Tuesday, July 19

1:45 am
Suite

Almost date time again.  Can't wait to talk to Cate, to tell her my idea.  Wish I could make it a surprise, but there's just no way.  She's gonna have to do a few things on her end before she comes over here, so I have to tell her now.  The sooner the better.

I got the perfect idea for a birthday gift.  Well, I stole the perfect idea, ha ha.

Ran into an old friend earlier this evening, on our way out to dinner.  He was here in the hotel, arriving as we were leaving.  Happened right in front of the flock of fans hanging around outside the front door, waiting for our little motorcade to take off.

So much for Clooney sneaking into town with a low profile, ha ha.

George is here on business, it seems.  Something to do with his Darfur project; he's meeting with some international aid group here on Wednesday.  Lis didn't come with him, he's on his own.  So I invited him to come out to dinner with us so we could catch up.

We had a great time.  George is one of the funniest guys I know, so down-to-earth and charming and genuine.  It's easy to see why they call him the Modern Day Cary Grant.  He's a good-looking guy, Clooney, and he's suave and debonair when he wants to be.

But when he hangs with me he's mainly just a Big Goof like the rest of us, Ha ha.

So we talked about everything under the sun:  politics, showbiz, our philanthropy projects.  He's loving the Kitchen project and promised to come roll up his sleeves and wash dishes with me sometime when he's in New York.  Both Cate and Dorothea will love that, ha ha.  They'll totally forget I'm there.

And of course we talked about friends and families.  And women.  He still hasn't been tied down, still has a gorgeous girlfriend and a fabulous bachelor life.  And here I am an Old Married Fart once again, unlike that fleeting moment of freedom I was enjoying the last time Clooney and I shared a cognac and a cigar.

Tonight we raised a glass to the fact that we're both right where we want to be, in the life that suits us, ha ha.  To each his own.

I showed him pics of me and Cate, told George a little of her story.  Of course he'd heard about her and seen her in the press with me, but he was intrigued by my Wife's background.  Said he'd love to meet her.  I told him to come to dinner and we'll watch her make a fool of herself drooling over him, ha ha.

It does make me laugh to see Cate all starstruck.  It's sweet.

Anyway, we spent a good few hours at this great restaurant, just hanging out and relaxing.  George mentioned he's got his place in Italy on the market, decided to sell because he just didn't get a moments' peace there anymore.  It's constantly being watched by the paps, he has to have police escort him in and out sometimes.  That really sucks.  It's a beautiful villa.  But what fucking good is a vacation home if you can't escape and relax?

He said he's gonna look for another place, but he's just not sure where.  Maybe Italy, maybe Spain, maybe France. Wherever it is, there has to be water and a beach and good wine.

And that's when it hit me.

The second this Tour Wrap Party is over I'm putting Cate on the jet and whisking her away to a romantic little Italian hideaway.  Somewhere private and quiet and romantic where we can just enjoy the silence and each other.  I'm gonna rent a villa someplace, not at a resort where there are other guests.  Just some private place in a little village or something.  For at least a week, not a moment less.

So I told George what I was thinking and asked him where he thought I should go.  He said he knew exactly the place.

Sardinia.

I've been there before, a long time ago.  It was stunning.  Blue water, warm sand, gorgeous architecture, tons of history, and flowers everywhere.  I can find a villa on the coast and we can spend our days just laying around, breathing in the sea air and basking in the sun.

Perfect.

So when Cate Skypes in a few minutes I'm gonna tell her to go to work tomorrow and tell Stu she's extending her leave and she'll be back sometime mid-August.  She's got plenty of leave to burn and her court stuff won't happen until after Labor Day, so I know she can pull it off.

Actually, I wish she'd walk into Stu's office and hand in her resignation, but that's a conversation for another time.  Maybe closer to Roxy's arrival.

I know what she's gonna say.  She'll tell me it's a lovely idea, but I need to go home and spend time with my Kids.  August is for family; we'll have plenty of time to be together but I only have a little time to be with Steph and the Boys.  Especially with Steph leaving for college soon.

And I'm gonna tell her No.

Too many times I've let her step aside, let her defer to Dorothea and the Kids.  Let her stand on the sidelines while I keep up with the old rituals and routines of my past family life.  It's too easy to agree, to look at my almost-grown kids and my growing-too-fast boys and want to capture every fleeting moment with them.  Because I know Cate will still be there when my time with them is done.

God knows my Babies mean the world to me, but so does my Wife.  And it's time I finally put her first.  Even if it can only be for a week right now.  But it will be OUR week.

The Kids will understand.  I'll call Dorothea as soon as we have the details and let her know.  And she'll deal with it too.

Almost time.  I must be grinning ear-to-ear, I'm so excited to tell her.

2:15 pm
Cafe

Playing tourist.

With entourage and security in tow, of course.

Another amazing city I don't have near enough time to enjoy.  It's nice to have the extra day off so I can at least see some of Athens, though not nearly enough.  Just hitting the high points today:  the Acropolis and Parthenon, the National Gallery.  A little shopping in the Plaka, maybe a bite to eat at a Taverna later.

Would be more fun with Cate.

My date with her last night went exactly as I predicted:  I told her about our getaway to Sardinia, she was excited, then she told me we can put it off so I can get home to my Kids.  But I didn't let her get away with it this time.  I told her we're going, that's that, so put in for her extra leave and pack an extra bikini.

Or not.  Bikini optional, ha ha.

Of course she argued a little, but she eventually backed down.  I could tell how much she loved the idea.  Her smile was just beautiful, and I could see her eyes shining even over the crappy webcam video stream.

So first thing this morning I called Renee and got her working on it.  Clooney gave me a number of some property broker Lis knows, so Renee's starting with that to see what she can find in the way of private villas for rent.  She said she should have some options for me by this evening.

Then I can share them with Cate, we can decide together what we want.  Long-distance vacation planning, ha ha.

Hopefully we'll have something else to look at together tonight too -- a little plus sign or smiley face or whatever the hell those little sticks have on them now.  Cate decided to delay taking her pregnancy test until tonight after she gets home from work.  She said mornings are just too hectic for her, trying to get out of the house and to the office.  And she didn't want to spend the day thinking about whatever the result is.  Plus, she promised to Skype me before she does the test, so I'll know the answer along with her.

Though she refused to take her iPad into the WC when she pees on the stick, ha ha.  She said I can wait for her on the vanity counter.  I'm fine with that.

But now this means I gotta wait until midnight or after to find out if Roxy's on the way.  On a day off.  When I got nothing else to focus on.  Cate gets to go to work and get all wrapped up in her cases, put her mind to something else.  I'm wandering around Greece looking at statues of bare-breasted women, counting the minutes until we know.

How inconsiderate of my Wife, to keep me in suspense.  Ha ha.

Okay, onward and upward.  Literally.  Got a big damned hill to climb to get to those ruins.

11:25 pm
Suite

So Cate called me when we were all out at dinner a couple hours ago.  Actually, I called her.  Got a text that said "no hurry, call me when you have a chance."  So of course I immediately excused myself from the table and went outside the taverna and dialed.

She had good news -- her boss said no problem on the extra leave so we can escape to Sardinia.  She said she's been thinking about that all day, just hiding away with me and forgetting about the rest of the world for awhile.

But she sounded kinda down.  So I asked her why she's not more excited.

Her period started this afternoon.  She's not pregnant.

I felt like somebody punched me in the gut when she told me that.  And the Idiot I am, I said "Are you sure?" Her answer:  "Baby, of course I'm sure.  It's my period."

She said she was sorry.  Sorry.  Like it was her fault.  She sounded so disappointed.

That choked me up, but I tried not to let on.  I told her she has nothing to be sorry about, we'll just keep trying.  We got a whole week in Italy coming up, after all.  And if my math is right that will be perfect baby-making time.

She kinda chuckled and agreed, then said she had to go, there was a meeting about to start.  She'll see me tonight at the usual time.

Dammit.

When I went back into the restaurant I must have looked like somebody kicked my dog because Richie immediately asked me if everything was okay.  I guess I did go from laughing and goofing to being quiet and inside myself.  Of course I lied and said everything's fine, Cate's fine, just checking in.   Which wasn't actually a lie, per se.

It was just me that wasn't fine.  I'm disappointed as Hell though I know I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.  Cate warned me not to, that her body may just be wacked-out because of all the time-zone-jumping she did the last few weeks.  But she had her hopes up too.

I wish I was there to hold her, to kiss her and tell her in person it's okay, we just started trying a couple months ago.  We'll get it right eventually.  We just need to be together more than a couple days at a time, in this hotel room and that one, a different city every other night.  Now that the tour's over we can focus all our attention on the Baby B Project.

And I wish she was here to hold me and tell me the same thing.