I Spent a Week in Akron One Day…

I’ve been in Ohio with Todd since Sunday evening. His home office is here, he had to spend the week in the office and the company Christmas party is tonight. You know what that means… Yeah. Me neither.

Anyhoo, I decided to come along for a week of R&R – Reading and wRiting. Or RR&S – Reading, wRiting and Stuff. It may sound a bit boring, but it’s actually been fabulous. Every morning I get up when I get up, drink some coffee, read a little, write a little, spend an hour on a stationary bike in the fitness room (super easy to do because I was able to read at the same time. It was win/win!), shower, read, write, go get something for dinner with Todd, etc.

The truck was packed to the gills when we left Pennsylvania. I brought my suitcase, of course. And I brought my camera and computer bag filled with my camera, three lenses, a flash, a charging cord, my computer and it’s charging cord, another bag with stuff I could do in case I ran out of other stuff to do, a filing box, Christmas cards, address book and stamps, wrapping paper and tape, my kindle and charger, my bible and bible study book, six pairs of shoes, my regular jacket and my nice jacket, two scarves, my iPhone and my special docking station/charger from work and that might be it. I pretty much moved into the hotel.

Since the Christmas party is tonight I decided to have a little professional grooming done so as not to embarrass Todd in front of his colleagues. I hear cave woman is no longer en vogue. So I went to the mall across the street and had a simple manicure, after which I endured some facial waxing. The dude (yes, it was a dude) nipped me while he was cutting my cuticles. Good thing for him I have a high pain tolerance; otherwise his right shin might be feeling a bit like my right pointer finger. Other than that one incident it was a very pleasant and one of the better manicures I’ve had. I don’t usually put color on my nails but since it’s a party tonight I had him put on some sparkly stuff. Because my motto is, “If a sparkly boy vampire is cool, how much more cool are sparkly fingernails on a woman for a Christmas party?” Okay. That’s not really my motto. I just now said it for the first time. But there is a certain truth to it, don’t you think?

After that it was time to wax the eyebrows. I had hoped he understood when I said I didn’t want thin or high arched eyebrows, but it sure felt like he was waxing off everything. All I could think was, “I’ve already done the no eyebrow thing and I didn’t like it, thank you very much.” But I didn’t bother saying that because I still don’t think he would have understood me. Turns out he left me a significant amount of browage and they look pretty good, all shaped up nicely and everything.

I also had him wax my lip. I figured there’s no way to mess that up. Except now I have a raw spot right below my nose where the wax ripped a little more than hair.

So now tonight I’ll go to Todd’s company Christmas party, meet these people for the first time and try to forget the bloody stump I have for a fingernail and the big, red, raw spot above my lip that’s glaring at everybody. At least my eyebrows look good.

After that I perused the mall but didn’t find anything I had to have so I left and drove straight to Barnes and Noble. There I got a bite to eat and a venti Eggnog Latte with whip. I was trying to comfort myself after my traumatic experience. Then I just walked around and it was delightful. Even though I have a Kindle now I still love walking around a book store. The smell of the paper mingled with the coffee and the leather seats… I think Yankee Candle should make a candle called “Bookstore Coffee Shop with Leather Seats”.

After that it was off to Target for eye liner and a few other things. I’ve come to realize I can never, ever get out of the house with every essential piece of makeup. I also needed some cash – a five spot to be precise – so I got $20 from the ATM. Then I had the dilemma of how to break the twenty. Lucky for me there was a Panera in the shopping center. The same Panera that Todd and I went to dinner at the other night. The same Panera that had these delicious looking mint crinkle cookies, those same cookies as what called out to me the other night. Those same cookies as what called out to me but I ignored. Or so I thought.

It’s not that I really wanted them. I just had to break the twenty. So being the industrious person that I am, I went in and bought two. And they went really well with my eggnog latte. And the powdered sugar looks really pretty on my black t-shirt.

All in all it’s been a great week. I didn’t need but about a fourth of what I brought, but that’s okay. I’m all about being prepared. Just ask my family. I always make them pack however many days worth of underwear plus two or three extra. One never knows when that extra pair might come in handy. Like when Katie starts laughing so hard and says, “Oh! Stop! I think I’m going to pee myself.” (I’m sorry to share that with you. Hopefully she’s not reading this.)

Tomorrow morning we’ll pack up the truck (it could take a while) and then hit the road. We’re both anxious to get home. Todd’s parents came in from California Wednesday night and Taylor will be getting home this evening. I’m all about hugging that boy’s neck right now. And I can’t even tell you how much I’ve missed my girl! And Katie too. (BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)