Too long to stay in a dress.

[This entry is edited from a more descriptive version on lj.]

Quinn met me at the bookstore on MassAve and we had a nice dinner at Tavern in the Square while we watched the Ravens game. Quinn and I exchanged "where we were when Obama was elected," stories because it's been that long. I indulged in allowing him to pick out my wine because it reminded me of old times.

After that we caught The Holiday Show at IB featuring a ton of really talented friends of mine. Liz was sure that I would be offended by some of the sketches but I found most of them quite funny and recommend the show to everyone who hasn't seen it yet at least once. The cookie dough scene made me gasp for air, and the medley was indescribable , but the turkey song was my favorite part, mostly because any time Scott Braidman acts like any kind of animal I lose it.*

After the show it was off to the Tavern once again, this time to celebrate Kevin's birthday.

In the morning I woke up at Shan and Ted's and saw that the weather was worse than ever. Against every ounce of better judgment we didn't call off rehearsal and instead we called a cab which barely made it up the hill to get to us. The ride to Central was precarious and I picked cat hair off my dress and leg warmers in silence as we slid back and forth on the hills of Somerville. I didn't know how upset I was with the situation until my roommate loo_arrgh called me to ask if I wanted anything from Java Jo's and I wanted to cry because YES, YES I did. I wanted an I Hate Egg on a wheat bagel and a small chai latte. And I wanted to be at home with her harmonizing to Christmas carols. But I didn't cry I just thanked her sadly and told her I would be home later.

Shannon and I were grumpy. Not with each other, but in general. Starbucks was closed which made me grumpier than I already was. The wind attacked us from all sides and it was then that Shannon realized she didn't have a key to the new locks at IB and that no one would be there to let us in.

Then Shannon and I stood in the snow, wet and cold and alone on Prospect Street and laughed for five whole minutes. We didn't even stop laughing long enough to make apologetic phone calls to Steph and Liz, we just laughed the whole time we gave them the news.
The only thing that stopped my laughter was the discovery of Sunday Brunch Buffet at Tavern.** I was shocked into a silence as we entered the room. After being outside in the storm it was a breathtaking sensory experience. Inside there was yellow light, dry heat, classic Christmas music, servers in goofy red hats and the smell of every single thing I wanted to eat for the rest of my life.

Shannon and I looked at each other with complete understanding that "rehearsal," was about to become, "drinking mimosas all morning while we eat chicken wings and talk about our personal lives." Steph and Liz shared this unspoken understanding so when the taller half of Three Hole Punch arrived we ate yogurt, fruit and chocolate cake and we over -shared until Liz was crying laughing and Steph was pounding the table. We did a bit of 3HP business, but mostly we congratulated ourselves on the discipline it took to have a rehearsal despite the weather.

We left Shannon off to take a cab home and the sexy half of Three Hole Punch and I went to Downtown Crossing for some Christmas shopping.

We shopped until it got dark . I stopped noticing how wet and cold I was after a while. I took the Orange line to JP and at FHS I passed Laura. For minute, she didn't recognize me, and we both stood across a puddle of slush on Washington Street and eyed each other, me squishing in my pink cowgirl boots never meant to see snow, and she adjusting her hood and looking miserable to be outside. It was the same look I know I had at 10:30 this morning when I was forced from my nest on Shan's couch into the brink.

I found out from DJ Cage that Keith canceled our party and so I am officially free for the night to relax.

Such a wonderful way to start the week.

* Scott doing an alpaca impression drives me to tears.
** which is where I live now. Inside Tavern in the Square.