So, I decided to start my day off at the pool. I got there at 8:15, fifteen minutes after it opened, and there were a lot of cars in the parking lot. I worried that it was crowded. One of the pools was alive with activity. Turns out it was a swim team. The other pool was open and I had a lane to myself for all but the last 7 laps. I really don't like to share. I mostly do the breast stroke, and it takes up a lot of space. I stood under the waterfall in the rec pool when I was done, with the water massaging my neck, back and shoulders. Nice! I did my stretches in the hot tub. Nice again. When I left the center, I drove to a Starbucks and had a bagel while drinking my latte and reading my newspaper. It was a beautiful morning and I sat at an outside table, feeling totally refreshed. I went to the paint store on my way home, and bought my paint. I'm committed. Emily called and wanted breakfast from Dunkin Donuts: a mango frozen drink, apple fritter and a sausage, egg and cheese croissant. She ate it all, somehow. It was her birthday breakfast. We hung out for a while, then she went to a friends house. I got busy on my house.

Why oh why did I start this painting job? I bought the sample can of paint because I liked it in a friend's house. I didn't even have a part of the house I wanted painted. Then I painted the foyer, and one thing led to another, and now I'm knee deep in a big project. Just because I bought the sample. So today I took down everything from above my cabinets. And from the counters. And took off all the switch and outlet covers. And did the drywall mud. And sanded. And put on more mud. And scraped up old caulking. And wiped down walls. And sanded more. And vacuumed walls. In the kitchen. In the foyer. In the powder room. Tomorrow I'll caulk. And start the taping. And I'll replace all the switches and outlets with new white ones. Which will mean I'll have to turn off the electricity. Why oh why did I start this painting job?

In other news, I think it was a pretty good birthday for Emily. Her big gift from me was a new hockey stick. I bought her flowers and a reed diffuser from Pier 1. This picture is her traditional birthday pose. As much as she complains about it, she still puts on her crown for me. I have pictures of her wearing one from every single birthday.