Rain Check

've tried so hard to be happy and perky and optimistic today, despite the gloomy weather, but knowing what weekend it is and where I could have been this weekend, had it not been for my school schedule. See this weekend is our annual Memorial Day weekend trip, a tradition that my closest friends from high school and I try to do each year. It started in 2003, when several of the girls went to visit Kate while she was still living in Las Vegas. The following year, seven of us got together in San Diego, staying at Jessica's family's house on Coronado. After that, we all headed out to Miami while Liz was living there. This year it was decided we would head to Sedona, Arizona and we secured a timeshare for the entire week before anyone could definitely commit to attending.

It's the smallest group of all this year down there right now - Aja, Kate and Liz. The rest of us had schedule conflicts and though it sucks, we all accepted it and hope that next year will be far more allowing for all of us to join up. And up until today, I was fine with the fact that I wasn't going to be able to go. It's just another sacrifice in a growing list of things I am giving up for 2008 to get this license of mine. But when I woke up this morning and it was pouring and gray and nasty out . . . well it took every fiber in my being not to look up the weather report for Sedona. I don't think I could handle seeing just how warm and sunny and beautiful and Memorial day weekend-ish it is down there.

It's not even about getting to get away for a long weekend to a warm destination. With my pale Irish skin, I am generally the one slathered in SPF 70 and hanging out on the beach in a tiny tent. It's about getting away from things and getting to see my friends who used to be a car ride away and now are in Seattle, Boulder, Washington D.C. It's about being able to shed all previous schedules and just live for the weekend.

The pools in our apartment complex opened up this weekend for the summer. I am hoping it is nice enough tomorrow for me to lay out for a little bit to begin to build a base for New York. Ahhh yes . . . I may not be able to spend a week in Sedona, but I do have that family reunion coming up in July. I guess my waterlogged heart will just have to look forward to that.