Breakin'

Next week is my Spring Break from school. I never thought at 31 I'd still be saying that. My guy is also doing the old-fogey school thing, on top of work, so we're pretty excited about the week off. We actually get to see each other before 8:00 the WHOLE WEEK. Woo-woo! PAAAAR-TAY.

Actually, he's opted to take off Wed-Fri from work so that we can actually enjoy the break. What are our big plans you ask? Sit down, I'm not sure you can handle it. Big plans, big HUGE plans.

We're going to Houston.

I know, right? It makes you quiver, doesn't it?

Actually, it's ironic that we spent 2.5 years wishing we didn't live there, and now we're going back..on purpose?

This is our annual booze run. Mr. Man, the vinophile, gets just what he wants for his birthday, to buy a cartful of the grape. Houston has something very vital to this: Spec's Downtown. The biggest, largest (cheapest!) selection of wine to haunt a liver's dreams. One thing I've learned while visiting there...judging by the cars and dress of most of the patrons, and by the carts full of booze they walk out with, either rich people have alot of big parties or are very very drunk for most of the day.

It does seem a little weird, though, to explain to people that we're making a wine run without them suspecting you have issues. I think deep down these trips appeal to the man's childhood "Smokey and the Bandit" fantasies. He longs to use words like "convoy" and "c'mon back" (but never "good buddy"...b/c saying that these days will put you in intimate aquaintance with the undercarriage of a tractor trailor). The only thing I can offer him is to perhaps find some bird stickers to attach to the hood of the Civic. But it's not the same...and he can't even grow a proper mustache to pretend it is. Sad, sad, sad...

Anyway, in addition to our trip to Spec's, we're going to brave Ikea. The thing about Ikea is that 75% of it are items you would use to decorate an ADHD playroom, a Dutch airport, or a misguided 1972 movie directors image of a home scene from 2050. But that other 25%....that gasping excitement you get when you realize you can buy a steel trivet for $1! (oh MY!) I have fantasies of organization whenever I am at Ikea....dreams of drawers and cabinets lined with labeled plastic boxes. It's an OCD'ers erotic dream. The decor design of Ikea is summed up in one word: "Sterile". Ok, and maybe another one: "Disposable". I know that's not entirely fair, they do have some decent leather couches and some other nifty "Warmer" things, however it's just easier to write about the living room vignettes of white plasticine with leprechaun height chairs.

One last thing..something for you to think about the rest of the day. If we have time we'll stop at a delicious place called "The Chocolate Bar." Here we will get the best ice cream solely made to give man faith in the existence of a higher power. Picture: chocolate covered strawberries, chopped up, then added to fresh made vanilla ice cream. Picture: you dying with a smile on your face. It almost gives us a reason to move back to Houston. Almost.