Paid Vacation is a great thing. I get paid, and don’t have to be at the office. I would this to be a perpetual state, but unfortunately, I must return to work tomorrow. Friday was our big trip up to the general Dallas area, Keller to be specific, to visit Andy and Angela and their lovely new home. Josh and I left around 1230 or so and had a nice ride up there. The house is really cute and is going to be a lovely home.

Friday Night we went to Medieval Times for what everyone anticipated would be a rather cheesy evening. However, I totally enjoyed the entire experience. We learned more than we ever needed to know about the fine art of falconry. I bet you didn’t know that falconrly might have started about 4000bc, but no one can really be sure. And that a master falconer can have a great job with benefits and a good salary but sadly, no girlfriends. Also, a the title “master falconer” does not mean that the expertly trained bird will listen during a performance, and a falcon flying at 200 mph running into your hand will hurt thus causing you not to have a good time. Eating with our hands was no big deal, if you’ve ever seen me eat a roasted chicken I normally don’t have time for utensils so that was no difference. The show was really good, our knight one which made it exiciting, and the princess was such a fine actress I’m sure she’ll be playing Lady MacBeth soon. It was a really good time, perhaps enhanced with the addition of a few beers and I’d totally go back. Over all it certainly was a ye olde good time.

Saturday was Six Flags which was hot. It wasn’t crowded, and we didn’t really have what I would call a wait for any of the rides. We all agreed that the Titan was the best ride and Josh and I got a little rattled around on the Texas Giant. Some of the rides were closed for the summer, but we had a great time on all the rides. Josh thought I was a dork because I wouldn’t wear my souviner cup on my pants, and I thought he was a dork because he did. I had a good time, and really only noticed the 110 degree heat when we were walking back to the car. We all smelled. A lot.

Saturday evening Andy and Angela had a BBQ and we got to meet some of their friends and eat some brats and hot dogs prepared on Andy’s newly assembled grill. It only took 4 men with college degrees to get the fire going, but once it was going the food was good. A good time was had by all I think and we went to bed completely exhausted.

Sunday we went to the South Lake Town Center which I only wish I could be wealthy enough to actually shop at. It’s quite unlikely that will ever happen though. We had some Star Bucks and walked around, then it was time to say goodbye and meet up with the Roberts Clan.

We met them at Main Event and then went to Chilis for lunch. Alex told me I want to have that brownie mountain explosion dessert, and it certainly was delicious. He ate like 3 french fries for lunch, got offended when Sarah and I ate some of his nuggets and but he certainly did pack away that brownie and ice cream. His little self must have packed away over half of that. We went back to main event, played some skee ball and went bowling. Alex is a pretty good bowler, and I had a pretty good game as well. Of course, Alex and I were both using bumpers. I think it was a really fun afternoon, and unfortunately the whole weekend went by too fast.

Around 4 Josh and I began the drive home, leaving behind a good weekend full of family and friends and let’s not forget the cheap gas ($2.57 in Dallas). It’s back to work for me tomorrow unfortunately. But luckily, Monday is labor day so it will be another 4 day work week. Woohoo!

Last weekend was really great. Friday night Josh and I took off for Katy, with only some minor car trouble and a debate over who will drive. Saturday morning was completely and totally rainy. Not just a light drizzle, but full on pouring, and it lasted most of the morning. Luckily it wasn’t too hot though. We drove down to UofH, which took a really long time due to some pointless traffic jams, and helped unload all the Twin’s things. They have started college this week, and I think they will have a really nice apartment to get them started. It certainly beats living in the dorms. Of course, Liz wanted to make everything perfect and homey, which all girls want to do when they finally move out on their own. Funny, you’d think most teenagers would want to rebel, and not unpack tablecloths…oh well…those kids today. Patrick has a wise plan of not unpacking his clothes, but living out of his suitcases until everything has been worn. That’s probably more typical of college males. I know a certain 20-something who just might be related to Patrick who enjoys picking clothes off of a mountain of laundry on his bedroom floor to wear each day. That person will remain nameless. Good luck to the twins, I hope they have a really good time in college, I think it’d be hard not to.

Saturday night, after an exhausting day of unpacking, shopping, moving and assembling, Josh and I used some conveniently wrongly delivered gift certificates to Fogo De Chao. I’ve never been to this restaurant, but I certainly want to go again. It’s an interesting concept. They serve meat. Lots of meat. You get a salad bar, and some random assorted sides, including not so delicious bananas, but mostly men in funny pants come by and slice off a piece of meat from a sword. There’s all kinds of different roasted meats, really anything you’d want. There’s so much delicious meat, that you have to have a stop and go card, because if you leave your card on green the waiters will one after another come by and slice you off a piece of meat…it never stops! It is by no means a place for the vegetarian. It was absolutely delicious. I’m glad we had those free gift cards though, because it would have been way way too expensive for a regular Saturday night dinner out. I would gladly go back there…as long as I didn’t have to pay. Yum.

It’s Wednesday already, I can’t believe it. This week has been kind of a blur. The weekend was good:  pizza and a movie, bowling, and some shopping. A relaxing weekend, considering we will be out of town for the next two. Work has been good, things are definitely starting to slow down, and the start of our non-busy season is here. My new computer is up and running nicely, and it’s so much of an improvement over my old one…I can’t believe how quiet it is. I’m finishing up a bunch of my little projects that I’ve been inventing for myself, and I suppose I’ll have to invent some more once these are done.

Monday night this week I just sat around, not really doing anything except some laundry. Last night though was quite eventful. Josh and I were meeting Chelsea and her boyfriend Bryan for dinner at 7, I didn’t get out of work until a little after 5, and instead of driving home, turning around and driving back to pick up Josh I decided to go to Stein Mart to look for a new white shirt and to Star Bucks for a delicious frappuccino. Well, I went to stein mart, got back in the car and it wouldn’t start. This has happened before, I’ve brought it in to be checked out and no one can find anything. Well, the first time it happened, Josh and I were stuck in a Subway parking lot, and we sat there for about 45 minutes, and after calling to have the car towed, the car started. So this time, I waited a while, got a frappuccino and it wouldn’t start. I call my dad to alert him to the problem. He insists it’s the battery (which I know it’s not or why else would the radio and AC work) and his advice, which is reiterated three times, each in a stronger tone of voice so the last one is almost yelled, “You can’t leave it at Stein Mart.” Well thanks dad, I realize that my car can’t stay forever at the Stein Mart. You see, I must have mistaken the parking lot of a shopping center for either a car repair lot or a junk yard. Clearly, my womanly instincts must have failed me. So obviously, that wasn’t going to help me any. Josh comes over after finishing up at work and after looking at it for like 3 minutes the stupid thing starts.

Luckily, we were just in time to go have a delicious dinner with Chelsea and Bryan at Zax and some always delicious Amy’s ice cream. It was a great night, I’m so happy that Chelsea is moving to Austin and Bryan is really fun. They’re an adorable couple…not like in the eating off each other’s forks adorable, but a good normal couple. With Chelsea’s arrival, this brings my total friend count in Austin to four…including Josh. But hey…that’s plenty!

Anyway, I drive Josh back to his place after dessert and on my way out of the apartment complex, I see a dog in the road. A big dog. A dog with antlers. That’s odd…dogs don’t have antlers. Turns out deer have antlers. Big deer. Deer with friends following closely behind. Well, after what we’re going to call a near miss, I make my way back to civilization and back in to my nice warm bed.

Work today will be slow…not much to do except you know…work. Perhaps tonight will be a good night for a movie and some spaghetti. Who am I kidding…it’s always a good night for a movie and spaghetti!