Little pumpkins with tennis rackets

I think they’ll stop at the pool...good day for swim lessons. Nope, kept right on walking my same direction...then I notice the adorable Dora the Explorer cover on her tiny tennis racket. The cutest! During my class I look over and there is a whole court of them, lined up by the net – rackets held up high and sturdy. Pink, blue, purple little rackets. A tiny one waiting for the next class walks over with his superman racket cover dragging it behind him by the handle.

I don’t know why I was so mystified by them this morning. I guess because they were on the next court and I wasn’t really within earshot – only heard one meltdown. And my class didn’t have any parents trying to cheer on their little one and still play doubles with us – that is so annoying. It’s better when the parents aren’t around, they were letting the kids and the teachers have fun. It’s usually the parents that are the problem. As attested to with my Whole Food incident and the “I have hiccups” kids.

I’ve been to 3 different groups of tennis classes this session because of make ups. Each group has its own cast of characters. Tuesday is most fun and laid back, but there is suzy needs all the attention in that class sometimes who drives me crazy. If you need a private lesson – take one. We’re all about the same level, have all been taking for several summers, so how come all the sudden you don’t know how to serve? Same way this morning. I was with an entirely new group, except for one guy from a few summers ago who now has distinguished graying hair – how does that happen? He was fresh out of college a couple of summers ago and now looks like he carries the weight of the world with him. But there was one girl who didn’t even know when the ball was in and out and kept calling my serves out and the teacher kept having to correct her so the game was getting all jacked up. I can serve well if I get in a rhythm, but I get shaken easily. However it was hot as hell this morning so every time she had a question or wasn’t in the right place we got to catch our breath. We all need help, that’s why we’re there, but be real.

When I start to write this, I need a shower. I’ve gotten to that point where if I don’t hop in the shower right after I come in the door I get preoccupied with a zillion little things and then I’m dry and can live with myself again...for a while. This would drive Lou crazy. I’d come over from my tennis lesson all sweaty, pony tail, ball cap...I’d be chit chatting and playing with the dog. He’d be cooking and getting me a glass of wine. He was good like that. You’re going to shower before dinner...right? Hmmm....usually I needed to antagonize him a little more than I needed a shower at that point. Really squeemed him out, which made me laugh. He always really liked me in the tennis skirt and baseball cap, but more wanted to think about it after I was cleaned up and in bed. Once I asked why we had to wait until bed, why not just throw down on the couch when I walked in if he was all rev’d up by my sporty self. I think his ocd overruled his desire. Got a text message from him while I was writing this. Lately have always been about red Italian ice. He always eats the red first-I prefer green so I always have the upper hand...in the freezer. He sent a picture of Lady, his dog, napping by him on the couch – really cute, until I realized that used to be my Sunday comfy nap spot.

Wednesday night I go to dinner at Remy’s and then end up at Barcelona – so my friend can smoke, not sure why she couldn’t at Remy’s but it was Parties in the Park which neither of us realized and the people watching was not disappointing. This guy walks in who I’d gone out with once. “John music” – whose great taste in random music was far outweighed by his annoying self deprecating humor. He approaches me and says – we know each other...right? Yes. I politely ask if he’s still running marathons blah blah. A co-worker that was with me said – I think she knows him because they’ve run marathons together – the other one who knows me all too well says - Staci doesn’t run marathons. Luckily, we leave soon and I explain.

Then Friday night I go to the movie with some friends...The Visitor – go see it. It has the dad from 6 Feet Under. I see this guy when I’m ordering my Heineken and popcorn – best feature ever in a theatre...the bar, by the way. So I see this guy that looks vaguely familiar and he’s looking right at me, like wait for it...you’re going to recognize me any second. I did. “Jeff lawyer” – as opposed to John lawyer who was a lot of fun and played tennis. Jeff lawyer had, I swear what was literally a check list, that he would go through when you were having conversations with him. I netted out in the mostly pro column. For like one date. He had this intense sarcastic sense of humor and intense presence – like he could look right through you and just make you want to throw him up against the bar, which I really liked, but I felt like I was constantly in an interrogation – or one of those psych tests where he would answer the same question 5 ways just to try to trip you up. Tiring. After we spent the last half of our date being that annoying couple that’s a spectacle at the bar – which I probably never had been before nor will be again, we leave. At the movies he would not let go of his date’s hand, even pulling it over his head to maneuver through the crowd looking right at me the whole time...and even when he put his arm around her when they were leaving he turned around and looked at me again. I hope through the whole movie he remembered how he was up by 2 – let’s just say I’m better at some things than he is.

Earlier this week I’m on Gmail – like the wii, I think it makes me seem high tech. I get a message from havi, which is so strange because I just had written about him the day before. Apparently he lives down the street from me and rides his bike by my house every morning on the way to work. I ask him to leave coffee on his way by, but he has not delivered. I then see him in his car on my way to tennis Thursday...and the world gets smaller.

So let’s recap....95% of the men I’ve either gone on a date with or dated semi-seriously in the past few years has had a cameo appearance in my week. Don’t you think that shouts...MOVE OUT OF THE FUCKING CITY??? I do. It’s like they are all carrying a sign that says CHICAGO.

Randy was even trying to schedule time to talk, to which I ask....are you ok? to which he replies, I just wanted to say hello. Then call and say hello, that would be really nice – I thought Tomah had died or something. After the year I’ve had with family, I’m a little paranoid with...I’ll call you in an hour...or can you talk tomorrow afternoon. He, of course, now will not call.

All these cameos and yet no leading man...hahah.

It’s been so crazy and fun on the weekends since memorial day weekend in Chicago – then di in town last week – my birthday winery trip next week – and then the wedding the following week....then 4th of july. Weeks are filled with tennis, yoga and even golf starting in a couple of weeks. At some point, having a drink and catching up with the world traveler, which I am really looking forward to.

So I thought it would be good to make no major plans today. I’m trying to enjoy it, but I’m kinda bored. I’m usually very good at entertaining myself. I drove to Nordstrom at West County mainly to get the Shrimp Cilantro salad, which is seriously worth the drive. Tried on like 20 black strapless bras at Victoria Secrets for my dress for Di’s wedding. Tried on some sexy nighties, only because they were on sale, in a whole ‘build it and he will come’ theory, but it just seemed too ridiculous...but they were cute. Noticed while I was in the fitting room at J Crew I did a terrible job with the spray sunscreen today....lovely pattern of my tennis shirt...sweet. Such cute dresses there! But they close at 7 – how dumb is that, so I need to go back. And one dress I like buttoned up the back....how the hell am I supposed to put that on at home? Zipper is hard enough....but you can usually zip it then shimmy it around...sometimes.

I could go out to my parents and get a jump on the father’s day festivities, but they are probably sleeping in the chair by now. I could finish my laundry which is in piles on my bedroom floor or go find a jewelry box so every pair of earring I have wouldn’t be scattered all over my dresser. It does make it much easier to find them. I could go grocery shopping. Nah. I could make a list of all the things I could be doing....or I could just go do something : )

OH – you must listen to Ingrid Michaelson. Must. Must. Must.