Although it is literally killing me to sit at my desk and sift through my to-do list (sunny and beautiful outside and I am DONE with this job), sometimes going back to work and putting Clementine back in daycare for a few hours is just what we all need. Our weekend was full and fun and full, and I think we're all happy for a little time to ourselves. Clementine is hopefully having the world's longest nap, and I'm trying to get my head back on straight after a rare night (two nights ago!) of carousing. Lunch time errands, backlog emails and trying to pretend like I'm awake as I try to read through the world's most boring report. Mondays sure are joyous.

Saturday was our annual Kentucky Derby bash, altered a bit this year with the Cinco de Mayo factor. Hats were in fine form this year, even if I wasn't by the end of the night. Mint juleps hurt. We didn't get our group shots this year because...well...we were busy drinking. And gambling. But here's the best shot from the whole fiesta.



Clementine was all about the Mexican theme (guacamole AND fresh lime wedges?!), though she did put in a call to her bookie last minute and made some fat cash on Street Sense.



Parenting with a hangover is tough--I have nothing new to add to the subject except that I am clearly not mature enough to keep having either children or parties if I can't learn from each year's mistakes. Seriously, I will not ever do this again. At least until next year. We pulled it together to go get some breakfast the morning after and soak in the sun a bit before nap time, and by the time we all woke up we were ready to conquer the Strawberry Festival in Hamtramck. My friends Laura and David remember this festival from its heyday of thousands of people liquored up on strawberry daiquiris jamming to some fine music in the sun. I've seen the pictures, and it looks amazing if not quite what it is today. I remember it only from a few years ago when my friend Heidi and I polka danced with a bunch of neat old Polish men in suits before watching a dance-off between two teenagers in the gym.

Clementine in tow, the festival took on new life. We got there too late to enjoy the traditional Polish dancing, but there was still plenty of legal gambling and raffle action in the gym and basement of St. Florian's , a beautiful Polish church. The polka is always my favorite, with all the old Polish grandmas and grandpas dressed up and dancing between bites of pirogi. But I also enjoy all the games in the gym. For 50 cents Clementine picked out lollipops, looking for a winner with marker on the bottom--of course she found one. We now have a beautiful Latina doll with a hand-crocheted dress, hat and purse. We skipped the strawberry pie and baked goods but had a Jello shot (strawberry of course) while listening to the Polish Muslims. Clementine was a little cranky and not her usual dancing self, but the world's largest pickle solved that problem.



The weekend excitement put her over an ugly edge, however, especially since we followed the Strawberry Festival with an evening at the Lamberti's, where she can jump on their trampoline, torture their dog and be the center of everyone's attention for hours on end. By the time we got her home she was whimpering tired and kept waking up to moan and whine all night long. Poor girl. I'm sure she'll recover in time for next weekend.