All You Need Is Love....And Maybe A Stiff Drink

This past week has been interesting, to say the least.  It seems like so much has happened in 4 short days, fraught with emotion (both good and bad), that frankly, I'm exhausted.  Last weekend was amazeballs and was spent with the bestest friends a girl could ever hope for.  Friday we celebrated our dear pal Mikey's birthday, who flew in from NOLA to spend the weekend in style in the Chi.  I met Mikey & his fab sister (my Birchwood besties) Megan at Tavern on Rush for a late, liquid lunch.  We spent the afternoon sipping Prosecco and basking in the late afternoon sun.  We made our way back to Peg's (aka Megan's...confused yet?) to continue the fun, where my loving husband met us and then finished off the night at Moe's Cantina in River North.  Saturday I was up and at 'em early to help some friends move, then off to an evening fiesta at another friend's.  Despite the ridic weather on Sunday, we made our way to Geneva and had the.best.time.ever at Kristen and Justin's.  Everytime I sit and chat with Kristen, I am reminded of how wonderfully lucky I am to have such a genuine and smart friend....how lucky Mike and I are to have such an amazing network of friends.  Monday I laid out at our pool (loaded with the SPF, doncha worry), and then the whole fam went by my deeder's for a delish BBQ. What a spectac Mem Day Weekend, so many memories to cherish, and I returned to work on Tuesday happy as a clam.

And then real life reared its ugly head.  Being back to "the struggle" (as my gf's husband refers to the j.o.b. ) itself wouldn't have been a big deal, as I truly am one of those crazies who loves her job.  Combine the stressers of work with everyday bs, or not so everyday bs but still your life's problems, nonetheless and by Wednesday of this week I had myself a little mini meltdown.  You know, the times where you call your mama and scream like a complete spoiled a-hole about the unfairness of life, how you can't be Wonder Woman and do it all, how you just can't take one.more.thing.  And then, something really major happens to wake your ass up and make you realize just how lucky you are and how all these things, while difficult and hard, and yes oftentimes, totally unfair....are not breaking.

I came in to work the following day to hear that the 37 year old consultant, whose office was just down the hall, was rushed to the ER over the weekend.  The same Mem Day Weekend that had come to a close on Monday night, while I sleepily lazed about in my bed, over-tired and over-sun-exposed, thinking of all the love of my friends and family.  He had felt "off" and decided to shower before turning in.  After a while, his longtime girlfriend checked in on him, to find that he had collapsed and was unresponsive.  After an agonizing week, holding vigil next to his bed, his parents, 90 year old grandfather and longtime love decide to take him off life support.  37 years old.  Another colleague flew out of work the Friday before the weekend after receiving a call that his daughter, just returning home for the summer from her freshman year of college, was struck by a car that blew a stop sign, while riding her bicycle.  She has been in ICU since and is thankfully improving to where they were able to take her off her ventilator.  19 years old.

Perspective, anyone?

So, while this week in and of itself was difficult for a multitude of reasons, I can't help but feel blessed.  If you would have asked me if I felt this way on Wednesday, I would have said a big hell no.  Not so long ago, I received some difficult news and immediately called one of my closest gf's, where I proceeded to bawl on the phone.  I was angry, sad and afraid and I instinctively knew that she would make me feel better about things.  And she did.  She reminded me of who I am, my strength, my character, and most of all, she reminded me that I have friends like her who will be there for me through it all.  She made me feel loved and, as a result, helped me to see what really mattered.  I have so many friends, so many people in my life, that love and support me and most of all, who help me to count my blessings. 

I am fairly certain that in the coming days there will likely be times when I am sad, when I feel life is treating me unfairly, and when I am throwing a pity party for one...but I'll get over it.  For all of you out there, who have these same bonds of friendship, who have the loving family who would do anything for you and will always be there to listen and love.  For those of you who have stellar partners, like I do in my loving husband...just remember...in the end no matter what happens, as long as you have the love and support of those around you, all will be okay <3

Everybody's Workin' For The Weekend!

Oh, Loverboy...how relevant your words still are 30 years later!

Mem Day Weekend is almost here folks, and that can only mean one thing in the Batch household...BBQ!  Since the last couple months have literally been crazy busy, one can imagine the state of my household affairs.  When I tell you my house was in disarray, that is truly an understatement.  As of last weekend, my dining room was the catch-all for any and every thing that needed to be taken down to the basement, yet somehow had lost its way.  Luggage from our recent trip, giant rubbermaid containers that housed my Spring & Summer wardrobe as well as bins of my Summer shoes.  In addition to this, laundry needed to be done, Easter decorations desperately needed to come down and be packed away...spring linens washed and laid out to dry.  All this to make much needed room for my patriotic decor, just waiting to be put up.  I needed to get cracking, and I first needed to start out by organizing, cleaning and reprioritizing!

Those who know me well, know that I have an obsession with my clothes and my shoes.  Seriously.  I have always, however, prided myself on giving away nearly as much as I bring in.  When purging my closets, I prefer to give my duds to friends since I have a tendency to purchase spendy threads.  But, I'm also not a stranger to donating to Salvation Army, Amvets and the like.  I decided that Sunday was going to be the day that I finally changed over my clothes, packed away all my Fall & Winter wear (yes, I must change out my closets for the seasons) and get my house in top order for good ol' Mem Day Weekend!

After meeting a gf for bfast at 9am on Sunday, I immediately got to it.  I stopped only once, mid day, and by 8pm not only had I completely cleaned out and reorganized my closets, I had packed all my Fall & Winter clothes in their garment bags, finished all the laundry, had all the linens and rugs cleaned and all Easter & Spring deco packed away.  5 bags are filled with "give-aways" and below is the final product after hours of hard work:

Taken with my camera phone, def not of the highest quality, but you get the point.  Having all this done and out of the way, I can now "officially" look forward to one of the best weekends of the summer.  Tomorrow I plan to work from home and Friday I'll be cutting out early, so the work week should fly by and before I know it, I will be enjoying an ice cold beverage in the backyard.  Friday, our good pal Mikey (and Birchwood bestie #2) is flying in from NOLA for his bday.  I will be leaving work on Friday and cabbing it to his sister's place (Birchwood bestie #1), post haste.  My loving husband & I will spend the evening with the Meredith clan and I can't wait!  Saturday, I will be helping (whilst hung over, I am sure) another pal move into her first ever home (congrats Brianne & Rich!), followed by yet another BBQ that night at our buddy Keith's.  Sunday Funday will take us to the town of Geneva (which I am most jazzed for) to spend a leisurely afternoon with my bestie ginger pal Kris & her adorb family.  Monday, will be my day of rest, and by the time it rolls around, I am certain I will be justly deserving of just that.