A near perfect day!

Day and Frank Smith came into town last night and saw our house for the very first time. We chatted, had tea, and generally congratulated each other on looking great and making exciting plans for the new year. In the morning The Smiths treated us to breakfast at IHOP, which was a treat for me as chain breakfast dives hold a special place in my heart. I had hot tea, eggs (sunny side up), hash browns, double blueberry pancakes, and (later) a bit of a stomachache. It was lovely. Day and Frank were in town to buy a dog, so we went to the pet store for necessities. Jason and I window shopped all the pets from fish to finches, imaging ourselves owning each one and then feeling glad that we didn't. We saw the Smiths off and ran some errands which included buying new dishes for me, perusing the Linens'N'Things sale aisles for me, hunting for new coasters for me, and buying a chocolate bar for Jason. In World Market we found coasters that looked like little pebbles with epoxy poured over them and a pleather backing glued on. Therefore, the craft store was our next stop for epoxy and molds and ideas. Since the weather hit the 50s today we spent the entire afternoon outside mixing epoxy resin under the bamboo pergola and burning dead branches in the burn barrel. At one point we made a youthful and dangerous decision involving glass bottles and old perfume, but the result was fantastic. I only wish the perfume we used had actually smelled nice. We also had the great idea to take the top of the chicken coop down with nothing but a sawed off Sassafras log and a ladder. All-in-all it was a successful day full of hard work done with improvised tools and task-oriented focus--really the most satisfying day one can have. As the afternoon dragged on I heated up some soup and April's Chai tea recipe and we ate Linner on the back porch and watched the fire. No mosquitoes, no humidity, and I still managed to get a pink sunburn on my face (the only skin showing on a chilly January day). After an unsuccessful attempt to find coverage of the presidential debates tonight, it is time to go to bed.
Goodnight!