You might have noticed there was no post yesterday.  That was because the only moments I was near a computer, was to watch a "show" in the morning with Auri, and to watch a movie in the evening with John. 

That's right! The countdown is over and John is back from Sweden.  I took the day off yesterday because I was having my 'best friend from birth' over for the night and her sweet girl Auri. I've had others over for pizza or drinks or what not, but this felt like my first official "dinner guests".  I had spent noon-9pm in the office Sunday and had worked 9 hours by 3:30pm on Monday.   So I headed home a bit early after turning in a big proposal for my firm.  I crawled into bed for a nap and woke to a phone call from Elise.  It was all heavenly.

I bought groceries and made dinner.  We drank "gin and sweet tea" with our chicken, pear, spinach and mushroom grilled wraps and then shared a bottle of wine and relished an amazing sour cream chocolate cake Elise had brought over.  Auri watched Peter Pan - and listening to her spontaneous giggles in the other room were a highlight of my night. 

We also enjoyed chalking up my sidewalk together.   The next morning that sweet doll was awake at 4:30am (bless all you moms out there - sweet Lord, how you do that every day I do not know!), Elise pulled her into bed with us and we slept for a few more hours.  At some point she decided to give me a "kiss" and fell asleep on top of me immediately.  For the next hour, Auri was stretched horizontally across with her head on me and her feet on Elise.  I didn't really sleep.  And I didn't really mind it.  When she woke up she looked up at my face and said, "I sorry" and then stretched out her little arm and smacked me in the face.  Premeditated if I do say so myself.  But she's a darling, and I'll let her get away with it.  

We took our time making breakfast, painting nails and getting ready and then headed down the street to the park.  What probably would be a 15 minute walk was something like a 30 minute walk - with a stop every few feet to "me hold?"  every flower, and examine every ant. 

At 10:30am, it was time to say goodbye - and for me to go say hello to someone else at the airport!! 

We spent the day relaxing and resting.  We took the bikes out for their first ride.  Flew a kite (or tried) at Gasworks park.  Ate dinner out on my lawn.  And just enjoyed that beautiful day, together.  We got some actual work done too - we both got laundry done, and I managed to find the Trader Joe's down the street and do a little grocery shopping. 

I cannot tell you how happy I am for it to be late July.  For my roommate to be home.  And my boyfriend back down the street. 

The last two days were lovely.  I only wish I could spend today doing the same things again.