parties parties parties!

It's been a few days of doing almost nothing but going out to parties.... our own wh1te elephant one, the xmas carol party, Chefily's, Nolly's, Whump's and then Genet's.

All good for different things; raucous or quiet, flirty or cosy. Good food or sketchy. Underwear flashing sort of party, or definitely not. all kinds of parties!

Yesterday I took Moomin to the McD's indoor playground, one of those habitrail things. He was full of boasting in the car of how he would ask kids what is your name and do you want to play. When we go there he went up to the very top and scrabbled around for nearly an hour often pretending in a little cornerr to be driving a spaceship. He knows how to say what's your name and let's play in spanish, but got shy about it... then when some english-speaking kids showed up, he was firmly in shy solo mode. At least he ran around and got some exercise.. I might be reduced to going there again, or the squalid Polo Alto kid's "museum" since it's raining like crazy here.

At whump's yesterday I played a railroad-building game. Can't remember the name of it. And could hardly tear myself away from JL and MA who are nerdy, fun, and sweet! They described how every year for xmas one of them makes the other one a very fancy multi-course dinner. When I say "very fancy" I mean it. It was impressive! "then, a wild mushroom puree with creme fraiche... a terrine of somethingorother... a salad with somethingelse and foie gras.. lemon granita to cleanse the palate and then the parchment-wrapped sole..." Heh!!! Then we couldn't stop talking about books. They will both be in the M0by D1ck group. (They also totally endeared themselves to me by properly admiring and paying attention to Moomin.) May i just say once more for the record that whump really knows how to throw a party and he is a fabulous host! A skill not everyone has.

I left Moomin and Rook and drove off to Genet's party. I had never met her, but she is my "ex"girlfriend Dot's co-author and publisher and also published one of Chula's books. And is now living with a housemate who I knew from the l3ather faeries 15 years ago. It was a nice party but sort of overwhelmed by society of J4nus people for my taste.... they have a very different style or ethic or something. Anyway, on the way over there I got completely lost as the directions said 24/580 and I kept going on 24 nearly going through the tunnel! ack! then, lost up near the Claremont Hotel which oddly we were just "at" in our Buffy game last week for the pretend technopagan conference. I greeted it with the recognition one should give to places one has pretended to be for hours and hours in a dorky role playing game.

More being lost... lots of dark winding streets in the intense rain... ugh! No cell phone, as it was stolen with my backpack... 2 gas stations misdirected me. Finally i found the place on a map and got there. OMG but Chula had left her purse on the bus and was unnerved and upset... I hope she finds it!

Since I lost my own bag last week I hope I was properly sympathetic. I am going to check the lost and found at the grocery one more time today and then give it up for lost and buy a new phone.

Dot and Chula had not really met either... sort of... but now Dot was like "Oh! so THIS is badger's new girlfriend " and giving me funny looks as if she saw right through me in some slightly uncomfortable way that I was not able to see myself in. But nice benevolent looks of general approval and "aren't you rather sweet together". I think later I will be in for the "I approve of your new girlfriend" speech and many questions! As is possibly the lesbonic way everywhere...?! We accidentally wore matching outfits -- I was in my same red and black legwarmery gogo-boot outfit with a black pleated miniskirt... she was in red stripey armwarmers and tights also in black pleated mini. hahahaa. dorks!

Comments

[Ms. Jane]

Gah! The very idea of those habitrail things at mc's totally gross me out. Those greasy little children, fresh from gorging themselves on fatburgers 'n' sticks, washing it down with sticky sticky beverages. Into the habitrail they go and touch everything with their grubby little paws. Plus smearing the detritus from their runny little noses. Blech!!! I feel the same way about ball pits.

Good thing I'm not a mom. My OCD and I would go stark, raving nutters!

[badgerbag]

Yes, they are gross, no question about it. But when it's raining, where else can you go after you've jumped on the bed for a whole hour and still need to blow off steam? I don't know how snow-winter people survive without free indoor playgrounds.

[Ms. Jane]

Barring locking the lad in a closet, it seems that there is no other option...

[whump]

The game's called Ticket to Ride. It's nice for when you want a rail-building game, but don't want to commit eight hours to India or Eurorails.

I'm flattered that you consider me a good host. I'm still blushing. Thanks!

[Prentiss Riddle]

The best thing about those habitrails is when your not-quite-old-enough kid gets stuck way up in the innards of the thing and you, the more-than-too-big parent, get to take your shoes off and wriggle through to retrieve her, remembering that Simpsons episode in which Homer clogs up the waterpark slide...

Actually Chuckie Cheese's encourages parents to go into their habitrails. The only good thing I can think of offhand about Chuckie Cheese.

[badgerbag]

I don't think I can handle a chuckecheese's without popping some valium first... or drinking heavily... or both...! But I would like to go into the habitrail! Why don't they make more playgrounds for grownups? screw sports and rock climbing gyms and amusement park rides where you have to stand in line.... just some cool unstructured playgrounds and giant trampoline rooms would be fine.

[Jo]

The secret to getting through a chuckupcheese experience is earplugs. Earplugs! This is my great discovery and the highest achievement of my parenting thus far!

Though I think a nice demerol shot in the ass would help a lot as you came through the door.