Even I Can't Stretch Our Activites This Past Weekend Into A Date

Oh, cruel exhaustion and cranky hunger. This weekend we had tentative plans to go out and see a movie, walk through the dog museum... Something. It all depended on how we felt.

We had a stressful Friday. I didn't realize how worried I had been about taking a couple stray cats to the vet. I guess playing out possible scenarios in my head just led to a prolonged spike in blood pressure and a week of insanity on my part. Of course, the appointment went beautifully and the hubby and I still have vet privileges with my favorite veterinarian ever. One of my worst imagined possibilities was that he would throw up his hands and be done with us and all our actual pets. But then, how would he ever retire without us? The husband, always the voice of reason and calming influence, did so much to help me but it wasn't until it was all over that I finally relaxed. I guess I'd been one big ball of tense for days without even realizing it.

We had a lot of together time this weekend... But season 4 of Dexter also finally arrived from Netflix (it is wrong how happy that made me) and the hubby got to play a significant amount of his Soldier-y Battle game (what? Isn't that what it's called? Or is it Battle-y Soldiers?).

There was a chorus of "No, Dexter!" and gasping mixed with "Where is he? WHERE IS HE SHOOTING ME FROM!!! THIS IS BULLSH*T!" that met in the hallway and made beautiful indie music together... Yeah. We have our independent interests! That is good for a relationship! I will not give in! It's healthy! To be addicted to a show and a game... AH! Back it up, I am not diving any deeper into that right now.

Does napping count as a date? There was napping. Sort of. We were technically spending time together. Although his snoring could only charm me for so long during each nap since I have daytime insomnia (it's a thing! Right?). I got up because I can only be still and conscious for so long and watched Project Runway Saturday and made cupcakes Sunday. But I stared adoringly at him for the first 20 minutes each nap, so that's kind of romantic... Or creepy... We're married so I'm going with romantic. It's not stalking if he married you.

We also went somewhere that awakened the explorers and navigators within... Oooooo. Adventurous. So what if it was Sam's Club? They handed out a map when we walked through the door. They've moved everything in the entire damn warehouse. We're going to be confused for at least a year. We only deviated from the list once (Halloween candy!) so that counts as both productive and teamwork-y. Granted, I also got some spiced apple juice (juice was on the list! Shut it!) and then went into a diatribe about how Fall's here...

Time for the hottest summer on record in St. Louis to end!

Time for leaves to fall!

Time for pumpkin flavored everything!

TIME FOR ME TO BUST OUT THE FALL DECORATIONS.

Time for kitty puke to come in fall colors. Oh, fake fall foliage and its magical hold over kitties.

In other words, pre-Christmas time! Holla!

On second thought, I can see how this might not be construed as the most date-filled of weekends.

We did draw all the curtains and cuddle on the couch while watching an instant Netflix movie. This was followed by a couple episodes of Archer that we'd already seen. What is better than you and yours both finding the same thing equally hilarious? Good bonding! It counts! Right? RIGHT? Oh, fine.

We made puzzle date seem REALLY EXCITING. I concede. Less than date-worthy weekend wins this round. But it'll be the weekend again before we know it. We can do this! Right? Right! I will do a victory lap! I WILL!

An Arcade & The Other Guys Actual Movie Date

The hubby and I did manage to go on a date Sunday. We went to see the movie starring the 2 guys we just got to see - Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell!

Before the movie, we had some time, so we played in the arcade upstairs. It was pretty fun. The hubby played his shoot 'em up. For a very relaxed and non-violent guy, he sure gets excited about virtual killin'.

He posed only for a moment before completely losing his mind in the game. He has a terminal case of serious face here.

Bang bang!

Are my sound effects helping, Honey?

The grunt I assume answered my question in the negative.

So I wandered over to my favorite game. It is sort of strange since I am a devoted cat owner to a large number of rescued kitties...

Scat Cats is a simple skee ball type, knock 'em down game. The cats are all scraggly and strange looking. Honestly, I like this game because I always win.

At the same time, the subject matter is disconcerting. My cats are my babies. I am protective of them and spoil them rotten in real life. They are very loved and very happy. I wish no harm to them, even when they upset me. I would never harm a hair on their adorable heads.

That being said, to put it into perspective, me playing this game is like someone else playing "Whack-A-Deformed-Baby" or "Silent Scope: The Nursing Home Addition". There is something fundamentally wrong with me.

But, as you see, I wins.

Here I am waving just before putting the last one down. And I'm happy about it. And proud. I don't think we have the money for the kind of professonal help I must need.

The hubby and I then moved onto our favorite arcade game. We have battled it out over many an air hockey table. We probably played air hockey from our second date on. I like air hockey because I wins.

I am going to pretend not to see the pattern there. No, this is not self reflection time! I am a very happy, healthy, well adjusted human being.

Except for the whole I wins thing. *Scoffs. Let's just continue, shall we?

Air hockey. The sport with no rules. No limits! All victories!!!!! Oooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Sorry. What I meant to say was...

Air hockey, a fun and lively game between two rational adults in loves. Fun, fun. The husband set up a quick couple pics of us at the table. He unknowingly cropped his own head off. A sign of things to come.

We played the seemingly never-ending air hockey game. We sure got our bucks worth. Every time I charged ahead, I thought for sure the humming of the air coming through the vents in the table would go out, signifying the end of the game. But, it just kept on going.

The scoreboard didn't work, so we kept score on our own. He played better, I will admit, and sent several goals into his own side. THEREBY MAKING ME THE WINNER! BA HA HA HA! OH THE POWER OF WINNING WASHES OVER ME!!!

I mean, it was a lovely game where I had some excellent shots and so did he. And he did play better.

But you can knock the crap out of the baseball all you want, if the short stop and right fielder and second baseman keep catchin' it, you're gonna end up with a L instead of a W.

Yes, I am a bad person. Being aware of it doesn't make it any easier. It was an enjoyable time, though! As evidenced by smiles! Happy, noncompetitive smiles!

We then saw the movie The Other Guys. There were very few people in the theater. It was worthy of a packed house. I laughed so hard and so often that I started randomly hitting the hubby to let him know how funny I found it. I practically domestically abused him in a public, light-hearted setting.

With the price of seeing a movie being rather ridiculous, we've found going on our other dates is actually A LOT cheaper than seeing whatever has just come out. There are a lot of movies we've seen, or that we see the preview for, that we say to each other, "That was a Netflix movie". Rarely do we see a movie after it's out of the theater and wish we'd gone and seen it on the big screen. I can think of only two movies off the top of my head where we really felt that it would have been worth it to see on the mega screen (Sherlock Holmes and Up).

Want to know how much I enjoyed The Other Guys? It was worth the price of admission and then some. I would see it again, today, on the big screen.

Oh, and a literal, actual, 100% authentic miracle occurred.

I actually became a fan of Mark Wahlberg.

Yeah. I know. Right? Massive. I just blew your mind. I know, because I blew my own mind right there.

I also declared that we are buying this movie when it comes out (something we almost never do) and it took every fiber of my being to walk like a normal person to the car afterwards.

All I wanted to do was spread my arms out and run, slowly moving my arms and weaving, my impersonation of a bird.

Because "I AM A PEACOCK! LET ME FLY!"

Oh, Will Ferrell. And Mark Wahlberg. And a supporting cast of equally funny people. Great date! So worth seeing it in theater!

Proud and Ashamed!

I am proud of all the "dating" we have done the past few months. We went and saw and did so much. Almost every weekend, we have managed to take the time to be together and focus on each other. And I know we both feel like it's only the beginning!

At the same time, I'm a tad ashamed. Life getting in the way was why we settled into a comfort zone in the first place. That said, hello life. We've had a busy week. Car repairs, vet appointments, and errands galore.

There's been the joy that can only come with the stomach flu. My husband has made a decree that I am no longer allowed to eat out, since it seems God hates me. We thought we'd found a couple places where I was okay, but we were mistaken. After a couple questionable responses and never totally recovering, one ice cream after the wolf sanctuary was enough to put me out of commission for nearly a week.

Then, there was the show entitled "People And Stuff Are Coming" starring my husband and me, my folks, my grandmother's organ, several gigantic and heavy things from my dead grandfather's house, and some movers who shall not be named. Not because I want to conceal their identities either. Because we were never fortunate enough for introductions. We waited for furniture to be moved here from 2 states away. The movers were no shows 3 times in a row, and trust me, I got off easy in comparison to everyone else. I was just waiting for them to deliver furniture. It was worse for those who were waiting for it to be picked up.

A lot of my waiting involved me super cleaning and moving large pieces of furniture around to make room for more large pieces of furniture that were coming. Since I didn't know how many movers there would be and because I was the middle stop in a straight-shot-turned-triangle-turned-polygon journey, I wanted to have something nice to give them when they finished here. I baked 2 kinds of cookies from scratch, wrote a heartfelt card, and made a little basket decorated with maps of where the movers were from on it to hold the cookies. There's 5 hours in the kitchen I'm never getting back.

Suffice to say, the husband's office had a pretty good week. They were amazed that I had cut out little circles of wax paper to put between the cookies, since I had stacked them and wrapped the little stacks in plastic wrap before tying them off in pretty curling ribbon (ribbon that, I might add, matched the pretty little map-cookie-holder-basket). Sigh. At least they were appreciated.

Lastly, Ramadan started. Which is a good thing in general but the first couple days can be difficult. The body is tired and hungry and doesn't understand why this is happening. And with the two of us, we have entirely different reactions and responses. The husband adapts more easily than me in general and is more laid back. His nerves are well guarded and his boiling point high. He handles it with grace and ease. It seems easy to him, and if it isn't, he certainly hides it well. He is a good model but one that I often fail to emulate. Today, I feel really good. My energy is high and I am very alert. My snarky, snappy, cranky side is quiet. I feel like I could do out and do just about anything...

Of course, this could change at any moment. And, the husband has had to work the past several days. He's started his days at 3am. Not like me, where I might start my day at 3 but then by 4 restart my night by going back to bed for a few more hours. The hubby has gotten up and stayed up, his days filled with work, errands, and then time at home with me. It is not surprising that he would need a nap this afternoon. That he would not have some sort of second wind like mine. Surely this is because he's had a second wind earlier this week. And a third, then a fourth...

I do not know when we'll have comparable energy for our next date. We've decided a movie (I know, I know) is something we could manage. I think this was mostly because we have 2 movies out that we'd love to see in the theater (The Other Guys and Scott Pilgrim). Beyond that, we'll see how this next week goes. I have a very interesting list of dates that I have deemed appropriate for the more relaxed, easy going time that is needed while fasting.

Whether I'll be proud to give my account of them or ashamed that they stayed only good ideas, only the next several weeks will tell. I have a feeling that although this weekend may pass quietly, the ones to come will not walk by so softly. They might be driven by horses, creeped out by puppets, barked at by dogs, or experimented on through science. All in the name of dating my husband!

Lone Elk Park Mini-Date

As I mentioned in the previous post, the hubby and I were early for the tour of the Endangered Wolf Center over the weekend. Since the wolf sanctuary ended up being very close to one of our favorite parks, we went there for about 40 minutes while we waited.

Lone Elk Park is a large, beautiful, and picturesque park. There are some areas that encourage picnicking or hiking. There are large warning signs about the ticks and chiggers and other insect infestations. No animals (like dogs) are allowed in the park or in vehicles that drive through the park. Not sounding like a big draw? Wait for it.

The best way to enjoy the park is to drive through it. Some parts of the park are only for driving through (getting out of the car is not allowed). This is because Lone Elk Park is more like a wildlife refuge than a typical park. It is bordered by a high fence and the entrance and exits have metal tubes to drive over that deter wildlife from leaving the park. There are all kinds of animals. Obviously, there are elk. There's also deer, wild turkeys, and a large herd of bison. We have never driven through this park without getting to see some type of wildlife. It is a different experience every time, but every time, it is also exhilarating and exciting. Often, the animals are very close to the road. While driving through, there are always other hidden animals throughout. I think of it like a Where's Waldo of wild animals. The husband and I drive slowly and randomly yell out, "I see it!" while pointing emphatically. If other drivers have stopped or slowed, do the same. Something is waiting to be seen. Sometimes animals are crossing the road or taking a short rest in the road, and getting to let them pass is a major highlight of the visit (instead of an annoyance or frustration).

One time, the elk were all going down to the lake. They came slowly through a small, nearby parking lot and across the road. 4 or 5 cars (including us) were at the right place at the right time. We got to sit and see them come within inches of us. There were a few giant males with impressive antlers, a large number of females, and some calves.

This weekend, we drove in and my husband immediately went down the road we usually skip (since it's short and a turnaround, unlike the rest of the roads that lead lots of places and turn into one another). As usual, I was saying something about how we might not see any animals this time. I say that every trip, and every trip we see something.

We were on the road about 2 seconds when we came upon this. Just beyond the shot on the left hand side are a couple picnic tables.

I squealed in glee. We drove right up and parked between the herd. Oh! Babies still with their white spots on their backs! Oh!

It is always a source of pure joy when we get to see things up close. I had the window down and was taking pictures. I talked to them and told them they were pretty and sweet. This one baby kept looking right at me. There was also another fawn-spotted baby in this picture (in front of the mother on the right hand side - see it's little ears?).

We sat in the car for a while and just enjoyed watching them graze and rest. Although uninterested in people and also not afraid, it's important to remember they are wild creatures. Interaction with them is prohibited. Feeding them is also not allowed. I think these rules allow the perfect balance of letting these creatures live their lives while letting us see them (vs having them bombard the car for food or get into accidents with cars and/or people). We drove on after awhile, leaving them in the exact same state they had been, for the next car to come and enjoy them. They were in no rush on this lovely morning.

I figured we wouldn't see anything else. Of course, we almost immediately saw some wild turkeys a little bit off the road, up in some dense forest. I started singing, "Turkey, turkey, turkey" and rubbing my belly. I voiced a happy thought about Thanksgiving coming before we know it. My husband found this funny. Maybe that makes me a bad animal lover? I don't know. We also saw a deer hidden among the trees a little more down the road.

I thought we'd seen all we'd see. About halfway through the park, we turned a corner and saw 2 cars parked at the side. We pulled up and there were the bison. The bison area is where visitors must remain in their cars. They were grazing on a steep hill.

Their calves were spread throughout the grass and 3 of them were right up (or on) the road resting. I got such delight out of this one.

I again had the window open and was talking to it. It's little horns just got me. I put my hands at the side of my head and stretched up my index fingers, showing that I had little horns, too. "Oooooh, you're such a little warrior!" My husband just shook his head at me.

I couldn't stop myself if I tried. "Look at your itty bitty ferocious horns! Who's a little fighter? Who's a little tough guy? You are!" In all honesty, if he wanted, he probably could give me a good, solid injury to the lower body. But those horns were just too much. Adorable.

The adults just kept eating away. We watched for a little while, and when my husband could take no more of my cooing at the tiny horned calf, we headed out of the park to go on our actual, planned date.

I can't wait until the fall when all the leaves start to change. When the trees become more bare, showing more of the animals hidden in the forest. This is a park so inviting in all seasons. We found it by accident and have been in love with this secluded, off the beaten path park ever since. One of the best kept secrets in St. Louis.

Did I mention it's free? Yeah. In the future, we will definitely be planning a longer, more elaborate date at this location. We might even get out of the car and eat at one of the picnic tables! After the first (or second) frost.

The Endangered Wolf Center Date

My husband and I left for our tour at the wolf sanctuary an hour before were we supposed to arrive. I was not aware that the sanctuary is 10 minutes from the house. We were so ridiculously early that we turned around and drove through my favorite of the St. Louis County Parks (Lone Elk Park). I'll detail our pre-date time there in the next post (babies! I love baby animals! This is such a great park!).

We still managed to be early for the tour. The entrance had a small sign I would have missed without my husband's excellent eye. There was a wide, tall, electrified and automatic gate outfitted with an elaborate keypad. This gate was flanked by an equally intimidating fence. It was right off of the first side road from the highway. I would have driven right by and just assumed it was a "no trespassing" type of place and not given it any more thought.

We waited for someone to come and let the one car in front of us (and us) inside. More and more cars came, and we all got in a line after signing in and being let through the gate. We then formed a caravan behind the tour guide's vehicle. We drove farther and farther back. It was all trees and greenery. There was a distinct lack of people. The only thing proving anyone had ever been there was a paved road that turned into a dirt road.

The actual wolf sanctuary is located in a small area within the Washington University's Tyson Research Center. The university has 2,000 acres of seclusion and forest. We parked along the dirt road and went into a bunker that had been used for ammunition during World War II. There were a lot of WWII buildings throughout the research center, but most were now hidden by grasses and trees. The bunker we went into had been transformed into an educational center and a gift shop. We learned a little about wolves in general and then about all the endangered wolves on the property. After that, we headed out on our walking tour of the enclosures.

There were a lot of people. If I had to wager a guess I'd say 35-40 at least. The husband was great at sticking with me and booking it when I got all determined to walk close to the front of the group (which was most of the time). With so many people, it was often hard to get up close enough for a good view. I also liked to hear what the guides were saying, but we had to be right next to them in order to hear anything. There were some smaller children and a bit of noise (although it probably would have been just as noisy without them due to the sheer number of people).

One college-aged girl was on her cell the entire time. She also was wearing a somewhat dressy dress. I don't know what to say about that. Even I wore sunscreen (70 SPF!) and bug repellent. It's been over 100 degrees for what feels like weeks and that day's prediction was low 90s. It was a break but still obviously a hot summer day. Every step it took to get to taking the tour, from learning about the existence of the sanctuary in the first place to making reservations to visit, lends itself to the knowledge that this is an outdoor, walking-in-nature type of experience. If even I know this, there is no way anyone can be surprised. If I think there is any chance I can wear the least hike-y outfit I can, then I go with that. Today was comfortable sandals, a white tee, and a modest light khaki skirt. Even I will admit it wasn't pretty. I don't really know who forced this girl to come but it was kind of sad.

Most of the visitors were pretty appropriate and respectful. Because so many of the animals were skittish, we were asked to be as quiet as possible so as to not scare them off. They wanted us to have as much of a chance as possible to see as many of the animals as possible.

My good hubby just kept holding my hand with his non-camera hand and kept up as I rushed to be in the front section of the group. I love that he still holds my hand.

The first animal we saw was the Swift Fox. As large as a small house cat and nocturnal, we were informed that it was a treat for us to see one since few tours ever get a glance. He was so little, and it was difficult to keep an eye on him through the double chain link fence. Still, we were able to spend several key minutes watching the little critter.

It didn't help that there were several raccoons who had MacGyvered their way into the pen to steal the fox food. They made a quick, clumsy, and dramatic escape. One actually had an epic fail as he misjudged distance when performing his Cirque Soleil move from the tree to the outer top of the fence. He fell all the way to the ground, landing on his back, the thud louder than everyone's murmurs and conversations about the raccoons. He was fine, though. They all ran off without injury or issue.

The next enclosure housed 8 Grey Mexican Wolves. This is where something started happening to me that I cannot put it words. I love animals but this was something different. There was something majestic and stunning about these wolves when I saw them. It took my breath away.

These 8 wolves were siblings. They were very active in their cage and would soon be going elsewhere for more wolf conservation and breeding efforts. The National Fish and Wildlife Service (or some similarly named government entity - I was listening but there were wolves... and feelings... and wolves. Forgive me!) oversees all things wolves. It keeps records and determines what wolves go where, who breeds with who, monitors each one in the wild by microchip, and so on. Not just at this center but everywhere. They have sort of an all-encompassing view over it all and make judgements based on the whole. It makes sense if there are only 14 wolves of this species or that species that are pure and desirable for breeding. They're trying to not only increase the population but also keep the bloodlines strong. I do not envy them and their responsibilities. 

The hubby got excellent pictures considering how difficult it was to shoot through all these fences. In person, it was a little easier to see. They were so gorgeous. Granted, with the awful heatwave, they had shed their coats and were much smaller than they will appear to be in the winter, but they were still large and beautiful animals.

They came right up the fence and rubbed on it. They were not doing it to show affection but to let us know that this was their territory. The center has been around since 1971 and has a very specific approach to saving these endangered creatures. Their goal is to increase their populations and to selectively breed and then release as many wolves as possible back into the wild (as determined by aforementioned government agency). There is no warm wolf/human interaction. The goal at the center is not to gain the trust or affection of the wolves. They do not want the wolves to lose their fear of humans. At the same time, it is blatantly obvious that everything the people at the center are doing is for the best for the wolves and that every thought and action comes from a pure, respectful, and loving place.

After seeing the 8, we walked up a steep hill to another enclosure. There were 2 more Mexican Grays. Rocky was the male and had been through a lot. His story is on their website at Rocky's Story and he was almost completely blind. He will never be released into the wild but has a good life at the sanctuary. He and his companion stayed far away from our large group.

I don't know how my husband even got the picture of him (on the left) and his female friend (on the right). The enclosures were very large. They were not created for people to view wolves. They were created for wolves period. The atmosphere of the sanctuary, from the inside of the bunker that housed the gift shop to the gravel road we walked on next to the enclosures, definitely made me feel like there just wasn't any other viable option. It was for the peace of mind and the needs of the wolves, to put the least amount of stress on them as possible. This is why when we couldn't see very much in the following 2 enclosures, I didn't feel upset at that one bit.

In the next enclosure was the red wolf,  but she hid well and we were told this was expected of her. Her story can be found at Inapa's Story and it shows the resilience of these animals. Her name not only has it's own meaning but can also be interpreted by sound since Inapa had an injury where she lost (and then "needed") a paw.

After that, we came to the Wild African Dog enclosures. They were asleep in lumps and were really hard to see with the sun, the fences, and their coats hiding them in the taller grass. Behind their enclosure was the one housing the female grey wolf with her 5 puppies. We saw them moving and kind of could pick them out but it was a definitely a stretch. They put her in that enclosure so that she would feel the safest that she could as she raised her cubs. They didn't want tours walking right by and making her feel like she needed to protect and defend her babies.

The hubby stood in front of the Wild African Dog enclosures in this photo.

 

The last 2 enclosures had several more Mexican Greys. This one ran along the fence as well. I kept saying hi to it and waving at it. This is one of the few shots without my fingers covering the left side of the picture. He wasn't afraid of me but when a woman a few feet down placed her hands on the rail in front of her, he jumped up about a foot. Just the movement scared him.

Next to this enclosure, a new pack of very wild wolves was running. We were told it was also very rare for a tour to see them at all, since they are the most wary of all the wolves at the sanctuary. It was an incredible experience.

Um... There was also a wall of contributors. Betty White was on there. But, my favorite had to be the following. I like how the tile not only complements her in relation to her profession but also to her actual self. Way to go, Sabrina. I may not know you but now I know you're great. So that's good. I can put that great mystery to rest. I lose a lot of sleep wondering if Melissa Joan Hart is a... witch. Which she was. On television. But not in life. She's great in life. It says so right there.

I'm only teasing there. It just cracked me up. Honestly, I think it's great she's been a part of this. I just find it kind of funny the way that is worded and how it's a little tribute to her. But if I ever win the lottery (which is even more of a long shot then you're thinking, since I don't play the lottery), I solemnly swear that I will give a big old chunk of money to the Endangered Wolf Sanctuary and that my wolf engraving will say something like "Happy Wife: A Decent Blogger And A Pretty Okay (Most Of The Time) Person".

Until I find that leprechaun (I'm branching out now, pretty soon there will be so many ways in which we can become rich that it'll have to happen sometime, right?), we went home and went online to become general members to support the center financially in our own little way. No tile for us, but that is what we could manage. I also want to find a painting (or more realistically a print of a painting) of a wolf to hang somewhere in our home. I want to remember that day. I want to be able to see something that reminds me of the way I felt. So far, I've looked a little online and have found only one we're considering, but even the print is a bit out of our budget. Once we do have something like that in our home, and with the addition of time, maybe I'll be able to process all of this into words that will do this experience the justice it deserves.

Going into the date, I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't a jovial, light hearted experience. It wasn't Duran Duran. But, it wasn't sad or entirely upsetting either. It was heavy, and deep. I'm an animal lover, which isn't a secret, but this was above and beyond what I normally feel around and about animals. There was something about that place and those animals. Some that aren't even found in the wild anymore. It really affected me. I didn't want to cuddle them (okay, if they wanted to be cuddled, that would be a lie). It was so much more than enough to simply see them and to learn about them. Their stories and history and struggle to continue surviving (existing!) were jarring. It's really hard to combine all the things they are - precious, predators, beautiful, graceful, ghost-like. They're almost myth. Yet, I see my Mav in part of them, the dog I love that sleeps against my feet and shares our home and life. Something so tangible that can't quite be touched. I left wanting only good things for them, some sort of hopeful spark starting to burn inside of me. Along with a desire to recapture the feeling I had when seeing them as they ran. To never let myself forget that feeling. And to do what I can, even in my small way, to help them.

The Randomness That is Don King (AKA The Mark Wahlberg/Will Ferrell Date)

On Tuesday, it was announced that St. Louis had won a facebook competition where Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg would come and do "the other premier" for The Other Guys on Thursday. Theater location? The little quiet theater the hubby and I always go to in Chesterfield, Missouri. Yeah. So weird.

Tickets were not for sale - they were given away by radio stations and so on. With the possible furniture delivery we were expecting, we didn't give it too much thought. As Thursday went on, and the furniture movers were a no show picking up the stuff in northern Indiana, we knew not to expect them. I threw on my bright red Big Bang Theory Bazinga shirt and we headed over to Chesterfield around 4:30 pm (the "red carpet" was supposed to happen at 6:30).

We drove by and were amazed at the crowd. Instead of parking and getting a closer look, we went to Sonic and ate supper. Mmmmmm. Popcorn chicken, mozzarella sticks, and a Campfire Blast. So tasty. Which led me to be in a good enough mood to let my husband persuade me to have one more look at the premier location.

We parked and decided to walk around. If facing the theater, the red carpet was set up on the right hand side. We parked in the far left parking lot, where the line was going around the building.

 This is me saying, "I'm not getting in that line.

Let's just go look at the red carpet part and then leave."

We passed the main part of the theater.

Sweet Jesus, look at all these people!

When we get to the left side, we are faced with a lot of random space.

So we stand by the rail. 

I think we may have just cut a line that didn't know what it was doing. We decide, since it's a quarter past five already, we'll just stand here a bit. It's a different experience. Some people have been there since 7 am. We just take in the crowd, read the signs, and talk about how strange it is that this is happening at our movie theater.

We almost die laughing at the "Say 'hello' to your mother for me" sign for Mark Wahlberg.

Oooo, we say, someone has a lot of balls. And they're gonna get kicked. By Marky Mark.

Time passes and someone informs the line that there is a crapload of space to fill in where they can actually see the red carpet. Other St. Louis "celebrities" are supposed to show up before the main event. There are radio station DJs with microphones talking to the crowd and doing a few ticket giveaways.

This man arrives.

My husband yells the following to me several times over the crowd,

"It's B.B. King! It's B.B. King!"

I end up being really glad I did not yell "Hi, B.B. King" out as he walked right by us, since it turns out, he was Don King. Don King, as the radio DJs mentioned several times, was not really expected at this event. He randomly showed up and walked the road part of the red carpet and the red carpet part of the red carpet. Up and down. Several times. At one point, half an hour after he got here and after some other people had walked the red carpet, I heard one DJ say, "Hey, there's Don King again. He's wandering the red carpet some more." The DJ tried and failed to curb his own laughter.

Then, as magically as he had appeared, Don King left. Didn't really say anything or do anything other than wander. He had worn a very sparkly jacket with his face on the back of it and waved a handful of small American flags. I don't know what else to say about it. "What the what" sums it up, I think.

Other "celebrities" came. If you think Mayor Slay showing up counts. Sure, why not. Then, Rampage and Fredbird ran through the crowd (they're the Rams and Cardinals mascots). I was actually a little excited to see Redbird. Love ya, Cards! Fans dressed up in costumes, most like they were in the movie Elf. Some costumes were more elaborate than others. There were a lot of people with cowbells.

There was a rumor some Rams players were going to show up (to which I said to my husband, "Awesome! Not one person here one will know their names." A man who was not my husband found this very funny.). Then, a handful of Blues hockey players walked through instead, which would have been great if we had known who they were. We just saw some tall thin white guys in dress shirts and slacks walk by and the crowd sort of murmured to itself saying, "They cannot be football players." Not particularly tall or broad shouldered and looking like they might cash in at a buck twenty soaking wet. I think to myself, "If they are our football team, I think this rocket scientist in her Big Bang Theory shirt just figured out why we never win any games."

When the Rams players did show up, they did not walk through the part we were at. They only walked on the actual red carpet and therefore bypassed about 75% of all the people waiting and lining the rest of the walking areas. I think it would have been cool to see them. We've thought maybe we'd go to a game this year. For our exciting dating that we're doing. So that wasn't too impressive that the players totally ignored basically everybody. Great job, Rams, sucking in a whole new way there.

Everyone else who came to walk the red carpet also only walked the short actual carpet distance. We couldn't see any of them but honestly, if the rapper Chingy had spent time walking by us, I would have only known who he was by listening to the yells of those around me who would have recognized him. I could be stuck on an elevator with Chingy and I'd never know.

See in the photo how there is a walkway on the road right in front of us? Yeah, so it was just Don King taking laps around that and no one else really seemed to care. The actual red carpet is in front of the big lights. There is a section of people between us and that (which no one could see over). The crowd around me started to get upset, thinking that the stars they had come to see wouldn't walk where most of us could see them.

I asked my husband, "How much of a mob do you think there'll be when Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell don't walk by everyone over here?"

He replied, "Big. Won't be good."

We jokingly embraced and I said, "If this is how we die, it's been a good ride with you, Honey!"

6:30 came and went. Every time a plane flew overheard or a helicopter whirled by, the crowd went crazy. Finally, about an hour late, the dark SUVs pulled up and out came Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell. They did not just walk the red carpet. They came through our area first, and although we hadn't waited all day like some people, we were in prime real estate. My husband stood behind me on the curb with the camera and filmed it. I stood right in front of him, my feet and hands on the gate. I was literally inches away from both of them as they came through! Nothing but my own self control stopping me from getting to them! Well, to Will. A couple minutes with some good shots of the actors, my lovely captioning, and all the background screaming you could ever want to hear can be found here:

Our Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell Video

We didn't have anything for them to sign, mostly because who thought we'd be in that situation? Not us. There wasn't time for them to have a lot of one-on-one with their fans right then anyway. Still, I thought they handled the crowd (of "thousands" as our newspaper reported today) really well. They stopped and signed a lot of stuff and did not rush by us. And although we didn't stay for the whole thing or have tickets to see the premier with them, it was a really odd, rare event that we got to experience.

I did get dinner and a show of sorts, so it counts. A really weird date that had a lot of standing around, amusing ourselves, and ended with seeing an actor we both love (and one we don't love... or hate). High fives. Rockin' the obscure date.

My only regret? Not owning a bedazzler and having had the wherewithal and planning to make the world's most awesome B*tch Hunter shirt.

I wish I was kidding about that. I am so lucky my husband puts up with me.

Hungry Like The Wolf

"I'm on a hunt down after you... Smell like I sound, lost in a crowd, and I'm hungry like the wolf..."

Really, I'm trying to stop. But I have no control. Damn you, Duran Duran. Fine. To my ipod you go. We will listen to you Saturday until my husband throws me or my ipod out of the car.

The weekend is fast approaching. We're waiting for really old, large, heavy, and cumbersome furniture to be delivered. It's a coin flip whether it'll be picked up and then also whether it'll show. Unwilling to pay a licensed, insured moving company to haul my grandmother's beloved organ and a strange mishmash of my other grandparents furniture, my mother found "some people on the internet". Sure, the only worth any of it has is in sentiment and sentiment alone, but the fact that my mother, who doesn't even have her own email address, went online and set this all up, well, it's sort of mind blowing. Give her credit where credit is due. Even attempting to get any of it the +500 miles from point A to point B... Deserves respect. Last night I finally got the actual dimensions of everything. Which is good, since none of it will fit anywhere I had planned. It's supposed to be here tonight... Or tomorrow morning...

As much as I wanted to keep our weekend open for the inevitable delayed furniture, I knew this weekend was our last chance to get in a normal date weekend before Ramadan. After this weekend, we are going to have a month of dates that are very relaxed and flexible out of necessity. You try fasting for a month. You will not have the energy or desire to do a ton of things. Because you're hungry. And exhausted. Probably not terribly fun to be around. It sounds trying but really it's a good thing. Just plan accordingly.

I had no idea what Ramadan was until I met my husband. And, I have participated every year that I have known him (except for one year when I was sick). It's different for someone raised very Jesus-y. I don't really know why I sort of immediately jumped in with both feet. Head over heels in love certainly had something to do with it. Even when we lived 400 miles away from each other, I still did it. Part of it was my way of saying thank you to my husband for putting him through the Psycho-Happy-Wife-Christmastime that happens every December (who am I kidding? We're lucky if I wait until after Halloween to get started). I loves me some Christmas. And I do it up, I tell you. It is something to behold. So me joining him in his big yearly tradition felt right to me. From the first year, I found in Ramadan a lot of things I hadn't experienced before. It makes you thankful and thoughtful in a whole new way. Now, I don't do it just for my husband. I do it for me. And for my own connection with things bigger than me.

Although on paper my husband and I do not share the same religion, we've talked about our beliefs and we do not believe in different things. We just express it differently. We've never tried to force the other to change. I think that is because at the heart of things, we know we're the same. It's natural to be curious and skeptical, and we certainly were met with a lot of "concerned" family members when we got together. I'm not one to push my religion on anyone, but the weirdest part for me was that I truly believed that God had sent me my husband. Still do. To then be told that it's because of God that we shouldn't be together... It was just ridiculous. What we have was given to us by God. I think some people still don't see that. All that matters is that we do.

And, I'll quit talking about this in a second, but you know what our children would be? Other than loved? They would be tolerant. And they'd have Ramadan and Christmas and it would be awesome.

Back to the dating. This weekend, my husband and I are going to The Wild Canid Center. High fives to those like me who had to look up Canid. It means wolves. Turns out there is an endangered wolf sanctuary in our area. There are wolf puppies! We're going on a 2 hour tour "pack"ed full of wolves. Heh. Play on words there. Since this is an outdoor date and it involves a walking tour, we wanted to do this before we were fasting. It is also supposed to be slightly cooler temperature-wise, so it seems like it was meant to be.

I want to love it and hold it and bring it home and raise it...

Okay, so maybe the kitties wouldn't love me raising a wolf puppy. I respectfully tone down my tendency to reach out and grab all animals. I will just enjoy them through the center. And try to refrain from petting anything that thinks I'm tasty.

"Hungry like the wolf..."

No, the husband doesn't know yet that this song is stuck in my head and that it's being downloaded into my iTunes right now. Why do you ask? How could he possibly not be thrilled about that?

(Singing) "I'M ON THE HUNT DOWN AFTER YOU... SCENT  AND A SOUND, LOST AND I'M FOUND, AND I'M HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF..." No, that's not annoying at all. Nope.

(Singing in a whisper) "Hungry like the wooooolf."

Sweet (Geeky) Heavens! LOTR! Swoons!

The hubby and I spent the afternoon together. Romance! Action! Drama! Friendship! Danger! Loves! Violence! Bloody, bloody violence! Sean Bean! Say it so it rhymes! Sean Bean!

We were watching the extended super-special-y Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. We drew the curtains closed and cuddled on our dramatically oversized couch (which, thanks to Rothman's Furniture professional store layout of "stick it all in one giant room", we managed to purchase and have delivered several years ago with NO idea of how gargantuan it really was). I was in my happy place, sitting super close to the husband (my right side) with Maverick the dog stretching out so her head rested on my shoulder (to my left). Pandora the cat changed position around us frequently but never strayed more than a few feet away on the ottoman.

As I've mentioned before, movies aren't really dates to us. With our earlier Penguin date, we gave ourselves over yesterday to errands and decided to phone it in today. It was all pjs and leftovers.

Yet, watching this particular movie came from a future date. A date we discovered and about 5 minutes later jumped into with both feet. YES, PLEASE.

I was lazily looking on some St. Louis websites this morning while the hubby did techie things I'll never understand on his computer. I happened to see the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra website. We've never been and have talked about going. The theater is supposedly beautiful and happens to be very close to the Fox Theater. So we know where it is and where to park. Score! Plus, the orchestra is supposed to be superb and well known nationally. Win-win.

I started scrolling down the events. Wow. Blah blah Mozart and Beethoven blah blah orchestra. Not that I don't want to see classical music. I would probably enjoy it. The husband actually owns cds of this stuff. That's cool. Orchestra-y. I continue strolling. They throw an ABBA night in there. What? I keep looking. Brahms. Okay. Then, I see they're playing the soundtrack to Hitchcock's Psycho the movie over Halloween weekend (while showing the film alongside on a big screen behind the orchestra). I'm starting to feel warm, fuzzy feelings in my tummy.

I don't remember it until I see it. Then I might have squealed a little.

I remember reading about how the orchestra did the score of the Lord the Rings movies, how it was sold out, and how it blew everybody away. I see they are doing Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. They are going to perform the entire score on 3 nights while playing the movie on a big screen. Tingles. I gots 'em. Clickity, clickity, clickity. Could there be 2 seats left for us? Any of those nights? I am not busy in April 2011. If I become busy, well, we all have our priorities. MINE WOULD BE LOTR with the frickin' orchestra.

Um... Hi. I literally turn, scoot my chair towards my husband's desk chair, and begin a vain but vigorous pulling attempt on it. It's enough to be very, very annoying. I don't do it often. Just when I really, really want him to see something.

He scoots over, asking, "What? Why can't you just tell me?"

I point and sort of gurgle and clap and point and gesture wildly. He reads it and says, "Cool!"

Victory lap around the office. I do my awesome, awesome dance.

For some reason (I'm guessing tickets went on sale today), there aren't 2 random seats for us. There is one sold out section at each of the shows. But, at all 3, there are a lot of seats available. A LOT.

Clickity, clickity, clickity. Which show has the best seats available? Oh, all 3 basically have the same opening? Well, we'll take Friday night, then, thank you very much.

2 SEATS. 6TH ROW CENTER, BABY.

A few hours later, the hubby asks if I want to watch the movie. I say, sure, and hence, our afternoon together watching Lord of the Rings. Excellent choice, husband, as I had forgotten how incredible the score was. Every time the music swelled, it was like a separate memory for me. The melodies are just so memorable, so lovely, and so right for this movie. Hear them anywhere and it'd come back to you.

I'm in geek nirvana right now. I have a Bachelor's in English (don't ask) and one of my medieval lit professors worked for Tolkien back in the day. Granted, she was completely batty and kind of looked like she belonged in Middle Earth. And she had no warm, fuzzy feelings for the author. That's besides the point. I was one person removed from Tolkien in a different time period on another continent... IT COUNTS. I saw all 3 of the movies in the theater with my grandmother (she loved them - one of many of my great memories of our times together). I have all 3 special editions of the movies. I obviously have the books. And I'm married to a software engineer. I'm a nerd on a professional level.

Is there possibly a better date that we could plan? Come on! Ridiculous. It's going to be awesome! We have how many months to wait and I'm already at a "maybe I should learn Elvish!" level of excitement. This is what life feels like... When you decide to increase your cultural knowledge,expand your horizons, and go all high brow by buying tickets to the symphony orchestra!

In other words, one date to rule them all!!!