Eight Solid Hours

Got a solid eight hours of sleep last night (thank you, Tylenol PM) but I almost feel like I could crawl back into bed and do it all over again.

Still picking up and trying to restore order in the house. Got the porch all cleaned and the furniture is back where it belongs. Took down the canopy and hopefully the lawn boy will come and mow the lawn. All the returnables are sitting in the tub and there they shall sit until later in the week. Incredibly (or perhaps not so) all of the shrimp tails that Ken so cavalierly tossed over his shoulder disappeared overnight. Must have made quite the feast for the local squirrel and chipmunk population.

So, time for the party in review.

I live in a rented house. It's just a summer place for the owners, so they rent it to me for the school year (Sept - June) and then I vacate the premises during July and August so they can use it. During that time I live in an efficiency apartment in the attic of a local bed and breakfast. Both places are furnished, so I don't really worry much about moving furniture and such, just my clothes and a few personal effects that I prefer to have with me at all times.

The house I rent during the school year has a fabulous enclosed porch and I've gotten into the habit of having a party on the porch before I move out each year and then again when I move back in again. Makes sense - I can't enjoy it during July and August so I try to get maximum benefit during June and September.

I have a great group of friends ranging in age from mid 30s to mid-late 60s and I invite them all. I usually have a few out of town guests as well, and this year was no exception. It's fun because the out-of-towners have now been here often enough that they are familiar with the locals and it just makes for a great mix of people.

But the thing that made this year's party especially spectacular was the stroke of genius I had to invite COMPLETE STRANGERS to the party.

[post in progress ... more later!]