Day 259 - 257: The Weekend Update

Friday took me by pleasant surprise. Mainly because I did something different today. Something good. I volunteered at a place that provides healthy, homemade meals and comprehensive case management services to homeless men and women in Washington, DC. A good friend of mine works there as a case manager and suggested that I think about volunteering as a guest writer/poet with hopes of becoming a permanent writing coach. I really didn't know what to expect going in, which I think was a good thing. My writing group consisted of five men and one woman: Jim Jordan, Carlo, James Eades, Mick, Daniel and Darlene (whose first name is Ellen but chooses to go by her middle name). I shared my poetry as well as one of my favorite poems by Ernest Henley called Invictus. After a group discussion we each wrote a poem and read it aloud. Jim Jordan and Mick stood out the most. They were the two people that left a lasting impression. I couldn't help but wonder what brought them to this point in their lives. Where did they sleep? How did they survive in the winter? Where did they go after dinner at Miriam's Kitchen? More importantly, why are there so many homeless men and women in the nation's capital?

Saturday morning was spent at Highlands with one half of the breakfast club. Breakfast Club consists of four individuals: my sister, Thorne, Vance and myself. It's been a weekend ritual for the past year but was recently put on hold for a few weekends due to "club member issues." Luckily those issues were resolved and the breakfast club is back to its normal weekend schedule. After stuffing my face I went back home where I spent the rest of the day snuggled inside my bed watching Alice in Wonderland.

Around 5pm I pryed myself out of bed and attempted to get ready for a holiday party later that evening. The party started at 7 but of course we (my sister and the Smith sisters) didn't arrive until 9 something. Women! The party was just ok but I enjoyed hanging out with the girls. We looked fabulous (if I don't say so myself) and spent the evening laughing and drinking holiday wine. Dominique even danced a little salsa at the end of the night. Good times!



Sunday was awesome. Went to brunch with Sheryl and ate myself to a near and slow death. Brunch at Tony and Joe's is like eating  from heaven's dinner table with a view of the Georgetown waterfront. There was a smorgasbord of food along with unlimited mimosas. I think I had about four or five entrees, three deserts and several glasses of mimosas. It's a wonder that I'm not overweight. Just thinking about it makes me dizzy. We spent almost four hours there eating, drinking and talking. Good times!

The Brunch Menu consisted of the following treats...(I just had to share)

Smoked Norwegian Salmon

Fresh Poached Salmon

Smoked Rainbow Trout

Omelets made to order (with crabmeat, shrimp, scallops & other items)

Fresh Belgian Waffles

Carved Ham, Roast Beef, Leg of Lamb

New England Clam Chowder

Oysters and Clams on the Half Shell

Maryland Crab Soup

Eggs Benedict

Bacon & Sausage

Corned Beef Hash

Hash Brown Potatoes

Spiced Shrimp

Assorted Breads & Bagels

Assorted Pastries

Assorted Salads (Fruit Salad, Tuna Salad, Potato Salad)

The rest of my Sunday was spent shopping at Nisey's Boutique where I received a pair of cowboy rainboots as a gift and bought a cute flapper hat that I can't wait to wear. I got home around 7ish and changed into my pj's almost immediately and got online to do some last minute prepping for my interview the following morning. I spent the rest of the night rubbing my belly and burping. How sexy!