Easily One of the Best Purchases I Ever Made (Best Gifts I've Ever Given). Yesterday, I Used It as a Location to Remember Where My Glasses and Keys Were

Patrick and Stephanie hosted an afternoon 4th of July gathering. At the last minute, I through together a lemon pasta salad with materials I had around (making my own buttermilk) and it came out superb. I think it's the lemon juice. While bringing it into the kitchen, I saw that Patrick still had the antelope skeleton art piece I found on clearance for under $17. I was shocked. I wish they had more. The joy on his face the year he unwrapped it was marvelous and I know that Stephanie still wishes the damn thing would just disappear (like the leg lamp in a Christmas Story). 

It's just so damn beautiful. Every home needs one. 

I love barbecue food because it's a medley of everything and so many great meats. And it's in the afternoon, so I don't have to eat again at night.

I came home to do trash, to listen to the United States go wonky with their firework insanity. Actually, I just listened...imagined being bombed or ransacked or living somewhere where those were the sounds you heard all day and slept through. That is, living in war. Perhaps the tradition is one of fantasy and joy because we have NOT had to live with such sounds on a regular basis. For us, it's a play thing. Let's hope it remains for future generations to have such luxury to chow down a couple of hotdogs before running around a yard with sprinklers. We'll see if World History will remain or if new chapters will be written....England sure as hell is hanging on...we shall see.

I need to load up rooms on campus today, but also hope to maintain a total chill mode. I'm not doing anything unless it feels mentally right for a couple of days.

This will likely look like walks, organizing, cooking, and prepping for guests and Abu. It's summer, so the house gets a little livelier.

Happy Friday, Y'all. We could use an eating day everyday of the week like yesterday was.