Haiku Burger Good Time

A lot of good things today to add happiness in my life:

1. A friend back in Boston not only finished her first triathalon this weekend, she crushed the competition and finished first in her age class. And her sister on the Left coast did too. Wonder Twin powers, Activate! (Sorry if that's getting old for you, but with the whole anonymous-in-blogland thing and two Newcastles, it's what I've got.) Clever and exuberant way to make sure to fit into that wedding dress...


2. One of my online friends decided that it was worth the risk to take the leap from ether to reality and stopped by for dinner on her way from SF to SD. I think her husband was still nervous until I showed him my new artsy steel table and my glassblowing pipes and tools. I tried to reassure him that I grew up in Minnesota and am just neighborly. It may have worked.
   
   I've had such good luck meeting people from Suz's board (my online book club) that I forgot how, "It's OK honey, we met on the internet!" sounds to someone who doesn't know us yet. Granted, I usually make sure I talk to someone who has met them in person before or get some other bona fides. In this case, my new friend lives in Alaska so that's harder to do. (And also makes me thrilled that she chose to stop for me.) But she sent me a cool CD to help with the running motivation that showed we have at least some interests in common and she has a good sense of humor. After a slightly delayed start we met up with my most-local book club friend and her husband as well.
   
   We had a good dinner at the local steak house, although we hadn't noticed they only serve prime rib, friend's DH's birthday dinner selection, on weekends. Apparently Tuesday isn't a weekend. After a round of beer and martinis, who knew? But we had a good time, dishing board stuff, getting to know each other, sharing a "widowmaker" burger, and letting the guys talk guy things unless we could embarrass them with romance novel talk. It's still funny to me that I have so many female friends after a young life identifying more with the guys. But it's a good funny.
   
   And the picking up I've been putting off is mostly all done as of last night, I got the mix-tape (yes, on CD) done, and I conscripted help to move the tool bench across the patio. Good details I don't want to lose in the abundance of happiness riches today.


3. I'm thinking "tropical modern" is really close. Maybe "modern tropical"? "engineereed tropical"? "Bold couch-napping"? I'm trying to find an alternate to "spartan yard-sale" for another friend, but if the hand-me-downs fit...


4. Fangrrl gush! New York Times Best Selling Author and Close Personal Friend wrote this for me. Love it!
   
   Laughing young woman
   Smiles as she kicks your ass
   Big brain, bigger heart
   
   
   
   Love,
   Suz
   

Work was busy. Have process issues to fix, but busy is good. Progress is being made. And ogre sized M&Ms, while they get stuck in the M&M dispenser, come in the colors of my home. So maybe my style should be "ogre modern". But really. Excellent day all around.