jaysaint Getting it all down on paper…

Seriously. While I might not have picked this weekend to spend some time alone, the fact remains that I’m alone in my apartment, and not working, for the first time in a very very very long time. This shouldn’t be read as a complaint about Damon. I’m truly shocked at how serene I feel, even though he’s always around. I don’t get much done, but that’s a fine trade. But I am a woman who loves her alone time. And what a delight to get some of it. It’s something that made me fearful of having children, because that pretty much locks up your opportunities to operate independently. But it seems I really can do it without too much stress. But that doesn’t mean I won’t do many a little happy dance tonight.

I will rue this when the Festival casts Damon and takes him away for four months.

So far February is just great. I’ve ordered my Mom’s birthday present and sent it on its way. I already have something for Dad. That means I can more or less cruise until my birthday and just wait for the presents to roll in.

Damon’s 30th birthday went by with great success. I took good care of him with nice dinners and gifts all week. Last night I suprised him with a night at the Kalorama Bed and Breakfast, which is a very sweet place in Adams Morgan. I think he had a good time. It’s hard to get a big reaction out of Damon. But I can’t complain, since his usual demeanor is one of good cheer.

And now he’s once again proving his geniality by letting me watch the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy marathon instead of the Super Bowl.

Damon and I went to see a God-awful embarrassment of a play Friday night. The Washington Shakespeare Company did Tom Stoppard’s “Jumpers.” It was horrific. Truly bad. I can’t tell if they play itself is good, because the production was just so rotten.

And the thing is, if we saw a rotten play in Atlanta, at least we knew most of the actors. Now we can’t even root for them to pull it our or laugh at their folly.

We’re going to another show tonight. It’s a 3-play weekend. The second was good –“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” It’s a children’s show put on by the Kennedy Center. Tonight we’ll be at Ford’s Theatre and I wonder if I’ll be able to keep my eyes of “the box.”

Anticipation in the air this afternoon — I’ve baked my first cheesecake. It’s a banana cheesecake. I found the recipe in my Jane Fonda cookbook. But I added all the fat back in, so it should be good. People (unless they do one or both) don’t understand that cooking and baking are different. I’m great on the range, but I’m iffier below in the oven. Before Christmas I tried an amber pie, and it was a total wash. But I got an oven thermometer to combat our ancient, dodgy appliance. Whether or not that worked we’ll see in just a few hours.

Sitting here on my last afternoon at my Mom’s house.

We’re off to my cousin Lisa’s tonight. I want to go in theory, but not in practice. My stepdad Jerry keeps the apartment chilly, which makes it hard to get willing to get into the shower.

Here’s an interesting question:

Last night I was trying on my new clothes (we exchanged gifts yesterday). Jerry had gone to bed. So once he left, I started just changing from one outfit to another in the living room. And Damon and my Mom just freaked out. They couldn’t believe I would change my clothes in front of both of them at the same time. They acted like two little schoolgirls, they were so chagrined. Damon actually left the room.

I’m battling this constant state of nervousness. I think work and Damon’s arrival (even though that’s a very positive thing for me) have just wrecked my peace of mind. I feel like I could stand to take tranquilizers, and I don’t often feel that way. I’m assuming this will fade.

We’re leaving tomorrow morning to spend a few days with Damon’s family. I’m looking forward to that in that I think less will be required of me than is here. But it will work out however it works out. They’re pretty sweet.