Super Sunday...

Have you ever had one of those days that starts of weird and just stays that way but in a beautiful and different type of way? Well that was my Sunday- I woke up to my home phone ringing- which almost never happens, mostly because my friends call my cell and also because i wake up super early so it is rare that i dont just wake up on my own. The phone in my room is cute and sleek but doesn't show the caller when you pick it up from the base- i hear a male voice and it is my father saying good morning and talking to me like it is just a normal occurence.

Let's be clear- my father and i don't have a relationship- which is weird in and of itself. He is super close to his mom, i am close to her but we are not close to one another- doesn't always make sense but that is just how it has been for the last 32 yrs. I have come to realize that grieving for love ones can create the strangest of bonds among strangers. As he is talking to me i head to the front room and realize it is 6:30am- i didn't think much of it, just that he didnt realize how early it was since he was calling from atlanta and i was in san diego until he clarifies "well you told me to call you, and i couldnt call last night so i am calling now- what time is it there anyway 6:30?". I smiled secretly to myself thinking- so you knew it was early as hell but you called anyway? I like it!

I am sort of half listening to him and still trying to get my bearings- i haven't had a full night of sleep in at least 3 days- the night before i went to a friends dinner party and literally fell asleep while playing a board game but by the time i got home ready to crash i was awake again and only got a few hours of shut eye. My father is asking about my accomodations and where i am staying- i told him i would be with my play cousin (is there a certain age where you are supposed to stop claiming made up family bonds?) but he said of course i could stay at my grandmother's house...which of course made me smile too because being invited to stay at her house sounds so weird coming from him- but whatever i told him i would play it by ear but i needed to stay where there was internet so i can work and stay connected. At the end of the call he says " i am so glad you are coming i cant wait for you to get here, i need your help now more than ever" simple words but very heavy considering the source...so interesting just hearing someone say they need you can warm a cold heart many times over.

The day gets started with me running around the house packing, cleaning trying to get thing sorted. I had decided that I really want to carry on my bag- sounds simple enough except that I am a severe pack rat! I have to have options- 2 pairs of shoes for 1 dress, multiple tops & bottoms, extra outfits- i don't ever want to feel like i dont have a choice about what i wear- and somehow all those clothes, beauty products and shoes cannot always fit into my little black american tourister! my girlfriend comes over to take me to the airport- even she is doubtful that i can carry on my bag but i am sure i can persevere! we make it to the airport an hour before my flight leaves- normally i would be worried but i just dont take our airport very seriously it is so small and quaint how can anyone miss their flight?

when i booked my ticket it didnt allow for me to choose a seat- when i got to the airport it was more of the same- even though i have a super controlling personality i decided to just let go and be grateful that i had a seat. i stop at the cash station, stop at cpk and grab a salad (they have my favorite water fiji- although it is 3x the normal price i am still happy to have it) and then i grab a box of see's candies as a hostess gift for LT. by the time i roll up to the gate it is 10:45 and they are just now boarding- i am standing in line and i hear my name paged- turns out they had been paging me for a while to give me my seat assignment- 37E baby i am smack dab in the middle no window seat for the kid. i am happily lugging my bag down the ramp until i get to the actual plane- of course this flight would be the one with the captain waiting to greet people at the door. my bag gets stuck and i have to get it over the hump- with a bit of force i finally get it over the entry door and the captain says "pull!!" as if we are on the shooting range- this gets the business class folks laughing at my expense- he goes on to say "you shouldnt have such a big bag" beat it captain and head back up front we don't need your commentary...:(

outside of getting heckled by the captain the flight was amazing! i had my own little tv filled with hbo, bravo, and fx (am i the only person who has never seen fantastic 4? that movie was great!!)..the airline staff was amazingly nice and the food was delish- shrimp ceasar salad and pomegranate martinis! plus i got to sit next to a super cute and somewhat sexy asian man- he was so sweet he gave me his extra biscottis so i could send to my girlfriend and a quick tutorial on the iphone- i can't wait until july to scoop the new ones up!

i make it atl by 6:30- LT is waiting for me to take me to the unauthorized wake. yes, unauthorized! i knew nothing about it until last night or this morning (all the days are starting to blend into one at this point) but how can you have a wake for someone who wanted to be cremated? actually don't answer that it will just make me mad all over again.

i see a lot of familiar faces as soon as i walk in- but i am struck by the woman in the casket- i say woman because she surely doesn't look like my grandmother. pretty brown skinned woman with larger than life lips and vivid red lipstick- it was just wrong! her hair was matted and undone and the whole scene was just unsettling.