We went to Home Depot and got some lilies then shopped at Blue Moon for Moms’ Day gifts. There was this one metal cutout of a horse and a foal sipping water that Amanda and I immediately thought would be great for my mom, but it was a bit expensive. I called Adam to see if he wanted to go in on it with us, and, funny enough, he knew exactly what I was talking about as he and Renee had been in recently and had gotten mom a metal cutout of a horse that goes in the ground. I thought about it for a while and decided to combine my parents’ anniversary, my mom’s birthday and mothers’ day all into one gift. The lady who helped us with it remembered Adam being there and said he was very polite.
We went ahead and got metal cutouts for Amanda’s mom and grandma too. I was going to go back and get Amanda a certain one, a butterfly, but she got it for her mom. I told her I was going to go back and get it (to get her something else for her birthday) but she decided she’d give it to her mom anyway.
We also got Renee a pair of earrings for her birthday and graduation.
Money spent, we went back home, said hi to Bonnie. She was watching the four kids of a friend of hers and they all ended up coming over to our place to play with the dogs and swing in the hammock. They were all very friendly.
Mom and Dad arrived, Amanda and Michael went to shop for Phil’s birthday and I took Dad to get clothes at Marshall’s. He’d forgotten to bring his overnight bag.
We got home and Dad, Michael and I played HORSE. I lost first one and Dad won. He and Michael are both competitive, so it was entertaining to watch. Michael lost second one and I beat my dad. It felt good to show him that I can hit a basket. When I was about ten or eleven or so I played basketball and I was terrible. He told me if I made ten points he’d get me some Reebok pumps. I think I maybe made one, and that was on a foul shot. I got some Reebok pumps later anyway.
We weren’t sure if there were going to be enough tickets for Renee’s graduation, but it turns out we did. We were given really short notice, got ready and left. We parked at McAllister’s and met Adam there then walked across College Road to UNCW. We met up with Renee’s dad and sat with her family.
The graduates weren’t in order and they would hand a piece of paper to the person reading the names as they went up. One girl who graduated with Renee was apparently named John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.
My family and Renee’s ate at Sticky Fingers. Renee worked there for about a year before she went off to France for a while and I’ve always wanted to eat there (although I think it’s hilarious to have a place called Sticky Fingers right next to Hooters). It was really good. Amanda and I ordered a trio dish with chicken, pork and ribs which was plenty for both of us.
Renee’s aunt was flirting with my dad a bunch- not like she was trying to actually get between my parents or anything, but it was funny. My parents ended up sitting a bit apart from each other and she told my dad she’d be happy to switch places with my mom. We all though she meant it one way but she insisted she meant seats.
Another funny was when we were talking about Andra being pregnant (oh yeah, that was the obvious secret from a while back, but it’s all out in the open now) and Adam asked if they knew about the sex. Amanda replied that she was pretty sure they did since she’s pregnant again.
We all went to the Red Roof Inn right across Market Street to hang out with Renee and her family. That made a total of four (across and back) ill-advised street crossings made today. Presents were opened and cake was eaten. I talked to Renee’s grandparents about their world traveling. Apparently there aren’t many countries they haven’t visited. I was a little jealous.
We went on home and watched a little Braveheart before everyone nodded off and/or went to bed.
Zach Dotsey