A Pre-trip Surprise

Hello my little chitlins! Did everyone have a great weekend? Maybe I should ask if you guys had a good week and a half, seeing as how I haven't posted here in what seems like a long long time. I had the best of intentions to have a little chat with all y'all before my trip to Cleveland*, but I ended up with an unexpected surprise that kept me from the computer. So very sowwy.

Apologies over, k?

Here's what happened. You might recall when my friend L & I surprised our Romanian friend on the cruise ship he was working on - back in March. We went bearing pounds and pounds of chocolate and got to see one happy Romanian enjoy his birthday at sea.

Are you aware of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished"? Well, it's true.

I had planned out what needed to be done in the days leading up to my trip up north. There was work to be done indeed. Laundry, ironing, careful planning of clothing with accessories, manicure, pedicure, blog entry. All of this needed to be handled last Monday and Tuesday, plus the usual appearances at the office. (Yeah, they kinda expect a person to show up. I know.)

At 5:00 on Monday, I was ready to hit the ground running after leaving the office.

*ring-ring* (that was the cellphone, btw)

Me: Hello?
He: CM? It's the Romanian. I'm here!

Me: Here? What?

He: Yes! Surprise! Can you come pick me up?

Me: Uhhhh, mmmm, ahem.....sure, where?

He: Fort Worth. (40 miles away - and it's 5:00. Oh joy.)

I'll speed up the story now, so I can watch "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels" on TV. Sorry, I'm tired, sweeties.

Nevertheless, all of my good intentions went straight out the window and it was all about the Romanian all the way until early Wednesday morning when I nicely gave him the boot on my way to the airport.

Hooray for irons in hotels and malls with mani/pedi salons in Cleveland!

But stilllllllllllllll, who goes to a foreign country to surprise people!?!?!?!

Love ya, Mr. Romanian, but maybe an email next time, huh?

Oh wait, one quick little story about having a Romanian in your house for 36 hours, if you have the time. Please?

The Romanian is trying very hard to learn to speak and write perfect English. And he's doing a fine job at it, if I may say so myself. Anyway, we're talking Tuesday night and he is asking me questions about the finer points of English.

He: Spell though.

Me: T. h. o. u. g. h.

He: Spell thought.

Me: T. h. o. u. g. h. t.

He: Spell tough.

Me: T. o. u. g. h.

He: See? It's not as easy as you would tink.

Good points, indeed.

*I have a few stories about my Ohio Adventure which I hope to tell you this week. There was a broken skybridge, the ugliest rental car in history, a power outtage, monsoons, Kasim (Did I not tell you guys that before?), new friends, old friends, a mugging, a museum, Yankees and yes, travel ghoulies.

Tune in later, my little chitlins. Until then - have a happy week, k?