Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Of Toads and Todds and skirted Tankinis

Three days since my last post and there is still little semblance of order in the Chicky Household. I've been trying to put my house back to the way I left it before I took off for my single gal evening on Friday and its just not happening. Even though I do have air conditioning it's still hotter outside than a frog's ass on a hotplate and that heat tends to permeate the walls of my home making it insufferable in the afternoons. Not conducive to cleaning, if you ask me. Or maybe I just felt like lounging around watching repeats of "The World Series of Pop Culture" (which, btw, I would totally kick some booty in) while scratching at the heat rash on my shins and eating mint chocolate chip ice cream. Either way, progress is slow and I can't put off posting any longer. Summer's are tough on the blog updates, man. I don't know how some of you do it.

I mentioned the other day that I had my first night away from my child since she was born 15 months ago. It was a long time coming. A very long time. But there never seemed to be a good excuse to get the hell out of Dodge. Before you say it, I know I shouldn't need an excuse. But apparently tucked inside that wee baby blanket that swaddled my newborn on the way home from the hospital was a huge amount of Mommy Guilt. Its not my fault, it was the Mommy Guilt. I am powerless in its clutches.

It took a call from my sister and just the right combination of words to get me to put down the cross and leave the county without my child.

"Hi Sis. Guess what? Toad the Wet Sprocket and Big Head Todd and the Monsters are playing at the Melody Tent in July. Wanna get tickets?"

Uh, does the Pope wear a funny hat? Are the Red Sox going to screw up any chance they may have at winning another World Series? Is a Blooming Onion possibly the worst thing you could put in your mouth but yet oh so damn tasty??

In other words, Hell Yeah.

Pass up a chance to see two of my favorite bands from the 90's? No friggin' way. You may be thinking to yourself "Who in the Sam Hell is Toad and Todd?" or "Uh, okay Mrs. Chicky. Whatever floats your musical boat." while backing away slowly making circles around one ear with your index finger. No, I'm not (too) looney. I love the lesser known bands, especially those two. They defined a period of time in my life in the 90's and I am all about reliving my youth, however pitiful that might be.

So on Friday afternoon once Mr. C got home from work I packed up my car and hit the road. My toes were painted a lovely shade of Burgundy/red and my iPod with its car radio adapter was loaded up with some new albums. I had an hour and a half of nothing but me and music... and traffic. Gah. Normally, this is where I would be bitching about every moron driver on the road but I just don't have the heart. I had such a nice time that I'm feeling charitable.

(Except to you, Mr. Land Rover with New York tags. You, sir, should have your license revoked and your car turned into a piece of lawn art. May we never cross paths again because the next time I will not be held responsible for my actions after following you for 3 miles while you drive 70 mph in the fast lane, matching the speed of the people in the center lane, making it impossible for me to pass your sorry ass. Did you not see me gesturing wildly to you? I guess not since you had your head so far up your sphincter you were tickling your intestines with your tongue instead of driving the damn car. You finally made me flash my lights at you. I hate doing that. You, sir, are lucky I'm a lady and I kept my middle finger to myself.)

After I finally got over the Sagamore Bridge (don't look down, don't look down) and went a few miles down rt.6 I arrived at my darling sister's restaurant. Yes, my sister and her husband are restauranteurs. Usually they feed me for free (have I mentioned lately how much I love them?) but that night was a special occasion so, after shopping for that damn tankini with the skirt, my sister and I drowned our sorrows in a fabulous meal at another place in town. Lovely meal, lovely wine, lovely company, and not a Cheerio or high chair or cellulite dimple in sight. The tankini was all but forgotten. Well, almost. When the waitress had to roll me out of there because I stuffed my face with seared scallops with mushroom raviolis and crab cakes with mango salsa... Ah, hell. Damn the thighs! I own a skirted tankini! Viva la tankini!

Where was I? Shit, if I can't keep my own place in the story how the hell can I expect you to stay with me? Thank you if you're still here. Have a cookie.

Oh yeah, the concert (slapping palm to forehead) the reason why I took the night off. It was great, even for middle-of-the-road, this (thumb and forefinger half inch apart) close to soft adult contemporary alterna-pop. Indie-pop? Rock-pop? Hell if I know. For those of you who have never been to the Cape Cod Melody Tent - and that would be all of you I'm guessing - it actually is a tent. The venue is so small that there's not a bad seat in the house, and to top it off the stage rotates 360 degrees. Its kind of gimmicky but it makes for a very intimate music experience. Our seats were so close to the stage that I could have reached out and grabbed a Toad and give him a squeeze. During BHTM's performance there were times when I really would have enjoyed reaching out and touching some Todd. There's something about a lead singer who plays guitar that makes me feel all tingly. And he's a bit of a philosopher. The guy doesn't even need to be particularly good looking, but if you strap a guitar on him slung low over his, ahem, hips and stick him behind a microphone. Ooohweee. Is it getting hotter in here, or is it just me?

After the concert we still had energy so we stopped by a local blues bar and danced like idiots to a fantastic Zydeco band. I was trying to cram as much into that one evening as possible. I actually stayed out past midnight! Look out, there's a crazy Mama in town. Okay, not so crazy because by 12:30 my feet were killing me and my back was crying in agony so off to bed I went.

This is where I get all sappy. That was the first evening that I wasn't responsible for another human being. The first night in 15 months that I didn't have a baby next to me, either physically or over a monitor. I physically craved my daughter presence, it was this primal need. My husband probably thinks I got a great night's sleep because I had a bed all to myself and no worries of a baby waking in the middle of the night, but he would be wrong in that assumption. I slept like hell. I knew I was going to enjoy my last few hours to myself, but I was dying to get back to my kid. But, of course, things are never as easy as they should be and things didn't entirely go according to plan the next day. They never do, do they?

And that's where I'm going to end this post. Its gotten too long and if you're still with me you deserve two or three more cookies and a pat on the back for your stamina. And a glass of milk. Screw that, a glass of wine. Mmm... cookies and wine. But what happens next, you ask? What else did you nutty Chicky's do when let loose on the Cape? Was the skirted tankini a hit? You'll have to stop by tomorrow to find out. Or the next day 'cause I'm a slacker. A shameless slacker. With a skirted tankini.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, I do know those bands, and oh how I would love to visit Cape Cod again. Sigh.

Looking forward to the next installment. Would you please make those peanut butter cookies with the Hershey kisses on top?

Anonymous said...

That Mommy Guilt really takes up a lot of room in the suitcase doesn't it? I'm dealing with it too, as I'll be away this weekend. And in true obsessed planning style that I succomb to every so often...the post is ready to go.

Anonymous said...

First--mint chocolate chip, green?
Second...OMG! Love love love Toad the Wet Sprocket! Neil and I saw them in VA years ago...Dave Mathews *opened* for them lol.
Glad you got out and did the town!

Stacy said...

I like my cookies with milk but please don't dunk them, I really hate that! :)

Tori said...

You are a fabulous Chicky.... this is one of your best posts.
I crave the Cape Cod tent and the wonderful sister...(mine lives sooooooooooo far away in the UK...today when I spoke to her, I swear my heart lurched....)
You are deserving of a night out....
And tankini's are way cool. I myself own something far worse. It is a tankini top (flared at the bottom for flattery, and then there are the seperate knickers....(Granny size and up to the waist but covered nicely by the top when you pull it over... and then the piece de la resistance....
the stand-alone skirt which goes over it all....
It is a tragic look for a chubby monster like me, who is trying to have some beach cred - though refuses to wear the grandma, style, molded cup, floral print atrocity with matching swim cap.
You are fab and so is your tankini....
(Couldn't understand the indie philosopher's blog one little bit...)
I trust his music is better...
Good for you on your night out....
YAY

The Domesticator said...

Mrs. Chicky,
I loved this post! I felt like I was sitting across a table from you and you were telling the story to me...just me! I almost asked you to pass me the cookies..oh and the wine...where's the damn wine? heh heh....
Oh and I know who Toad the Wet Sprocket is....Love them!

Jess Riley said...

Now I have that "Walk on the Ocean" song in my head. Dammit! lol

Glad to hear you had a nice weekend; and no sweat on the summertime blog delays. I'm majorly slacking on the blog myself right now. (Funny how nice weather and vacation does that to you.)

Cristina said...

I can see how you would be craving your daughter the first time away. I haven't left my son yet, but I have a feeling it will be hard when I do. I also have a feeling that I might just forget about him (oh so temporarily) if I were to bite into a delicious mushroom ravioli and a crab cake. But just for that moment. And then I would go back to missing him like hell.

Looking forward to part deux!

carrie said...

I know exactly how you feel, and it does get easier, I promise. But, yeaaaah! You got to go to a great concert, and boogie till your feet hurt, that had to be a little fun . . .


Carrie

Sandra said...

Cookies and wine sound perfect. But I didn't need bribing or rewards to read through that post - it was great. I remember that feeling when I was first away from my son (he was about the same age). I ached for him.

Heather said...

How on earth is it that I haven't thought of combining cookies and wine? I think you're officially a super genius.

And the tankini? I have one, and am afraid to wear it. From swim team as a kid I always wore a speedo, cut like a granny and the idea of showing more flesh? Terrifying. Cause I kinda have a lotta flesh that I kinda don't feel comfortable sharing. Glad you had fun, and i think it's totally understandable you were missing the we one.

Anonymous said...

I'm insanely jealous. I love BIG HEAD TODD.

Woo hoo lady. I love the mommy alone time.

Radioactive Tori said...

I absolutely know what you mean about sleeping really badly when away. My husband doesn't get it, but apparently somewhere in the mommy vows, we agree to worry forever, even if we know someone responsible is actually watching the little ones. Sounds like you had a lot of fun!

Anonymous said...

Is it bad that I wanted to punch you in the face for having an opportunity to see Toad?

I know that sounds harsh...but i've been DYING to see them for AGES.

:) Love your post!

Major Bedhead said...

Oh, I love both those bands. And even though I'm from Massachusetts, I've never been to the Melody Tent. I've been to Harbourlights (or whatever they're calling it this week) - does that count?

Mommy guilt sucks, but I have it in spades, too.

Y'know what's even better than cookies and wine? Chocolate and wine. And if you add a cup of really dark coffee to the equation, it's almost orgasmic. Sip of coffee. Nibble of chocolate. Sip of wine (I prefer red).

I can't wait until I can have a drink again. Can't. Wait.

I really loved this post....

Miguelita said...

I enjoyed every bit of this post.

I can relate to the Mommy Guilt. I carry it around in the pouch that now hangs where my midriff used to be, pre-twins. I am thinking of investing in a tankini myself. As long as they come with an industrial strength gut-sucking lining.

God forbid I should bypass the wine and cookies.

kittenpie said...

I love you, Mrs. Chicky. And your skirted tankini, too.

Ha, had forgotten all about the existence of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Who knew those bands still existed after we left college? If a band plays and you have a degree, do you still hear them?

Her Bad Mother said...

I'll take those cookies. And the wine. And I'll wear my skirted tankini and we can sit together and munch and sip away and talk about how great and how HARD it is to leave the babbies...

Anonymous said...

I totally loved Toad and Big Head Todd! Why didn't you call me?!

MrsFortune said...

Cookies and wine? No thanks, I'll just take the wine. And first of all, my sister and I are putting together a team for next year's WS of Pop Culture. I would SO kick some em-effin ass on that show! So are you in?

Also, " I physically craved my daughter presence, it was this primal need." I can so relate. I feel this way every time I'm away from my son for more than an hour or so.

Velma said...

I'm loving this post, because you've done the impossible: you've made me nostalgic for the PLACE I ACTUALLY LIVE!!! I found myself clicking on the Sagamore link and remembering way back when (2 weeks ago) I last went to the Melody Tent! How is that possible? How did you do that???

Anonymous said...

Mint chocolate chip ice cream is my faaaaavorite! You are a woman of distinctively good taste :)


(Lawn art? ...rofl)

metro mama said...

First time commenter here.

Sounds like a fab night out.

The first time is tought, but it gets easier with practice!

Lisa said...

As soon as I drop my little guy off at his grandparents, on the drive home, my arms ache. So yes, I know what you mean!

Gina said...

Ditto what the domesticator says and sorry you couldn't get a good night's rest on a night off. I think I would be the same way.

You are not a slacker...

Pendullum said...

Oh, you brought it all back for me the first time I left my daughter...
You are so bang on the money for the primal need that happens...
Now, pass me that wine and cookies and listen to some more music...

Kristin said...

so glad you and the tankini enjoed yourselves... the first time away is a big deal!!

Kelly Wolfe said...

I loved your line about the Mommy Guilt being tucked in the swaddling blanket. SO TRUE!

Good that you went on your first night away. I haven't yet (Mommy Guilt) and really want to.

I totally feel the same way about not sleeping when you finally should. When my son FINALLY started sleeping through the night, I would toss, turn, get up check on him etc etc. I was in anxiety the whole night.

Pass those cookies. Gotta get me a tankini.

Lisa

Bobita said...

I've had that experience, myself! Except it was Foreigner, Styx and REO Speedwagon! (And no tankini...but there was camping!)

I think becoming a mother means that we will always crave their presense. Even when we are beyond excited to be free for a short time!

josetteplank.com said...

Good for you!

Mommy Guilt is a tough bird, but you have to do it. You have to get out once ina while and cut loose a bit. And you have to hav a tankini with a skirt. Well, I do, anyway. I just can't mangage the sideburns that are my bikinizone.

ms blue said...

"Viva la tankini!" - LOL

I'm a fan of the smart, catchy alterna-pop-rock. It sounds like a divine time! Your food talk has left me salivating.

I wouldn't want to be Mr. Land Rover. He's got it coming.