Denouement

Risa joined me for my final trip to the ballet on Friday. Though I had been incredibly stressed out about upcoming tests for the 24 hours prior to curtain, the moment the orchestra started up and beautiful ballerinas fluttered across the stage, all my tension melted away. Swan Lake was a truly romantic and entertaining production. Having never seen Tchaikovsky's masterpiece before, I was captivated by the story line, moved by the music, and invigorated by the variety of dances. Risa made a comment comparing the medley of diverse dances to The Nutcracker (especially with regard to the four eligible princesses), and I couldn't agree more. Also, I loved seeing Houston Ballet principal Amy Fote in the lead (she's probably my favorite dancer in the whole company). All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable night and a perfect end to a great season.

I studied at Baylor all day Saturday and caught up with Sarah for a late-night diner run, which she will cover in her Houston Press restaurant review column/blog. Today (Sunday) I attempted to study the day away at Baylor and then hit up some quick Sunday savings on the way home. The deals were too good not to share...

Shopping at CVS
$19.15 > initial cost (4 Soyjoy bars, Almay foundation + free lipgloss!*)
- 1.15 in-store sale savings (store ad)
- 3. save $3 on $15 (online coupon)
- 2. manufacturer coupons (Sunday paper)
-13. previously earned Extra Bucks
$ 0.00 > total cost
PLUS $14 in Extra Bucks to use on any CVS purchase by 7/21
*Free, full-size lipgloss came packaged with the foundation ($7.99 value!)

Shopping at Walgreens
$ 5.29 > initial cost (Aquafresh Advanced toothpaste, 50 sandwich bags)
- .83 in-store sale savings (store ad)
- .51 Walgreens coupon (store ad)
- .75 manufacturer coupon (Sunday paper)
- 3. previously earned Register Rewards
$ 0.20 > total cost (paid with the quarter I found in the parking lot)
PLUS $3 in Register Rewards to use on any Walgreens purchase by 7/5

Bliss!

Studying aside, there have been a few top-notch encounters over the past week. On Tuesday I came home from a long day at Baylor to have a lovely and delicious meal prepared for me. Savory salmon, salad and bread, red wine, and Vermont white cheddar cheese made for quite a delightful meal. Perhaps I should offer to take people to the airport more often...I caught up with bride-to-be Jenn and fiance Robert on Thursday for a fun dinner with spicy, homemade turkey burgers. I think they're both excited for their upcoming December wedding, and I am thrilled to be included! On Friday night, my IPS group got together at our facilitator Laszlo's house for relaxing conversation, traditional Hungarian Chicken Paprikash, and a special viewing of Laszlo's nature photography.Finally, on Saturday evening I went to Alison and Russell's wedding at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church. It was a bit nostalgic to head over to Rice for the reception in the Grand Hall. Their first dance to "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid was too cute. :) Up next- my last full week of classes for the year!

Let's Get Together- Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

On Wednesday evening, a contingent of med school friends hit up Two Rows for dollar pints. Pictured above (l-r): Brett, Ian, me, Jeffrey (in his debut appearance), Tiffany, Ang (also new to the crew but of the BCM variety), and Joseph. On Thursday I donated blood for the first time in a long time since being a potential bone marrow donor match.Friday involved class, studying, and a poorly-timed, traffic-intensive trip to Lake Conroe (the route is artfully depicted on the napkin above). I met up with Jeffrey and fellow teachers for an end-of-school party that involved burgers, boating, a bonfire, and beer. I had tons of fun and even made it up on the water skis (below, with such grace- hah!), a feat I hope to repeat on Hayden Lake in July. The celebration was a bit bittersweet for me because the most demanding part of my school year is yet to come, sigh.On Saturday evening I dropped in on Alison Slowey's 'Around the Clock' bridal shower and the first part of her bachelorette party, which began with sushi at Kubo's in the Village. I'm looking forward to the wedding next weekend, which will include a stop back at my undergrad stomping grounds with the reception in Rice's Grand Hall. I'm sure Alison (below) will make a truly 'elegant bride.' My exciting Sunday plans consisted of confining myself to Baylor and studying all day.