And everytime I try to fly, I fall without my wings.

A few months ago, two ideas intertwined in my mind and I finally witnessed the execution of its combination. Kelly and I were brainstorming about our bestie Erica's bachelorette birthday weekend, and she found a quaint, peaceful, and hip hotel in the Catskills in which to escape to. I decided, based on the surprise of it all, that we should kidnap Erica. I had also just conversed excitedly with the bride-to-be about the movie Spring Breakers. You may remember I was shocked to have liked it so much.

And thus, with Kelly talking about renting a van for the seven ladies, and Spring Breakers on my mind, I figured we should get brightly colored ski-masks with iron-on ice cream cone patches, write a ransom-y note to the bride on where to wait for us, and then pull up to the curb donned in said ski masks, blasting Britney Spears' "Everytime."

Ladies and gentlemen, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE DID THIS WEEKEND:

Me escorting Erica into the van post-ambush

Maids of Honor viewing the aftermath! Kells + Me

Bride, Jiscilla, Amber, Allison, Perry. Missing: Christy in TX

It's rare for me to find an event that I can blend film fantasy and real life fun, so I was in a state of ultimate glee. I may or may not have jumped out of the car before it had come to a full stop, scared the bejeez out of Erica, while screaming, "Get in the car! SPRING BREAK FOREVER!" I was so happy. Of course, I was also happy that Erica was happy!

[Sidenote: did you know how much time it takes to construct a ransom note from old magazines!? My editing skills came to use that evening, when I thought I'd be taking about an hour and ended up taking about six in order to complete it! Certain obvious words like 'bachelorette' were omitted simply for their length.]

The great thing about our snag with this The Graham & Co. Hotel was that exactly one week after we booked the double suite its proprieters went on some promotional rampage and it was in every Brooklyn-y newsletter or blog in our universe. Erica even sent Kelly a link to the hotel in that time after we'd booked it! The bridesmaids and I felt so clever, and Kelly most of all for having the pre-trend ear to the ground! Apparently it's now booked through the end of October.

So, we lazed by the pool (a preferred Bride activity), walked to town for a delicious pizza dinner, caught an evening bonfire while Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (Gene Wilder version!) was projected on a big screen, danced around the room into the wee hours of the morning, then ate ice cream made by Jiscilla (Champagne & Key Lime Pie flavors!) and celebrated Erica's 30th birthday!

Here are some other fine things that happened, that probably needn't come with details in order to enjoy purely via photograph:

Upon arrival, busted open the champagne for a picnic! (TG&C gives out Buds to guests at check-in, too!)

Surprises: Erica had little gift bags for US with amazing things inside!!! (Including all the yellow sunglasses!)

Birthday Bride and her awesome tee.

Rufus Putnam cocktails (Bride favorite) & ready for the pool - what else?

GLORIOUS GREEN POOLSIDE

MAIDS

The water proved chill

Jiscilla just had to capture my obsessive sunscreening

AND EVERYONE LAUGHED

We walk to town with attitude.

I GOT SHORTS. IN EVERY COLOR.

The beautiful bride not as enthusiastic as myself! She's such a joker!

Erica blowing out her "3-0" candles replete with champagne sorbet and ice cream-shaped cookie!!!

Amber and I in usual goof-mode. Maybe one day I'll post the video from this frame.

Time to dance for the birthday girl!

Allison and I did our darndest to show Erica how much we loved her.

You might think Pussy Riot was involved in this, they were not. I forget what song was on...

Amber reclining - Sunday morning found us much more calmer!

SUCCESS! FUN! WEDDING IN TWO WEEKS!

That summer they took us in.

Here are the remarkable things that have happened in the past month --

I should start with a true point of unending happiness: my brother proposed to his girlfriend who shall henceforth be called his fiancé! He had wanted to surround Katie with the beauty of New Hampshire, at the summit of a mountain, and profess how his love was more vast than their view (at least, this is what comes to mind when he said "yeah, I'm going to take her hiking..."). Instead, as the gods are wont to do, it rained heavily all weekend and he was left to take on the task in a dimly lit, romantic restaurant, on one knee like a true charmer. I mean, I know what that's like! I'm thrilled at the prospect of having a sister! And for all the happiness she brings to my brother, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Before my brother's magical weekend, my own romantic hero took me across the United States to visit his family in northern California. It's not a part of the country I've spent much time, and it was great to reconnect with his father and aunt, and to meet his grandmother for the first time. We spent the last day of the trip in San Francisco, a city that renders me in a state of perpetual coldness. There was no fog this time around, like there was that July many years ago, but the wind was still there and it ran through me and chilled my bones every chance it could. I was glad to say bye to the city, but was sad to leave the loving faces of family just north of it.

Amidst the past month Jesse and I also spent a weekend in Massachusetts with my family for Mother's Day. It was a jam-packed weekend that included Katie (before she was The Fiancé) graduating with a Masters Degree (while Jesse and I parked it in a barcalounger-full theater for The Great Gatsby), and a dinner with her entire family. (They who will soon be an extension of our own family!) They are wonderful and again, I'm so happy for my baby brother. We spent Mother's Day on my parents' deck and Jesse got to show off his bocce skills again. He's quite the impressive chap when it comes to competitive games. We were sad to say bye to my family at the end of the weekend.

Last week, after Jesse returned from a couple of weeks of rehearsing in Minneapolis, and I returned from house- and dog-sitting in New Jersey, we celebrated his birthday! I took him out for a delectable steak dinner and then we hung out with friends in the East Village. It was a glorious Monday evening. We squeezed out every bit of time we had since his return and before his departure for the Warped Tour the day before yesterday. On his last night in town we got to see The Menzingers live! And though we felt like The Old People who were checking our watches at 10:30pm, as soon as they hit the stage and the first notes of "The Obituaries" began, we were pumped. (I have to pause here and personally thank Liz for the introduction of them via her blog.) I had a bit of an urge to jump into the crowd and let loose, but I just bounced around in one spot near the back for the most part. Jesse and I (with Pee Wee, of course) collapsed in bed that night exhausted, but it was all time well spent. And now it's gone. I'll see him again soon, and hopefully it will only be a stretch of a couple of weeks.

And in a few minutes, I'm off to Massachusetts again!