First of all, I haven’t been ignoring you.  I love you and want to have a beautifully long and loving internet relationship with you. 

Secondly, I have been a busy little bee, running all around like a crazy fool.

I drove to Chicago and sat at O’Hare International Arrivals on Sunday.  When I was 15 my family welcomed an exchange student from Spain into our home.  One decade later, Tou returned to the U.S.  All of our hearts have been so full to have her back, even if it’s only for a short five days.

While we were waiting at the airport, we witnessed some of the most excruciatingly weird outfits, which I will not mock, because I’m currently wearing teal stretch pants and an enormous t-shirt with my hair in an obscene top-of-the-head bun.  Jean shorts, tall white socks, black flip flops, red flannel shirt, yellow undershirt, blue baseball cap.  That’s all I will say.

Then I read this article from a European newspaper someone so kindly left behind.  And it ruined my day for a bit.

But then we grabbed this girl and took her home with us where she surprised us with, yup, you guessed it, Spanish wine!  We drank the shit out of it and I didn’t think once about that stupid article.  What do they know, anyway?

Yesterday we ventured to Saugatuck. I have been to Saugatuck several times, and each time I thoroughly enjoy it, but yesterday I officially fell in love.  And the town loves me back.  So I’m off the market.  The great thing about Saugatuck is that it has this cozy small town feel, with streets lined with trees and adorable small shops.  It sits right on the Kalamazoo river and is a hot second away from Lake Michigan.  I have been missing the small town feel of Jackson lately, and Saugatuck calmed every nostalgic anxiety.  We are going on another date soon, and I get butterflies every time I think about it.

After our wonderful short trip and before I scampered off to work (yuck, the bowtie) Tou introduced us to a favorite cocktail of hers.  It’s called Kalimotxo.  Red wine and coke. Its quite delicious and absolutely refreshing.  I recommend it.  Maybe today?  I also recommend using a cheap red wine, if you ruin a nice bottle of wine by throwing coca-cola in it my heart will be so broken.  I’m making a dumb face because I was drinking coffee instead.  It’s frowned upon in Michigan culture to show up to work reaking of booze.

We met up again later to top the night off with a drink at Cygnus downtown Grand Rapids and felt really fancy. We met a man named Len from Chatanooga, Tennessee.  At one point he found out that my mother had three other daughters and he said, “How did dad survive?”  So….I rest my case.

To begin my afternoon, Tou made a Spanish Omelette for us.  It was cussing delicious and now I’m drifitng into a definite food coma.  In Spain, she always has a beer with her omelette.  So in order to experience Spanish culture, we had a beer also.  It was so amazing.  So amazing that we are doing it again tomorrow, with a tutorial.  I already have more beer chilling in the fridge.  What did that article say again? I forget.

My heart is so happy with a lot of happiness. 

I promise I will put more effort into this relationship. 

Cheers!