Thursday, September 21, 2006

Going Home

One day, I am going to be independently wealthy, so that I can throw my daughter a swank wedding like the one we attended on Saturday evening. It was an absolute blast! I personally think it would have been great fun if it had been at a McDonald’s, just because of the company, but the perks (like the fantabulous dessert buffet) were not to be surpassed. Not to mention that Damon Wayans, Rocco DiSpirno, and freaking Nelly (and his black Lamborghini) were staying in the same hotel as we. We ate too much, drank just a little too much, and laughed until we cried. It was everything a wedding should be and more, and I wish the bride and groom a wonderful and relaxing honeymoon.

We have arrived at yet another stop on the September 2006 wedding tour, my parents’ Florida home. Once upon a time, it was my home as well. This house is the closest thing to a childhood home that I have. Growing up, my father was in the Navy. We moved approximately every 2 years, which wasn’t exactly easy on me. I had to make so many new starts, new schools, new friends, and I eventually learned to reinvent myself with each move. By nature, I’m told, as a child I was brazen and very outgoing. I had no qualms “performing” Christmas carols a capella in front of restaurants full of people. As I got older, while I was forced to be outgoing and receptive to new people and experiences, I became more and more of an introvert. I’m not really sure how this happened, but, over time my innate open nature became something only those that were very close to me could see. Outwardly, I was more reserved and quiet. I moved to this house when I was 13, and being here now, with my small child feels so strange to me.

Last night I sat with my daughter, reading to her and tucking her in to sleep, in my former bedroom (usurped by my younger brother once I moved away from home). My brother has since moved away from home (finally, but that’s another rant for another day) so it is littered with the remnants of his childhood/adolescence, deemed unsuitable for his new bachelor pad. While it is no longer decorated in the same way, it was still the same place that I dreamed my teenage dreams, got ready for proms, and snuck in and out of the back window. This house reminds of being tempestuous and rebellious and so much more of a “bad” good girl than my parents ever knew. I guess more than anything, this house reminds me of who I thought I was going to be, more than it reflects who I have become, much like my little girl reminds my parents of a little girl that they once raised. In my parents’ eyes, I will always be the little girl in pigtails, and I know that I will feel the same way about my daughter. In this house, I will always remember the promise of what there was to come, and the realization that what has transpired in my life is so much greater than I could have even imagined.

Geez, enough of the heavy introspection! On a lighter note, the other thing I had forgotten is the freaking HEAT! (The heat, my God, the HEAT!) I miss my seasonal September weather already. (Mrs. Mom, I had forgotten just how bad it is here!) I also had forgotten love bug season. We were driving along on a perfectly sunny day, with the patters of, not rain drops, but squished love bugs all across the windshield. Ick! I am just so happy to visit Florida instead of live here anymore. The local newspapers are plastered with the story of my football team’s recent embarrassment (Effing Jeff Bowden!!! Luckily, I didn’t have to sit and watch it, as I was consuming far too many apple martinis at the aforementioned swank wedding). They are also full of news of the people with whom I once attended high school. This town is a vortex, it sucks you in, and very few escape. I am so happy that I have moved on from this town. In a convoluted way, leaving this town was the only way that I could ever appreciate it. Today we went to breakfast at a small, favorite local restaurant, and then we played at the beach and finished the day at the pool. When I lived here, I never went to the beach, and never took advantage of the pool. So for the next few days, I may not be blogging or bitching. (It’s strange, I know!) Not to worry, I’ll be back in the saddle at work soon enough, the next vacation is months away (January) and I’ll have lots of doctorly angst and snark to share. Like it, or not. Have a great week!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Found you by way of the Change of Shift and boy am I glad you spelled out OB-GIN vs. OB-GYN in your heading-- I was wondering about that and the only person I've ever heard it come from is someone from Texas! LOL :)

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, you lost me at dessert buffet...That sounds great, especially so close to lunchtime...

Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

dr. whoo? said...

frectis~ Welcome! Seriously, it's not gin-ecology, although, I'd like to voluteer to research that profession! :) Going to check out your blog now...what is "Change of Shift?" (ignorant = me)

mrs. mom~ Freaking cool front! My mom kept trying to tell me how much less hot and humid it was. Whatever! It is still 8 billion degrees! Down with nepotism! Rice is gonna kick our ass.

3 carnations~ Can I just expound on the glory that is the dessert buffet? Red velvet cupcakes, fondue, chocolate encrusted caramels, strawberries coated in chocolate....it goes on and on, sheer heaven! Alas, vacation draws nearer and nearer to a close!

Fat Doctor said...

I love weddings. They make me remember mine. Hey -- my anniversary is coming up -- maybe I'll blog about my wedding that day. Happiest day of my life. Was yours big/small/ritzy?

Anonymous said...

Just curious, was it the Ritz? I used to work there...dh still works for the company. Mmmmm...those desserts sound fabulous!

Guinness_Girl said...

Because I am selfish, this makes me very sad that there was no April 2006 Wedding Tour. Wah!

dr. whoo? said...

Hi FD~ I really found myself thinking about our wedding a lot the last two weekends, as well. I think my wedding was awesome, but you'll have to ask GG her unbiased opinion. (She was a bridesmaid!) It was definitely not ritzy, but it was medium-sized (about 250 people), and very fun, good food, open bar, etc. Blogging about it on the anniversary sounds like a great idea!

wannabel&d~ Nope, not the Ritz, but in that same genre. The desserts were heavenly. *sigh*

GG~ I'm sorry too! I cried. I cannot put into words how pissed off I was at OtherDoc for scheduling a conference that week when I had that weekend blocked off my schedule for months. His wife (our office manager) oh so conveniently "forgot" to write it down. Harumph. I wanted to be there so badly...I had tickets that I had to change and everything.

Anonymous said...

frectis~ Welcome! Seriously, it's not gin-ecology, although, I'd like to voluteer to research that profession! :) Going to check out your blog now...what is "Change of Shift?" (ignorant = me)

Thanks for the welcome. I'd like to see if there is a specialty in beer-ecology (study of yeast? too much of a stretch?). Change of Shift is a rotating host of favorite blog posts of the nursing variety and someone featured has your link (At Your Cervix I think)... I go a'clicking and here I am ;)

dr. whoo? said...

frectis~ I'm quite sure that Mr. Whoo founded the study of beer-ecology. He is brewing some at this very moment. Mmmmmm...beer. :)