A mystery solved, and A SMALL TENT.

First, the mystery of the cubicle-gifters is solved:

It was Lerae and Ana. They are so nice.

And now,

I have always wanted a small tent.

I am not sure when this wanting began, but it has gone on for the past few years. Only a choice few people, who (sorry!) got dragged through the small-tent aisle at Target every time we happened onto that side of the store knew. One time, I seem to have mentioned that, "It would be, like the best gift ever if someone got me a small tent."

Ryan seems to have remembered.




Really, this has been a great week. Despite a few breakdowns about, "How am I going to make money?!" [wailing] "What if I just have to go work at an insurance agency?!" and my credit card being rejected a Baked and Wired this afternoon (Red Velvet cupcake #3 this week), life has been lovely.

When Meriweather and I were cruising home on 395 last night, I flipped on the radio and rolled her windows down and sang (loudly) to the tune of "Great Day to Be Alive." The sun was still shining when I closed my eyes (although I passed on both getting a new tattoo and growing a Fu Manchu).

Today was also a great day to be alive for several reasons:

a) Starting The Great Gatsby for the first time ever on the metro.
b) Seeing my perfect future family on the Mall.
c) A chihuahua wearing jeans and a sweater.
d) Celebrating the anniversary of the end of Prohibition at Dubliner's w/the Budweiser Clydesdales.
e) Utilikilt guys at the bar in Dubliner's.
f) The "Perfect Man List."
g) Metroing to the Waterfront for Cherry Blossom Festival fireworks.
h) Seeing Parrish Hardy in the throng of 6 million at the Cherry Blossom Festival fireworks.
i) Pirates
j) Two little girls in pink coats singing "God Bless America" (interspersing original lyrics on occasion) while wearing balloon hats at the fireworks show.

Some of these are self explanatory. Some warrant further comment:

a) "I was rather literary in college -- one year I wrote a series of very solemn and obvious editorials for the 'Yale News' -- and now I was going to bring back all such things into my life and become again that most limited of all specialists, the 'well rounded man.'" - pgs. 8-9

b) Dad is wearing old Redwings, a Polo and fleece vest when he turns to two golden haired cherubs probably named Jack and Mary Cara and shows them to "put out their wings" (Southern brawl, obviously) and "fly after Daddy!" as they went 'flying' across the Mall. Precious.

c/d/e) Only in Washington.

f) The collaborative (and potentially ongoing) masterpiece of six savvy ladies -- his traits will give Achilles/Brad a run for his money.

g/i/j) We and about 6 million others enjoyed the mostly normal show and the fantastic finale. We (LC and I) are still trying to figure out what the association is between the Cherry Blossoms themselves and the large city-wide events that are taking over Washington. Like LC says, "It's like, we have cherry blossoms -- let's teach origami! We have cherry blossoms -- let's have fireworks! We have cherry blossoms -- let's have pirates at the fireworks!"

h) The last time Parrish and I 'ran into' each other was in an orphan summer camp outside of St. Petersburg. I should have expected to run into her at Waterfront station.

To top it off, I got home and remembered that I own a small tent.
Again, the sun's shining as I close my eyes.