Good Monday Morning...

Good Monday Morning, ya'll...

The weekend went by a bit too fast. And it was a scorcher. The average temperature hovered in the 90s, and I think it's gonna hit the 90s today.

Today's the first day of school for many in Georgia, and this is pretty late because a lot of schools started last week.

What happened to school starting after Labor Day? That's when it started for us.

It's too doggone HAWT outside to be lugging backpacks around.

Oh well... I'm not in school anymore. But I do have to go to work today, and I don't know if I am all that excited about going to work. For last week was one of the most mentally taxing weeks at work that I've had in a long time. A very long time.

I may write about it. I am still trying to gather my thoughts on the whole thing. We will see.

My weekend. I had a pretty decent weekend. I planned on spending it alone, as my weekends have been pretty busy, but it didn't work out like that.

Saturday. I ran a bunch of errands, and Saturday night I hung out at the Green Eyed Bandit's house with a couple other book club sistas Kita and Ray-Ray. We had nachos and liquor, and watched some old TiVo'd shows.

I, of course, had to bring my own goodies: a bag of rice chips and some fresh salsa and guacomole. I had a 4th of a bottle of those little 8 ounce Sutter Homes White Zinfandel. That's about it. That little bottle still sits in the fridge.

I need to stop hanging with you lushes. LOL

And I need to stop watching so many crime shows back to back. I believe by the time I was ready to go home, I was ready to beat some folks down if need be. Same effect as watching a Snapped marathon!!

Sunday. I hung out at Nikki's house. (By the way, the chick finally blogged after some months off. She wrote a piece entitled membrane [begin] that had this Oldgirl over here crying. Sigh).

Mama and Papa Nikki were having a cookout, and she wanted me to stop through. She's been home from the hospital for a few days, and I hadn't been out to see her. I wanted to give her a few days to rest and get situated. But I made the 20 minute drive out to the Eastside and hung out with them.

I tell you, Mama Nikki threw down on the food. She fixed braised short ribs, rotisserie chicken, fried pork chops, t-bone steaks... I think there was even some barbeque wings up in there.

I didn't eat any of that. I did get the phat contact high off of it. It smelled REAL good.

I had the steamed spinach, mac n' cheese and brown rice. Haven't had pasta or real cheese in about 2 weeks, if I'm remembering correctly. Yeah, I got the 'itis off all that, lol. They almost had to give an Oldgirl a cot and a blanket. LOL

I took a gang of cookies over there. Mama Nikki gave me the hard side eye behind that. (Nikki is not suppose to have cookies). This explained Nikki's wailing over text messages about me not bringing cookies.

But I am like the black folks of old. Never show up empty handed.

Next time I will bring her a few apples. Or some of this good tofu. See how she feel about that.

(And that's enough to make anybody mad, lol).

We sat around watching television. I even got a good bit of crocheting down. Most of all, it was great just hanging out with Nikki and meeting her BFF. I also met her brother, who's in town from California.

A good time was had by all.

Mama Nikki walked me outside. She told me how glad she was that I have been there for her daughter through her illness, and how good a friend I was.

That made me feel good, to be helpful. Nikki has been totally supportive of me and has kept me in check over these past few years. I am glad to be there for my friend, and glad that she is doing much better.

A mighty fine weekend, if I should say so myself. It has definitely been one that has smashed the mental mess of last week.

In dealing with several situations this weekend, I learned, or should I say, was reminded of, what is really important in life:

Good friends.
Being there for friends.

And these all important things will stay on my mind as I head off to work every day this week.

They truly will.

So, I ask you now, don't let the stress of it all get you down. Take time to stop and appreciate what is really important. Everything else is just a set of monkey wrenches thrown your way to offset your happiness.

And we can't let that happen, can we?

Heck no.

*Ladylee says that with a hard foot stomp*

With that I urge you to MAKE it a good week... on purpose, with purpose, and all that!