Sweet-kend!

A sweet weekend it was, my final one as a 33 year old. Kicked it off on Friday with some Chinese take-out and a batch of movies. Wonderland starring Val Kilmer as notorious movie star John Holmes rocked the night - drugs, violence, jarring film techniques, obsession - it was much more than I expected, and it's always nice when something is better than you expect. On the downside, I suffered through The Day The Earth Stood Still remake starring everyone's favorite robot-actor Keanu Reeves. It had potential, it really did, but the end doomed it to the $1 bin. Last time I saw Keanu in a good movie was The Lake House. Poor guy - how long ago was that?

The next morning it was off to UPENN for Distributed Leadership training. The weather on Saturday was GORGEOUS, but alas! I was trapped indoors for 8 hours listening to lectures on decision-making. Ah well! We disbanned at 4 p.m., and I was off to Morimoto for my birthday dinner with Mom and Barry. I have fond (and expensive) memories of my late husband's 30th birthday dinner in 2003 at that place. It was a bittersweet feeling being back there, the interior decoration the same, but feelings of emptiness and resentful nostalgia creeping in... then banished! This was my good time. I bemoaned forgetting my camera to photograph the delicious food, and my cell phone just didn't capture the detailed colors and textures of the food. The wine was sweet (love a good reisling!), the rock shrimp was tangy, the sushi melted in my mouth, and the cappucino capped off a perfect meal. At home that night, RL and I caught up on TV shows through Hulu (seriously House-writers, did Kutner have to end it like THAT?), and I fell into a peaceful slumber.
















Sunday was field trip day down to the Free Library of Philadelphia Book Festival. I met four of my kids from my AP English class, bought them lunch, and took pictures of them fingerpainting, posing with the Target dog, meeting authors, and being accosted by rogue jugglers. I picked up all kinds of free swag and got a few books signed.
















(OMG - saddest Clifford evah!)
















(OMG - me and Target Dog!)

On the way home, I stopped at my beloved vegetable truck at 44th and Walnut Streets. How I miss it! I got about 15 pounds of fruit and vegs for less than $10. With my last dollar, I bought a bag of onions for a woman short of change but full of impulse. Random acts of kindness empower and enrich the soul.

Birthday Monday was a splash! Because of my pervasive Facebook use, and friending nearly all my students, the birthday wishes were overwelming and adorable! Loved it, what can I say? It's nice not to have to point out to others that it's your birthday. Plus, during my last period class, a gift basket from my dad and Tina was delivered to my classroom. Supersweet. Thanks, Daddieo!