Jean's visit

Calm.  This is my fourth day of no coffee and surprisingly, hot tea, is a lovely replacement.  I feel lighter than when I wake with coffee if that makes sense.  And, I survived the full on caffeine headache which typically follows my departure from coffee.  I just wanted a break and I know that that first cup of coffee (when I return) will be inspired.  I can almost taste it.
I think I got on the hot tea train after spending five days with Jean--aka, poodle, while in Mexico.  She stopped drinking coffee three years ago and drinks tea instead.  I envied her decision while trying to craft my own coffee at Jonny's condo.  His french press broke.  Mental note to self, must bring new french press to Mexico or a coffee pot for my next visit unless I am able to sustain the hot tea morning wake up. 
Anyways, I feel awesome and am rested. I think I am actually caught up on sleep for once and I have went to yoga three consecutive days.  I love this trial period offered by the studio in Phoenix.  For twenty dollars, I have unlimited access to the studio for two weeks.  It's ideal.  This way, I can check out classes at different points of the day to see what works best for me.  I prefer the vinyasa flow series and see a noon class, regularly, in my future.  They offer a bikram with flow intertwined which means the class is an hour and twenty minutes.  I liked the class and hope to return but I like wrapping things up within an hour.  The additional twenty minutes just means more sweat and adds thirty minutes to my drive back to the east valley while covered in sweat. Yuck!
Side note, my brother-in-law, Jeremy, is performing his dissertation tonight.  I am sad that I will be unable to make it.  This piece of work will be extraordinary--I know it.  It's taken him awhile to complete the task, but I am sure that it is a true piece of art.  Inspired.  Beautiful. Accomplished.  He is a rock star~
I began this post today with the intention of writing about Jean's visit to Phoenix.  Need to return to that goal.
She arrived after sitting three hours on the tarmac at the Seattle airport.  Yes, she departed during the crazy snow storm last week.  Had her flight been Thursday she definitely would not have made it out.  However, she did make it and immediately, I drove her to one of my favorite spots in Phoenix.  We drank cocktails, ordered brussel sprouts and a beet salad and quickly returned to our normal flow of conversation.  I met Jean while in college and despite the fact we see each other, rarely, we have the ability to pick right up from the last time we saw each other.  She is a genuine friend and I am extremely grateful for her in my life.  I have seen her more often the last six years.  I flew out to Minnesapolis in 2006 and spent a few days with her and her family.  Then, there was a road trip in 2007, a wine trip in 2008, a girl's weekend in 2009 with Michaela and Shari, and now this year.  She sends the occasional christmas card and we always manage to talk during the year. 
We have a solid foundation of friendship is all I am saying and it is easy to hang out with her.  I called Jan and she agreed to meet up with us.  They met this past summer on a trip to Oregon that Jan accompanied me.   It was natural to invite Jan along. 
From the parlor, we headed to Tempe to enjoy the last of happy hour at another wine bar that I frequent.  We called Jan's husband, Tom, to see if he wanted to join us at the happy hour place. He didn't.  He wanted to dine at Los Dos which is closer to their house and not an option for us on Wednesday.  We had dinner plans with some of Jean's friends and I was trying to figure out the best way to get my car home and Jean to the restaurant on time.  Jan offered to follow me home, pick us up and join us for dinner.  Seemed like an easy fix. 
I forgot to mention that Jean's friend lives in the west valley and had asked Jean if she could stay at my place instead of drive home.  I would be all for that if I had a sofa.  I don't.  I couldn't envision the three of us in my queen bed and so I told Jean to let her friend know that I had a yoga mat if she wanted to spend the night.  Then, I felt guilty. I knew this woman was older than me and I didn't want to make her that uncomfortable on my floor so I decided I would sleep on the floor, begrudgingly.  I brought it up to Jean, again, that the sleeping arrangements would be as such.  I inquired--maybe her husband could pick her up or join us for dinner. Hoping that her husband would pick her up.  The prospect of the floor was not that inviting for me.
When everything was said and done, Kirk, joined us for dinner.  It worked out well and dinner was fantastic.  We enjoyed a few bottles of wine and reminisced how we all knew Jean and why we moved to Phoenix.  I think Sue was interested in hanging out with us after dinner but that drive home is long.  Since Jean and I were not ready to call it a night, we stopped at another tap room and had a beer.  This establishment is close to my house--very close--and Jean wanted to get a cab.  Incredulous but I wanted her to be happy and so we found a cab.  Immediately, we both noted how it reeked of vomit.  It was overwhelming.  We gagged while opening the window and sought fresh air.  The cabbie started incessantly spraying air freshener which made it all worse.  All, I could think was, why didn't we walk?  It's only five blocks.
The next morning we both laughed at our decision to take the cab.  That is how our mini adventure began. We managed to get pedicures, stop by my job to enjoy a bloody mary and then I drove us to Mexico.  From here, debauchery ensued.  I will reflect on the mexican adventure later....