Today was a fabulous day. From start to finish--divine in every way. It's the first really great day I've had since the terrorist attacks and it was absolutely welcome.

The day started as usual getting Joey off to school afterwhich I came home and checked my messages and read the diaries on my buddy list who had already updated. I sort of half watched Magnum, P.I. on A&E while I did it. I couldn't tell you what the episode was about but Tom Selleck of the 80s offered some great eye candy when I needed to look up from my computer screen.

After Magnum and Diaryland, I decided I needed to take a short nap before I got ready for the BBQ at Joey's school. I don't care that it was only 9am. I needed a nap. Unfortunately, 15 minutes after I fell asleep, my friend Bill called to decline my invitation to join our family dinner tonight because he was caring for his parents tonight. I tried to fall back to sleep but I don't think I ever did.

At 10:45, I arrived at Joey's school, checked in and waited for her class to come through the BBQ line. She was so excited to see me. It really was great. And the hamburgers and gardenburgers were actually tasty. I was rather surprised. I had to drink school milk, though. I am *not* a milk drinker but they didn't have anything else to drink and I need a beverage when I eat so I was forced to drink milk. Blech! I saw so many people I knew--families from church, from the neighborhood, from the community. It was really nice. Joey and I sat in the sun on blankets provided by her new friend Natasha and her mother Dulcinea. (Can you believe that name???) Dulcinea and I are going to be the room co-moms. That will work out well. She's a big volunteerer--I saw her at the PTAC meeting on Tuesday and she was at parent's night, too. She already knows a lot of people in her only 3 weeks of living in our town. And they live in our neighborhood so it will be very convenient.

After lunch, I took my neighbor's son with me so she could help out with the rest of the BBQ. He and I drove to Circuit City to get Joey the Shrek CD for her birthday. On the way there and back (we went different ways going and coming), we counted 125 American flags. It was quite heartening. He also got 6 slug bug points to my 4 slug bug points.

I spent the rest of the afternoon tidying up the guestroom and my house (though thankfully it was pretty tidy to begin with) and getting the ribs ready for smoking. Just as I was getting the charcoal lit, my dad and grandmother arrived. While the charcoal burned, we had a lovely conversation and shared peaches and pears. I also gave Dad and Grandma a slice of Ed's pie. They both loved it. :-)

At 5:45, my sister Cherri arrived followed in short succession by my sister Amy, her husband Chad and Ed. I was so surprised, thinking everyone would be later than that. In a fit of friendliness, I had called Stacey earlier and invited her family to join ours since they are truly part of my family.

While we were waiting for Stacey et al to arrive, we let Joey open her presents. She was so excited by the $10 gift card to Toys Backwards R Us, which Grandma had sweetened with another $10 in cash and loved the Shrek CD. She loved the clothes and software that arrived today from Ed's parents, and the leather rolling suitcase from my dad was a big hit, too. (I'd kinda like to have it for myself!) But by far, the biggest hit of the night was the personal CD player from Amy and Chad and Shrek CD from me. She was completely speechless but sported a big, beautiful smile.

Pardon me a moment while I completely brag on my culinary skills. Dinner was incredible, if I do say so myself. The ribs were thick and meaty and smoky and very flavorful (I have developed a great dry rub for them) and falling-off-the-bone-tender. I made more of my mother's recipe for BBQ sauce and it turned out perfect. The baked beans were good and baked, too. My dad and BIL both said that these were the best ribs they'd ever eaten. (They *were* good.) Everyone gobbled them down and we were all fat and happy at the end of the meal. Stacy brought some cole slaw so we had something that approached a vegetable in our meal. :-)

After dinner was the obligatory Lighting of the Candles and singing of the Birthday Song. Joey had helped me frost and decorate the cake with colored sugar so it looked pretty. And we had orange and pink candles on the cake--isn't that just perfect? The cake was good, too, but I can't take any credit for it aside from finding and buying the best cake mix ever--Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge cake with vanilla frosting. Best chocolate cake ever. I promise you.

We all talked all night, mixing up our little conversation groups so that I felt like I'd had a chance to have a chat with everyone at the house tonight. There was never a dull moment, never an awkward silence or uncomfortable situation. We all just nattered on all night until about 10pm. Joey and Baylee played nicely in her room (and didn't destroy it!) all night with the occasional visits to see what we were up to. Truly, it couldn't have been a nicer night and I was completely delighted and satisfied with everything. The food all turned out great, the conversation was lively and the company was beyond compare. Damn, can I put together a great party or what??

Thanks, Heather for signing my guestbook. Your compliment meant a lot to me since I think the world of your diary and your writing. Hope you'll stick around.

And now I'm wonderfully tired. And I'm not even going to think about what may happen tomorrow with the terrorists because tonight I am filled. I'm filled in every way and if this is my last night on this earth, I couldn't have asked for a better one to go out on.

Hope to see you all on the morrow...

--L