having made room in the freezer for the cake. (Boy, if that thing hadn't fit I'd have been fuxked.) Then as I was setting up decos I realized that I hadn't gotten Mel any flowers, so I had to zip back out -- again to Shoppers rather than going all the way to Fortinos -- for some bouquets.

The day was nice, although the banners had a harder time sticking to the walls than they usually do. We had a good evening at the Keg, which actually included a free slice of Billy Miner Pie, so we ended up not even having the ice cream cake that night but I didn't mind. The family that sat next to us around the time we were ready to leave was having a hard time figuring out what the kids could eat if not steak. Maybe the kids aren't ready for the steakhouse, you know?

The week proceeded. I actually got some good work done both on my personal projects and on my attempt to learn coding, which I'm glad to get back to. Hopefully I can gain some momentum and retain most of what I'm picking up so that I don't feel like a liar when I say I know this stuff. Mel actually knows now that I'm trying to write a book. I mean, she appears to have been under that impression for some time, which isn't inaccurate. We were in the car yesterday, and I mentioned something that was happening in "my book," meaning the book I was reading (Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy) and she initially thought I was talking about the book I was writing. I mentioned I was making good progress on that, and she asked when she could read it, which is actually something I've thought about. I said maybe when there was 10,000 words (well, maybe closer to 20.) She said she just didn't want to read it for the first time when it was published. I chuckled. Somewhat unlikely.

Anyway, about momentum, who knows if that will maintain while she's on break over Easter. We'll see what can be done. Maybe if I do some before she's on break, then hold until after she goes back.

Yesterday was the much-anticipated trip to Mandarin with the family, which I was lauded for putting together, although it was mostly at Mel's instruction. I had called ahead the day before to make double sure we could get two high chairs and there was still some confusion when we were seated. There was a lot of talk about the number of bodies, chairs and tables but in the end I think we all ended up getting it right, especially because of the number of plates Unc and Sherlie used for the kids. There was also a lot of chaos regarding who gets the birthday benefit and how, but eventually we just let it be how it was, with Mel getting the free meal. Nonna also paid for my meal, over protests, with Mama H transferring me money back for it.

It was about as good of a meal as you expect from Mandarin, I got all the things I like, like lemon chicken and torpedo shrimp, plus one rib, various noodles, rices, veggies, a very puffy egg roll, a mussel, whatever. Mel got the sushi as she often does, and a sausage she wasn't wowed by. She got to spend a lot of time with the twins, who are no longer babies, taxonomically speaking. 

She told me she had a great day, which is good because she was worried about certain conversational topics. Those things were downplayed. Laura is surprisingly modest about her pregnancy (although this is kind of in character for her, just not pregnant people in general.) and we spent more time talking about the Netflix show Age of Attraction. I'm not trying to be an asshole or anything, but it's a sensitive subject to me and Mel so I tread lightly. If it comes up, it's not like I'm jamming my fingers in my ears.

After lunch we went to her parents' house for a bit of a sit, some espresso, some opening gifts and letting the kids toddle around. It was fun. We brought Nonna home and then flopped on the couch with Hank after I took him for a walk (Mel was nonplussed that Hank seemed a little standoffish to her, which always makes her sad when she craves his affection.) We had omelets for dinner because I couldn't think of what else to do; they were good. No idea what we'll do for breakfast today though. We watched Shrill, which we'll probably finish tonight after only first starting it a few days ago.

And that's that. Hank's a little pouty right nowbecause I'm not on the couch with him. I worry that he's a little spoiled by my presence, which is oddly enough what I gave as my reason for not having a dog during work from home years. I'm torn between going to cuddle him and continuing to diddle on the computer. I probably won't write-write, but who knows.

Decent, decent times.

Keep on rockin'

-Scotto