Did you think I was gone forever? That this Bridge Beat of a blog had bludgeoned itself into oblivion? That I had taken up writing for a newspaper, covering the municipal beat of an obscure suburb denoting it as my true vocation by which abandoning the zaniness of my insatiably creative brain? Is insatiably a word? Is brain?
The answer is, no. I just didn’t have anything particularly interesting to say. I’ve been watching a lot of Minute to Win It since I don’t have cable nor the desire to make anything productive of my evenings but a pool of prime-network-viewing shame.
This weekend though, I did make something of my time. I did what any sane Chicagoan would do – leave. It was only for 24 hours but still, very, very necessary. Sure Chicago is great in the summer time but when you live on the west-side it’s just a hot version of the winter. There are no lakes, no rivers, no joy. Just a dreary do-it-yourself-car-wash some Taquiera’s and your average group of meth addicts. Granted there are some pockets of nicety. But even so – niceties and all – if I want a beach type atmosphere in less than 10 minutes, I have to fill up my bath tub with cold water, dump the dirt from the dust pan and rub up against my mildewed walls for that algae authenticity. And so I took a little vacation.
My Departure: Chicago
My Arrival: New Buffalo, Michigan
Imagine a place on Lake Michigan that isn’t contaminated with algae, foam, families of 20 from the west-side and white trixies whose tans make them look like they’re from Calcutta as opposed to Naperville or central Ohio. That place is not a mirage in your barbiturate heaven – it’s New Buffalo, Michigan.
A few friends and I went last year for again, a brief 24 hour period. It’s like that 20 minute meditation after you get home from work. It’s just enough to set yourself straight and enjoy time with friends in a very relaxed atmosphere. Since this is our 2nd year going, it’s officially a tradition (by The Bridge’s standards anyway).
The key players:
This is Dena. Dena and I met in 7th grade. Other than our history, we have pretty much nothing in common. I like documentaries, she likes Princess Diaries (just to give you an example). Yet we are like sisters born of 2 different mothers. We are family. And because of that we have a very interesting friendship of which the details require a post in itself. It would be a good one. This is what Dena looked like when I first met her:
No one could rock turtle shorts like Dena. btw, the crucifix - that is Ada's doing.
I accept that Dena may now want to kill me.
This is Katie. Katie and I also met in junior high. Katie and I ended up becoming roommates post college, post living with parents. We were good roommates. We both love Scrubs. Katie is a no drama kinda girl. Those are my favorite kinda friends. She enjoys that I’m weird – cause clearly she is too:
We. Are. Weird.
This is Megan:
Megan is a funny and thoughtful gal who likes to complain about long walks along the beach. She should do improv. She loves cats. The Bridge won’t hold that against her.
This is what Megan looked like when I first met her:
We only met 2 years ago through Katie. Not much has changed in that time.
Our cast of characters always has an amazing time in New Buffalo and our day goes something like this.
1.) Drive into NB by 1 p.m. to immediately go the beach.
2.) Complain about how damn hot the beach is.
3.) Ask ourselves what it is that makes us think the beach is such a great place to go anyway.
4.) Plan on going to the beach the next morning, should the weather cooperate.
5.) Get hot enough to go into the lake.
6.) Convince Dena and Katie to join us.
7.) Go in anyway after several unsuccessful attempts and demand that our beach-laden friends watch us do hand stands.
8.) Talk about how immature it is to make people watch you do handstands as an adult. Secretly don’t care and do them anyway.
9.) Leave beach to go to Round Barn Winery for a wine tasting.
10.) Get buzzed.
Wine is fun when you've been in the sun.
Katie didn’t get buzzed though. She was driving.
"Offering myself as a designated driver was a poor choice."
And then there were the other two:
Dena: Do they have white zinfandel? Megan: Do they have wine for cats?
11.) Shower for dinner and eat snacks.
First Class.
12.) Eat dinner.
13.) Debate about who will be pregnant the next trip. (Dena found out during the last trip she was pregnant. Her baby is the cutest little squishy munchkin.)
14.) Cry from laughing so hard at the most assanine thing that if I even tried to explain would make you feel like we should seek counseling.
15.) Plan on drinking purchased bottles from winery.
16.) Pass out by 10:30. Blame it on age and not giving a crap cause we’re tired and this is our 24-hour-vacation and I’m tired of living up to other people’s vacation expectations.
17.) Wake up to Dena’s crazy sleep walking/shouting.
18.) Plan to do it again next year.
