The past two days have been such a blur, and it's almost 11:00 p.m. EST as I sit down to update the blog. I don't think I'll be able to get much sleep tonight, I'm on a really nice high from a really great day.
Wednesday - I decided that it was going to be all about me, and whatever I wanted to do. Well, it was partly about me and partly about what Mom left me to do, but it didn't require much movement. I did about 2 hours worth of errands in the morning, incuding buying white shoe polish for my 10 year old sneakers that I will now be wearing P"G to the wedding. The sneaks are soo yellow and dirty, that Shulamit suggested I get some shoe polish and try to fix it. Very good choice! It worked, although from up close it still isn't 100%, but definitely good enough to wear underneath my gown!
I then went to buy my nieces socks to wear at the wedding, as my sisters couldn't find frilly little socks. I picked up two pairs so they have a choice. Then, I had to pick up and drop off some family cleaning and, since I was on the other side of Main Street, I went to Supersol to pick up some vegetables for the house. I also did a big time protein run and picked up a package of hamburgers, which I made later that night on the grill pan (not as good as on the outdoor BBQ but adequate).
Anyway, I got back to the house and made my vendor phone calls to the photographer and florist and the band, and then, I shut it all off. The computer. The cell phone. Everything.
And I popped in Almost Famous and lost myself in the movie for 2 1/2 hours. Wonderful. Exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries. Just me and Kate Hudson and Billy Crudup and Patrick Fugit. I was hoping to also watch Dazed and Confused which is, by far, one of my absolute all time favorite movies. But, at that point, I was too uptight about the terrible weather (tornado's in Brooklyn people!!!) and my Mom being stuck in the subways that I watched two straight hours of news. With all the TV watching, it's no wonder I couldn't fall asleep. And so, when I can't sleep, I did what I've become accustomed to doing. I called Buggy in Israel and woke him up.
He's cute and funny when I wake him up, but not once has he ever gotten angry. He tried to help me get some sleep but it didn't help, so I let him go back to bed. I love him for always being there for me - no matter how tired he is - and I can't wait to just be able to poke him when I can't sleep at night! Hehehe, I know HE'S not looking forward to that part of it all!
Thursday - I feel like I ran a marathon! I had to jump out of bed and call Israel before it was too late in the day, as I wanted to order a flower arrangement for Buggy's parents since it is his Aufruf!
OMG - Buggy is having his Aufruf this weekend. That it surreal! I think he feels the same way about it because, when we chatted, he was just watching his family pack "sweets" (in the US, we call them Aufruf candy bags) to throw at him after he finishes the Haftorah. I really sad that I won't be at his Aufruf, but I'm looking forward to getting the update from my friends who are coming in to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv for the weekend so they can attend the Aufruf. Anyway, after I ordered the flowers for his folks in Israel, I got a call that my fall was ready.
That was quick! And they asked me to come pick it up around 2:30 p.m.
Hmm, that didn't leave me much time to do the errands on my list but I told them I would try to work around it. I then quickly jumped into the shower and ran to Main Street to drop off some stuff at Jerry Meyer's Studio, and then went to Amazing Savings to get some more kiddie stuff. I got home, dropped the stuff off and picked up the car keys so I could go out to Bay Terrace to do some shopping. I have literally nothing to wear to the Sheva Brachot and I was very fortunate to find some great outfits at Anne Taylor Loft! I also went to Gap and that made me super happy - here's why..
So, wedding lent has been really nice to me and I've lost a few pounds. But, I don't really put much stock into weight loss until I get to the Gap and look at their jeans. That was my benchmark. So, I took four pairs of jeans into the dressing room - 2 pairs the size I was hoping to be and 2 pairs the size I've been for quite some time. Well, when I successfully fit into the size I was hoping to be jeans - and this is without lying on the floor and sucking in in order to zip the jeans!! - I almost squeeled with delight. Finally, I am an officially an entire dress size smaller. Which means that, from 2002, I have lost 4 dress sizes! Oprah Winfrey fatgirl's slim show - here I come!!
Feeling great and with a spring in my step, I stopped off at Claire's to get a small stud for my upper ear lobe. With the Mikvah B"H a few days away, I wanted something easier to put in and out of my ear. I got a really tiny pair for $20 and then continued on the shopping plaza and right into Yankee Candle and their fall scents are in! I LOVE Yankee Candle, have raved about them for years, and I absolutely adore the Fall. Since there isn't much of a fall in Israel, I decided to buy myself some good ol' East Coast fall in a candle in the scents of spiced pumpkin and cranberry chutney. If you like warm, homey scents that make you feel like brewing up a glass of hot apple cider (they have that candle too!) I recommend picking up some tea lights and enjoying!
Well, after that I popped into Victoria's Secret for well, for none of your business. Hehehe - don't worry - it was nothing exciting.
And that didn't leave me much time to get back to pick up my fall so I called to tell them I was running late and then asked to make sure that the fall was washed and blown straight before I picked it up. Meanwhile, since my Grandmother called at 9:00 a.m. to tell me that there were a bunch of packages in her house, I drove straight to her apartment to pick them up. It was a lot and they were pretty heavy! I shleped all my packages home and then went to work unpacking boxes. Friday is boxes garbage pick up and the living room was a MESS! I spent 2 hours breaking down boxes and unpacking gifts and writing down information for thank you notes. It was hot, messy work, and then I managed to quickly eat something and rush out to pick up my fall.
Which, is absolutely beautiful and I think what I will B"H be wearing to my first Sheva Brachot! I decided to wear it in the house when Mom got home to see what she thought. And, would you believe it, but Mom didn't even realize I was wearing a wig! That's how great it was! She was very happy with it and I decided to leave it on when Chante got here to do my make up for the wedding. It was such a great trial and we had a good time! I really like what she did, was very happy with my lip decision (understated - as opposed to bright red and bold) and then I asked her to tone it down a bit before I ran out to Fruma's party.
It was hot in the subways and there I was, wearing way too much make up for Fruma's 30th birthday party, but so excited to be seeing my friends again. And, when I walked into the room, I was just thrilled to see everyone! Rachel, Elana, Ilana, Cousin Neil, Daniel and his girlfriend Daniela, Fruma (obviously), Hannah, Cara, Adina, Carrie, Natalie, Grubey, the Toczes, Liora, the list goes on. It was overwhelming at first, I just wanted to hug everyone cause I was soo happy to see them, and then I felt bad because I felt like I wasn't able to give my attention to one person. It's hard, all I wanted to do was really talk to them. Cousin Neil was great to see, and since he is an avid blog reader, we didn't have to do that much catching up (well, and because we chatted the other night for a while). Anyway, I had soo much fun! Sitting there made me really realize how much I miss my NY friends. It was sad when I left, especially saying goodbye to the friends who won't be coming to the wedding, and it was moments like tonight that made me so happy that I'm getting married in NY. My wedding wouldn't be the same without all these people around. I mean, they've meant so much to me for so long, and have been there for me for the 4 1/2 years while living on the UWS.
After I said my goodbyes at the JCC, I walked down 76th from Amsterdam towards Columbus. I saw a Fresh Direct guy waiting to be buzzed in at an apartment and it made me smile. I used to order from Fresh Direct all the time, and it was just such a New York moment. It made the sadness of missing Manhattan almost tangible. And then, directly in front of me, I saw this young couple hugging and kissing on the sidewalk. And that's when I realized just how much I miss Buggy and I thought, for a second, how wonderful it could have been if Buggy and I could get married and live on the Upper West Side. I continued past the couple and ended up in front of Dive 75, my favorite all time speakeasy's. I resisted the urge to go in and check on my Hoeegaarden (they've got this in Israel too!) or the tank of shitting fish. I guess, that era has really past, and now it's time for me to finally be with my soulmate. And, who knows, maybe one day one of you readers will stumble upon us hugging and kissing on one of the side streets of Jerusalem. And I hope seeing how much we love each other will make that person smile.
And with that thought in my mind, I hailed a cab, and headed back to Queens.
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