AWESOME WEEKEND!

There comes a time in life when a vacation is just essential. When a change of scenery makes the difference between going completely insane and dying slowly of a painful sickening internal death, and on the other hand, being filled with a great resounding joy and a new vitality that will carry you through. This is how this weekend was for me. I was at the end of my limit. You could probably tell from my last few increasingly miserable posts.. but I have good news. I have been refreshed and renewed and now I can carry on. Paul planned a trip that lasted a total of less than 2 days, but it made all the difference.

We left early Sunday morning, which I probably shouldn't say, but it was fabulous to shirk our Sunday duties for a week and let the wind blow through our hair as we recklessly drove further and further away from our responsibilities. To augment the Sabbath breaking we went to a full on white trash, beer soaked, live metal music, tattoo covered Rib Festival downtown St. Louis.

We got ourselves a big plate of fatty beef brisket, sweet corn on the cob, beans, potato salad and a fresh squeezed lemon aid and then sat down to watch the music. We had to move a couple of times to find ourselves a safe hearing distance from the amazingly loud speakers, but when we finally did sit down on the top of the steps of a great building with doors flanked with giant statues of horses (which Eirik loved!) I looked at Paul and and darling exploring son and said, "I am SO Happy!" and I was! I was so glad to be in Urban America again, where people are doing things and there are events and shows and things to see. Just being in a crowd did so much for my chi. I was happy!

When we had had enough of the really really crappy music, we went to the free St. Louis Zoo. We had a blast. We loved showing Eirik the animals. He was all eyes. He couldn't get enough. We loved the hippos and the anteaters. It was all awesome though. The best part was when we sat down for a break and ate some chocolate pudding. When we got up to go, someone had put a serving tray over the hole in the top of the trash can, I moved it and was attacked by an angry starling who had been stuck in the trash can! I screamed and Paul jumped and then we laughed and laughed. It was a good joke!


The next morning we woke up to go to the Gypsy Caravan, a huge flea market/ antique show that was across the street from our Hotel. Paul however, didn't wake up happy. We had eaten all the same things, but Paul woke up with violent food poisoning. Eirik and I left him in the hotel to throw up 30 times while we shopped and had fun. :) Poor Poor Paul!!!! His one vacation!!! We ended up coming home at noon, but to break up the trip home, we stopped at the lake in Columbia and took a dip. It was a clean beach and warm and so much fun! Eirik had lots of fun swimming in the lake for the first time this year. We can't wait to go back!

So even though it was short, we had an awesome, much needed time and all I can say is "Thank goodness for vacations!!"