Quick rundown
* Lots of driving. I found the most wonderful CD to drive to: a collection of Spanish-language covers of classic rock tunes by a group from Tenessee with excellent guitar skills and heavily-accented Spanish called Los Straitjackets. "Hang On Sloopy" becomes "Hey Lupe", and I can attest that it's great fun to speed along 17 W singing "mi amor est Lupe!" at the top of your lungs.
* I went to work on my birthday, and my dad went to dialysis, which normally wears him out so much that he comes home afterward and sleeps for the rest of the night. I came home figuring I'd wake him up to ask him what kind of special meal he might like me to order in. I got directions to all his favorite places from my mom and my brother, so that I could dash out to pick up whatever treats were requested of me. But lo, when I came in the door, the table was filled with brussel sprouts and potatoes and my dad's famous pork roast, and a homemade birthday cake. The man is probably going to have to sleep for weeks now, this must have exhausted him so, but it was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I'm all floaty with the feeling of being loved and cared for. Aww.
* Got to play with some pretty, if non-Medieval, artwork: some prints of wild swans by Gould, some birds of prey by Audobon, and some hand-colored aquatints by Ackermann. The experience is akin to that of petting a sparkly magical pony. *bounce*
* My niece had a fitting this weekend for her wedding dress. ** sniff! ** She's so beautiful it makes my eyes well up just thinking about it.
* Took John's dad out on the boat last night to watch the fireworks display from the lake. Years in Puerto Rico have eroded his ability to withstand the chill even of a July night in the frigid north here, so we wrapped him in a sleeping bag, and watched big chrysanthemums of sparkles light up the sky, competing with their own reflections.
* I haven't had a moment free in forever, but now that I have a laptop, it's almost as good as having vacations: yesterday I went to my friends' place to dog-sit, and set up shop on their back deck. I sat in the shade watching the dogs roll contentedly in the grass, typing merrily away. This is the life!
* I went to work on my birthday, and my dad went to dialysis, which normally wears him out so much that he comes home afterward and sleeps for the rest of the night. I came home figuring I'd wake him up to ask him what kind of special meal he might like me to order in. I got directions to all his favorite places from my mom and my brother, so that I could dash out to pick up whatever treats were requested of me. But lo, when I came in the door, the table was filled with brussel sprouts and potatoes and my dad's famous pork roast, and a homemade birthday cake. The man is probably going to have to sleep for weeks now, this must have exhausted him so, but it was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I'm all floaty with the feeling of being loved and cared for. Aww.
* Got to play with some pretty, if non-Medieval, artwork: some prints of wild swans by Gould, some birds of prey by Audobon, and some hand-colored aquatints by Ackermann. The experience is akin to that of petting a sparkly magical pony. *bounce*
* My niece had a fitting this weekend for her wedding dress. ** sniff! ** She's so beautiful it makes my eyes well up just thinking about it.
* Took John's dad out on the boat last night to watch the fireworks display from the lake. Years in Puerto Rico have eroded his ability to withstand the chill even of a July night in the frigid north here, so we wrapped him in a sleeping bag, and watched big chrysanthemums of sparkles light up the sky, competing with their own reflections.
* I haven't had a moment free in forever, but now that I have a laptop, it's almost as good as having vacations: yesterday I went to my friends' place to dog-sit, and set up shop on their back deck. I sat in the shade watching the dogs roll contentedly in the grass, typing merrily away. This is the life!