<p>OK–It’s time to share some joy and happiness. What happened today that made your day better than yesterday? Was it one thing or a combination of things?</p>
<p>I’ll start. Today the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was the most beautiful summer day (unlike the stormy day we had yesterday). I spent the day at the ocean with some friends and relatives. When my cousin and I were watching our kids surf, we noticed a whale surface in the distance. Incredible!! Came home and made a simple dinner of grilled burgers, green salad with local tomatoes, and local fresh corn and the cob. My idea of the perfect summer Sunday.</p>
<p>*Today I actually shot par on one hole of golf lol</p>
<p>*I started shopping for Christmas gifts today (haha)…I also picked up a few things for myself. Shopping for gifts always puts me in a good mood.</p>
<p>*The fresh flower arrangements our florist brought in smell incredible and really brighten up the place.</p>
<p>*I got to spend some nice quiet time with my boyfriend in our pool this afternoon before he cooked dinner :)</p>
<p>*Now he’s sleeping next to me on the couch and is at peace :)</p>
<p>Not necessarily better than yesterday, because yesterday was pretty near perfect, but my D and her new husband left on their honeymoon today! :)</p>
<p>Now, if they would just hurry up and get the Cowboy Junkies set online.</p>
<p>We had our “good dinner” last night, a little something from Bobby Flay’s new cookbook: grilled sea scallops with warm bacon scallion vinagrette sauce. The best scallop dish I’ve ever eaten. Wow.</p>
<p>Our older son (now 20) and I whiled away much of the day together, reading one of Shakespeare’s plays aloud (Julius Caesar), taking it one act at a time, trading off parts. And he made us dinner: pasta with sauteed garlic and tomatoes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese.</p>
<p>Idad, it’s nice to see some Cowboy Junkies love. We’ve known Margo and her husband, Graham, for many years. He is a former (law) partner of my H. That Timmins clan is one talented family.</p>
<p>My wife and I went to see Cowboy Junkies last weekend, in a 234 seat venue. It was a mesmerizing evening. If anyone hasn’t yet purchased their *Trinity Revisited *DVD/CD combo with Ryan Adams and Natalie Merchant, do it first thing in the morning and you’ll get an early start on one thing to make tomorrow great. A truly exceptional recording. The Margo Timmins/Ryan Adams duets are to die for.</p>
<p>I went and toured the aircraft carrier USS Midway today and had reinforced yet again for me the sacrifices and dedication our military personnel are willing to do to serve and protect us.</p>
<p>Today is my birthday- spent some perfect late afternoon hours on the beach-one of those memorable beach days,
then the four of us went to a very special dinner, kids gave me a card which made me cry.
It was a perfect birthday!</p>
<p>My 23-year old daughter, who lives halfway around the country, visited this weekend. Today was bittersweet as she left, thanking us for a wonderful time.</p>
<p>DS announced he is changing his college major. . . a surprise, but it sounds like a field that will suit him quite well.</p>
<p>It has been an all-out wonderful summer, and I have been unsure exactly what has made it so great. Today, a columnist in our paper reported the same feelings and stated that he thinks part of this summer’s wonderful-ness for him has been anticipating a candidate he strongly favors being elected president in November. I immediately realized that was part of the reason I’ve been in such a good mood. I will not spoil this for anyone by announcing my candidate preference, and I know full well that I might be operating under a severe delusion.</p>
<p>I had a great time taking an acting improv workshop with S, 20. We’ve been doing this each Sun. throughout the summer at a community theater that I’m involved with. </p>
<p>Great group of people who include friends of S as well as friends of mine. Nice being in such a diverse, fun-loving group. </p>
<p>Only bad part was that it was S’s last workshop before returning to college. This may have been his last summer at home, so I’m very glad that we got to share some activities together.</p>
<p>AlwaysAMom, I have been thinking of you this weekend and of your D’s wedding and would love to hear more!!! </p>
<p>Hmmm, I can think of one thing from last night, hope that counts for “today”. Last night, D1 called from NYC where she is doing an internship at an architecture firm all summer and then will be heading to start grad school at the end of the month in Boston. She called and said (paraphrasing): “I’m just calling because I am in a very happy mood as I have been thinking how exciting it is to be heading to MIT because the more I learn about the program, it is so perfect for me and I never dreamed I’d ever get to go there and now I am so excited to be studying architecture and all I am going to be able to do and learn (she likely is hepped up by her internship too) and I just can’t wait and so I had to call and tell you.” </p>
<p>OK, something from today…D2 just called from a traini she is on…and actually AlwaysAMom, you can understand this best…Last weekend, she was in a musical in NYC that I saw and it was written by the grad students in Tisch’s Graduate Program for Musical Theater Writing and Dean Campbell came on Sat. night (saw her there) and watched the first half and now she has asked the cast of five to perform at the opening welcome ceremony for freshmen at Tisch at Skirball and to perform the opening number and then the song that is primarily one of my D’s solo songs. She felt honored that Dean Campbell picked that of all things for that event. She did say that the freshmen will be sick of her that week as she is also musically directing and performing in the musical lthey must attend at Madison Square Garden and also with her a capella group at another event. </p>
<p>That’s all that was great in my day. It was rainy here, again.</p>
<p>Today I drove back home on I95 and did not get stuck in an accident, idiot drivers in the left lanes, construction, or anything else. Great weather, courteous drivers and smooth sailing. Never happens in the summer on a Sunday Great day.</p>
<p>What a great day to ask this question, as I started my vacation today. Given that my younger son is a high school senior this year, all our vacations revolve around visiting colleges. We flew to LA today and tomorrow we visit Claremont McKenna. I’m sitting outside my lovely hotel in the beautiful weather with my laptop. Heaven!</p>
</p>
Great day.</p>