Summa Summa Summatime

The past week has been an absolute whirlwind of social activity. I guess that's just what summers are like in the big city. There are always things to do, people to see, and patios to drink on.

This week boasted both Mafiaoza's and Thirsty Thursday experiences. Both are quite dear to my heart and to fit them both into a three-day period is ideal. There's nothing quite like being surrounded by friends, sitting outside (possibly yelling) with a beer in your hand. That, my friends, is the quintessential summer experience.

Hopefully the weekend will bring more of the same...

Yesterday, Stella Mae and I met for the first time and I can already tell we're going to be great together.

She lives in a pretty rough neighborhood that I was a little uneasy to drive through (mainly due to the jean short-clad man standing across the street leering at me over his dragon neck tattoo).
But once I found her house and parked my car, my nerves started to settle. As I approached the house, the cutest little blonde girl came flying out of the front door asking if I was her new sister.
Upon confirmation of this fact, her next words were, "You are SO pretty and you have straight hair and I love you already!!"

She had me in the palm of her hand from that moment forward.

Especially when I saw, upon closer inspection, that she'd smeared on pink Bonne Belle lipstick for the occasion.

Her social worker, legal guardian and I went through all the necessary background information (which is quite sad) and signed numerous legal papers...and then I was finally left to visit with Stella Mae by herself. She showed me all her school pictures and oohed over my shoes and asked if I could do her hair like mine. Then she insisted she show me her room (which she's in the process of making more "4th gradish").

At this point, I'd already suspected that we were going to get along famously...when I saw the ultimate sign:

Stella Mae has her very own karaoke machine too.

I think I've found my miniature soulmate.