Ten on Tuesday, June 29

1. I don't like moving. I really don't like moving in 92 degrees and high humidity when there are stairs involved. That said ... it was totally worth it to install Millie, Eric and Danny in their new old home. Having my friends a little bit closer makes it completely worth it.
2. Spontanaeity and I still get along. Last Friday when Kathleen called looking for a dinnertime diversion, I initially thought "No; it's a big weekend with lots of activity and I really need to do my laundry." But I changed my mind, because life is short, food is good, and Kathleen is awesome. She met me at P.F. Chang's and we sat on the patio. It was a delightful, wonderful evening. And when I got home, I still had plenty of time do finish my chores.
3. Telling people that you value their opinions is not the same as actually valuing those opinions. That doesn't mean I expect anyone to substitute my judgement for his or her own. It does, however, require one not to assume I (or anyone else, for that matter) am wrong just because we share a different set of circumstances.
4. The car has been officially christened El Guapo. My best friend in the entire universe, the brother I didn't meet until I was 29, is in town on business, and the entire family (minus Rae and Kaylee) got together for dinner. Mike Rice has to pilot my vehicles and name them. He's been doing it since college, and it's the right thing to do.
5. Speaking of Rice family dinner ... it was chicken and dumplings, the way Susan (Mom) Rice used to make them. I have a lot of memories of that particular meal. Sometimes around that big table in the Jacksonville kitchen, sometimes huddled around a plastic bag full of dumplings and eating them cold the next morning. Always delicious. Becky and Cindy made dinner and the most perfect peach custard pie I've ever had. It was a magical meal. And like most magical meals, it wasn't the food, but the people, that made it special. This was the first time in two years that I've been in the same room with all the Rice kids, as James has been teaching in India. It was great to see him - and all my adoptive siblings - if only for one evening.
6. Okay, so this just hit me. We're eating the peach pie, and I ask for the recipe, and little brother Chunk says, "I'll send it to you right now." And he did. From his phone. Which means my little brother has the recipe for peach pie on his phone. How cute is that?
7. I have really effed up my knee. Too much activity over the last few weeks, I guess. It's swollen and cranky. Guess I'll have to take it easy this weekend, huh?
8. VACATION! It's just a long weekend, but it totally counts. Heading up to Lake Geneva on Friday night (pray for nice weather; I'd really love to go with the top down) and staying through Monday morning. In my near future, there will be karaoke, breakfast, pool, lake, sun, conversations and laughter. Sounds like vacation to me.
9. This morning I woke up to a little kitty-vomit minefield. Not sure what the little bastard got into, but it was nasty. And it did not make for a good morning.
10. If you eat a lot of black licorice, jelly beans or gum drops, you will poop brilliant green. No, really.