Glitter Sparkles

The way the left side of my head has been throbbing since last night, I can tell my left brain got a good work out during my first two days of radiology. Whew! It was like watching a movie about flying planes then immediately being thrust into the cockpit and ordered to fly to New Jersey!!!

That's why I was so grateful it was July 4th, and we got the day off!

We celebrated with the Grays - Curtis, Kelly, Taylor and Josh. We met them on this day last year at the fireworks over the water at the Embarcadero. We brought Mishka (a mistake because she's petrified by fireworks), and the kids kept coming over to pet her, though she wasn't cooperating (in typical skittish Mishka fashion). Taylor, their charmingly loquacious 9-year-old daughter, struck up a conversation with me (mostly about Jupiter and her pet and High School Musical) that led to our meeting her parents and finding out that her dad Curtis is the foreman for a construction company. It just so happened we were looking for a contractor. It also just so happened that we are neighbors!!! We exchanged numbers and Curtis introduced us to Wally (a character in his own right), and they were hired! One year later, our house is finished, and we love it. We still thank Taylor for the introduction.

Tonight we had them over for an all American cook-out then returned to the same spot to watch the fireworks over the water, but this time we all drove together (sans Mishka). We sat in beach chairs facing the water as Kelly passed out glow jewelry and homemade ice cream and soda. People around us looked jealous. The firework display was gorgeous. Taylor abandoned her seat and nestled up to me and we oooohed and aaaaahed through the entire thing. We even took a vote, and our favorite was definitely the glitter sparkles firework (or so we dubbed it). "Yeah, that was waaaaay cool!" she declared in modern day valley girl speak.

They came back to the house and we enjoyed our new patio furniture and the lighted umbrella Geoff bought. The temperature was a perfect 70 degrees with a clear sky. The kind of gorgeous day that makes you feel extra patriotic....