Sunday morning, November 4th. Bigun heads out for a run, I snuggle back under the covers. It's 7 am. I'm on vacation.
7:28 am. Phone rings, it's IronJenny. "Di, Waffle House. Breakfast. Get there." I question which Waffle House, determine location and agree, "Bigun will be back in 30, we'll see you there". I in turn call GreenEyedLady. I know she is in her room, alone - on the morning of her Birthday- because ExcelMan is in the line to get a slot for IMFL 2008. After a really horrible rendition of Happy Birthday, she clears her ear and says she too can be ready in 30. IronJenny had already called Tac and TriMama - we would see them there!
When Bigun gets back, it's takes him a little longer than 10 seconds to get ready to go... he's such a primadonna!
By the time we arrive at the Waffle House, everyone has consumed th
eir breakfast and are heading out the door. We missed it. Darn it. No worries, they are all headed over to the Registration site for IMFL 2008. Even Ms. Athena Extraordinaire (you know the one...the one who called me last night and said - and I quote - "I am SO DONE with IronMan"). lol. Bigun, GEL and myself figure we have plenty of time to enjoy breakfast while they are standing around in the chilly PCB morning air waiting to put their names down and to fork over ungodly amounts of money to be tortured for a day by a group of IM organizers they don't even know. Okay. No worries. We'll see you all at the pool after breakfast.
After a torturous ride in the car GreenEyedLady is relieved that Bigun and I can finally decide on a place to eat. Half of the places listed, we went to, they were gone. Disappeared. No longer in existence. Beach towns. We would have eaten at the Waffle House but the line was wrapped around the building and we were hungry. Oh well.
Lovely Birthday breakfast was consumed and back to our charming, well kept, non rusty toilet paper holder rooms we went. A girl can dream, can't she?(remember the "eeeeeewwww" from my previous post) lol ExcelMan arrives at the Hotel moments before we do. We see him briefly in the lobby, congratulate him on signing up for IMFl '08 and chat briefly about the day ahead. We really really really want to talk them into staying one more day, but alas, they're responsible grown ups (something Bigun and I are unfamiliar with) and explain, they really must get back to Tampa that day. We have been invited to Brunch at
TriFeist's and discuss meeting up there. GEL and ExcelMan explain, they really must get back, they'll go by and congratulate Trifeist a little early and then hit the road south. Hug hug, kiss kiss...you know.
Bigun and I point BettyLou in the direction of the Boardwalk Hotel and head over for early morning cocktails, poolside. the gang is all ready kicking it up at the pool. TriMama, Tac, IronJenny, IronGirlNyhus, IronGreg, IronRob, IronNick...man, it was virtually a Who's Who at the pool. Bigun has the video camera out and it's rolling. I have NEVER met a bigger bunch of camera hounds in my life!! They were ALL mackin' for time on the Bigun Video!!! Tac, he's really diggin it. IronJenny, well, lets just say, she may soon have a place in the Halls of Video History. IronGirlNyhus....total camera Hawg. Total!! LOL Just kidding!! Sort of, a little. It was so much fun, it really was.
We parted ways for a little while and drove over to Shores of Panama for a celebratory brunch with TriFeist and her hubby Joe. We met some MORE new people there! Good food (the BEST spinach quiche I have ever had), excellent Champagne and wonderful company!! I met
TriAndBeHappy along with several of their friends. It was a really good time!
Cut to the pool - suits donned. Oh - did I tell you that IronJenny was walking around introducing her new friend to everyone? This is Wilma
We laughed, we drinked, we laughed, we drinked some more. Uh, I mean, we drank....I must still be buzzed!! TriMama didn't know her drink was gone...
The day was enjoyed by all. One of the best parts of the weekend - we all went out to the water line to watch an amazing sunset. Amazing.
Then we all changed out of our suits and headed over the Caribou Cafe to finish watching the game between the Patriots and the Colts. A couple of Bostonians joined us for the game. It was a really good time. Don't get me wrong, I like the Patriots, I do. But. Tony Dungy is the Colts' Coach. I'll take Tony. Too bad it wasn't in the cards for them last Sunday. We checked the time and decided we needed to be getting to the awards ceremony to watch our friends receive their beautiful Plaques!! Lots and lots of pictures. Iron Jenny placed first for Athenas. She is now 2 years running Athena Champion!! The night was not over.
Coyote Ugly had a few barstools waiting with our names on them.
We arrive - guess what. Remember the beer situation we told you about - the lack of. It wasn't any different at Coyote Ugly!!! OMG. We were in the land of bad/no beer!! It was a black vortex and we had been sucked down into it! Kicking and screaming was of no help. No beer of any distinction ever magically appeared over the whole weekend. ARGH. We made the most of it. TriMama and I had already set our spokes spinning with some Tequila Shots at the Caribou Cafe. My philosophy, when all else fails, Tequila will solve the problem. Actually, I think Tequila solves all of the world problems for a few hours. It just doesn't matter where you are - black hole or PCB. lol A good time was had, that's what matters. IronJenny came in to join me, Bigun, Tac and TriMama at Coyote Ugly. Man - talk about CELEBRITY. IronJenny was the talk of the bar!! Everyone wanted to touch her plaque!! We even got a free round of beer...well, you know what I mean. She was HAWT!! Everyone wanted to touch her running suit! Everyone. Did the Bartenders dance on the bar for her too? Oh, wait, no. That was that guy who kept touching her plaque.
Everyone knows - no night out at a bar is complete without a follow up at The Waffle House. We did. I don't even know what time it was. Felt like midnight, it was probably only 8 pm. Time took a different turn on the clock that weekend. I never knew what time it REALLY was. I laughed so hard all weekend. And laughed and laughed.... Oh my gosh - to quote Tac " I just love my creepy internet friends!" I just love them!!!! Here I go, I am getting all misty eyed just thinking about it!
After our late evening breakfast we decided to call it a night and went back to the POSH Days Inn. I was out in seconds. Oh. Wait. No I wasn't. Nevermind.
The next morning Ta
c calls. He and TriMama know of a great little coffee shop - Java Joey's or something like that. LOL I think I have totally butchered the name. We meet up there with IronTriTim and Gemma, IronJenny, IronNick, IronGirlNyhus, IronGreg...wait, do you see a theme going on here...? Anyway, we fill the coffee house with all of our peeps and begin the massive download exchange onto everyone's laptops! It was hysterical. There were 10 different conversations going on all at once and we were each a part of all 10!! It was an early morning coffee party!! After about 2 hours, everyone started looking at their watches and decided it was time to get to their prospective hotels for the 11 o'clock checkout times. IronTriTim and Gemma had a long drive ahead to Chicago and had already packed up and checked out. We hugged, said our good byes to all and laughed heartily about our next meet ups. We are already anticipating the fun to be had.
Bags packed, check out at the desk and Bigun and I sigh sadly as we get ready for BettyLou to transport us back home. Back to IRL - In Real Life.
All ya gotta do is call....I love you guys.
We didn't see our friends, GreenEyedLady and ExcelMan at the race but they were there. ExcelMan helped GEL with a little chart of her own...on her forearm. GreenEyedLady finished her first 5k in 38 minutes!!
