On Friday night I went out with the girls. Benito and I planned that I�d come to his hood and then call before heading over.

Well, I called and got no answer. Repeat this three times (because I know that he�s a sleeper, not because I�m crazy), and I shrugged and headed to the train.

I�ll admit that I was a bit shaky-fisted since I missed the train that drops me off right in front of my house and had to take the 24-hour train and walk three streets to my condo. But whatever. I�m a big girl. I usually sleep alone on Friday nights anyway, and I�m sure Benito was tired.

Once I came up from the subway and regained reception, there was my cell phone�s message indicator blinking. It seems that someone was expecting me to stay out way later than 12:30 and had gone to the gym.

When I called to report my location (right outside my condo�s door), he asked that I give him time to shower before he came over.

If I had been mad or upset before, that would have been a cure-all.

So zzzzzz until way too late.

We walked over to Michigan Avenue to the Nike store to see if they had the shoes I mentioned in my previous entry. Why oh why do stores not carry a size 5? Is that actually as freakishly small as I�m being lead to believe by multiple stores� inventories? My feet certainly don�t look freakish to me. I�m small, so my feet are also small. Bah!

We headed to another store with hopes that they�ll have the shoes, but their smallest size was a 6.5 -- not very small at all. Again with the Bah!

We resisted the urge to gorge on Auntie Anne�s pretzels, and instead walked through the touristy part of town to the downtown outskirts to this Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant that I�ve wanted to try for a while. After glancing at the menu, our minds were changed, and we headed back to the touristy part for something familiar.

Red Lobster it was!

Our food took foreverrrrrr. And then I saw our waiter, Samuel, take a seat at another table and chit-chat with the customers. Seven minutes later, long after Benito and I had finished eating and were looking to leave, he finally got up and walked to the back.

Benito and I twiddled our thumbs.

Twiddled some more.

I pointed to my face and said, �Do you know what this is?�

Benito gave me a blank stare, as he knew something ridiculous was about to come from my mouth.

�This is my annoyed face. I�m going to go find Samuel.�

So, yes, I got up from the table. I went around the corner, searching for the barely familiar college-aged face. I found him macking on another server, oblivious that I was standing a few feet from him.

In my sternest adult voice, I said, �Samuel! Could we get our check and a to-go box?� He snapped to attention, and I turned away as he looked a bit embarrassed.

Our check was delivered promptly, and luckily he wrapped our food to go at the table. Like I would have risked having him spit in my pasta behind closed doors...

Samuel, if you read my diary, I would apologize for leaving you mere change for a tip when I know good and well from my college days that tips are how you make any money if you weren�t such a sucky-ass waiter. Quit being a slacker, and you�ll get the normal $8 tip Benito and I leave.

Soon after Red Lobster digested, Benito left to go meet up with his friends for the night. I retired to the couch for a DVD and some kitty snuggling, yet I went to bed entirely too late.

The next day I glanced at my thermometer and saw that it was friggin� gorgeous outside. I called Benito to wake his butt up, and then I strapped on my rollerblades and headed out for a 10-mile trek. Benito called after mile one, and we made plans to meet up later. I traveled all the way from downtown to Lincoln Park, rode through a few trails there until I hit the underground pass to the lakefront path, rode past Navy Pier and all the tourists, all the way back to downtown.

I didn�t do my regular 10 miles because no water fountains were running and the lakefront path was torn to shit. I wasn�t about to continue any farther than necessary with all the rocks and holes and cracks.

I cleaned up, and Benito picked me up soon after. We caught up on our TV watching with our Tivoed shows and watched a little extra TV too. My belly was grumbling, so we walked to the sushi place for dinner.

Back home to lounge. And then to bed.

I have a wonderful man wrapped around me, clean sheets above and below me, and a full day of work to rest up for, and of course I can�t sleep. Argh.

Eventually I got to sleep, and the alarm rang way too early.

And although I�m not fond of waking up any earlier than I need to, who am I to complain when my Monday morning starts off with Benito and my last moments before going into the office come with a kiss? �