Less Than 24 Hours!

I can no longer sleep.  

I wake up every morning at 3:30 a.m. and wonder if it's time to go yet.  That being said, I'm setting 17 alarms tonight to make sure I'm up on time for tomorrow.  I'm tempted to give some of you East coasters my phone number and ask that you give me a shout out tomorrow on your way into work!

I heard from the Bobs who made it to France safely.  Right this very minute they are holed up in our Paris apartment, dozing comfortably with chocolate croissants, cheese and some wine in their bellies.  "Hurry up and get here!"  They yelled when I picked up my work phone. 

I hauled ass out of the office at 2 p.m. and had.  To.  Stop.  At.  Every.  F-ing.  Floor.  In.  The.  Elevator.  On.  The.  Way.  Down.  And almost SCREAMED.  I chatted with the parking attendant who I'm pretty sure didn't really care that I was going to be gone for TWO weeks!  To Paris!  To Provence!  To Nice!  But she pretended like she did, which was nice.

There was a quick ... well would have been quick trip to Payless Shoe Source if the cashiers knew the international sign language of "a customer stands at the register, it means they are ready."  Random side note:  Can you believe I have tried expensive socks and cheap socks.  And my favorites are the little ped type ones at Payless--2 for $5.  I love when that happens.  I grabbed four new pair.  They dry out really quickly and take up no space in my CARRYON BAG (woop woop!).  I might be packing genius.  I'm just saying ...

Of course,  I have yet to pack.

A quick trip to Target for a few things to snack on during my flight to Minneapolis because the only meal I get tomorrow is DINNER?  The hell?  And now I'm home!

So now ... I just have to you know ... clean, pack, watch McCain at the RNC and oh yeah maybe SLEEP.  What are the chances?

I think I'll hang out with these guys for a little while though.  I'm going to miss them!

And I'm also going to miss you!  Thank you for all your words of support and encouragement!  It has been so much fun sharing this with you and I can't wait to get back to share all of our fun memories. I will carry you all with me as I'm snapping away with my camera.  I may be leaving tomorrow, but that doesn't mean Confessions of a SSG will be!  There are posts scheduled for every day that I'm gone, so come on back and I look forward to seeing and catching up with you guys when I get home!

xoxoxo,

Your France Bound (!) SSG

Just Kidding

I ran by my local grocery store tonight to pick up a couple of things for dinner.  While I was standing in line the most GORGEOUS man stepped in behind me and said hello.  He was tall, had dark hair under his baseball hat and wore my favorite navy blue t-shirt that indicates ... FIREMAN.

I almost peed a little.

There were a few people ahead of us that took FOREVER.  Someone wrote a check.  Another one couldn't find their money.  Yet another needed a price check.  To those people, I'd like to take this moment to say THANK YOU.  I also thank whatever presence of mind I had tonight when I picked up a bagged salad instead of the half gallon of peanut butter & chocolate ice cream and box of Cheese-Its that could have happened on any other random Wednesday.

So while we waited through check writers and money forget-ers, I was contemplating how exactly this fireman would become mine.  I calmly reached to the side and picked up the new Portland Monthly magazine giving him not one, but TWO opportunities to talk to me--the large scar from my elbow break that always prompts guys to grab my arm and ask what happened AND the Portland Monthly mag with an article on 48 weekend trips that me and my new firefighter boyfriend could peruse over a glass of wine.  

Neither worked.  

Time to break out the big guns.  

I dropped my phone (and okay, this MAY have been less deliberate and more an act of SSG clumsiness) and he picked it up to hand it to me.  He had strong, big, tan, guy hands.  Which made me SWOON.

"Thanks," I said, maybe with a coy little smile and most likely cheeks blushing waiting for him to say "you know that phone could have broken without you having my phone number, maybe I should get yours in case it happens again."

But THAT didn't work either.

"How's it goin?"  My regular checker, who is always flirtatious, asked.

"Good, how are you guys?"  I asked acknowledging the bagger, who despite bagging my one or 40 items always asks if I need help out to the car.

"Whatcha up to tonight?"  Checker continues.

"Just got to get home for the convention and big game."  I respond--thinking it makes me look not only smart, but also sporty--and big strong man hands future firefighter boyfriend has got to be into ONE of those two things, right?

Still nothing.

Since my new BF was purchasing only 2 limes, which by the way, what does that say about him?Evening of tequila shots with his buddies?  Scurvy prevention?  Salsa maker?  I ALMOST jokingly asked him if he needed help out to his car with those, but thankfully didn't.

Because when he hopped into his Jeep (swoon again) with the firefighter sticker on the back, he had company.  A beautiful blonde waiting for him in the front seat.

But that's okay, I hopped into my own car to the beautiful blonde waiting for me.

Das okayz, da stor guy like u and he hav los f axces 2 cookeez.