Toasted..

We didn't make it to bed until almost four this morning. I knew I'd be hurting when it was time to get back up at nine to start sifting through more boxes out in the shed today. I wasn't wrong.

Despite it being somewhat of a holiday around here, we still had some work to get done. We were in the garage by ten. Unfortunately, it seemed like everyone and their second cousin needed Mom's time today and we didn't get as much done as I would have liked. People kept calling, or stopping by the house, and Mom would wander off to be polite and help them with whatever it was they needed her for. We didn't make as much progress as yesterday.. but at least we made another good sizable dent.

As the boxes dwindle down to next to nothing, I'm starting to wonder if I'm making a mistake. I've been through my old things a hundred times to whittle it down to a manageable amount, and the stuff out there was always the stuff that really meant something to me. Now I'm putting in all in a sale pile and tossing a ten cent sticker on most of it. Yes, I know I don't have a place to put it right now, and my mother's space is beyond constricted. Yes, I know that money is excruciatingly tight for Dave and I right now, worse than we ever thought it could be. It still seems hard to be parting with so many things that I'm particularly fond of. I know we can't keep everything that takes our fancy throughout an entire lifetime.. but I've done a pretty good job of clinging to this stuff for the last twenty years or so. I guess it's just time to say goodbye, and cut loose from the material things that don't *really* matter. It's hard.. but I'm sure it needs to be done. So far, I've tucked away two small boxes of keepsakes from the twenty-five boxes of my stuff that will soon be yard sale bound.

Unlike yesterday.. the clouds vanished, and the sun was absolutely blazing. The breeze was cool, but it wasn't long before I was glistening, and adding a bit more color to my cheeks and arms. My arms were red yesterday, but they've taken on a very angry hue tonight. I swear it feels like they're screaming at me for what I've done to them. Mom even slathered me up in sunscreen before I went out there today. She made me wear this ridiculous Boone hat, (that said "Quidditch" on the front of it. Yes, it's mine from my over-grown Harry Potter stash, lol). I felt quite silly, but I thought I was well protected. Apparently, I was wrong. My skin is on fire, but who knows. Maybe it's good for me. I've been outside more in the last two days than I have been all year, I think.

We quit at five and piled everything back into the shed. We showered and changed clothes and went to pick up Dave's birthday cake. Mom and Wayne surprised us with dinner out after that for Dave's birthday. We went to a nice little restaurant called The Beef House, notorious for their amazing rolls. It was amazing, and we all ate way too much, but we brought an entire meal home, I think. When we came home, we took the dogs on a brisk seven block walk. We settled in to watch "So You Think You Can Dance" over huge slices of Dairy Queen Turtle Blizzard cake, which was absolutely phenomenal. It was a really great evening, all things considered.

I took a few pictures today, but realized tonight that now my SD card reader in my computer doesn't work AT ALL. I should be surprised, or angry.. but really, I expect something else to go wrong, and one more thing to break, and some other unpleasant surprise on a daily basis at this point. It's always something. I've had to spend an hour uploading them on Mom's computer to send them back to myself to crop, edit and upload here, and it's been quite a time consuming mess, but thank goodness I even HAVE a back up computer right now, or I'd be in real trouble. I don't even want to think about how much it'll end up costing to fix the card reader, but that's not going to make the priority list for a very long time, I'm afraid.

I've got to get going. I have to get us into bed early again tonight so I can get up early for Dave's speech therapy and a doctor's appointment for me. We're taking the day off from yard sale prep since we've got so much else going on. Thank You all for joining us again tonight, and for all of the wonderful birthday messages for Dave's birthday. They really have meant a lot to the both of us.

I thought I'd let Dave take a moment to thank you all himself, in his unique Dave way.. so without furthur ado, the Birthday Boy.

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Some of our favorite photographic memories of the day..

Wayne and Dave.. and the Buffalo? Cow?

It occurs to me that I really must explain Dave's hat. This isn't the latest fashion in Indiana.. but it *is* a little bit of comic relief. Dave got that hat from Matt and Anna all the way from Scotland. Personally, I think it's awesome. (I don't know that I would have worn it to the restaurant, but Dave insisted, and it was Dave Day around here today.. so.. he wore the hat). Isn't it... spectacular? lol.

Mom wearing Dave's Hat. Backwards, no less, lol.

One of those embarassing photo memories you'll wish you hadn't taken one day.

Mom and Wayne Looking Great.

They gave Dave cake at the Beef House. Dave likes cake.

Dave got MORE cake.

Amy fries her face... and, the rest of her.

(The picture really doesn't do the angry red color justice, like in person, but you get the idea. =)

Until next time.. Much Love, Many Hugs, and Good Night to You All.