More dinner guests last night and my wife again was a culinary star. There were some tense moments in getting through the last of our three dining commitments, including new and old friends plus family. We were trying to squeeze these in before our trip to Tahoe, but now we have plenty of time because of the cancellation. We’re meeting another former co-worker and her husband for lunch this weekend. Their wedding was a memorable occasion for us because it was just before we got together as a couple. In fact, we shared a room with three others because there were limited accommodations. I remember it well because I had just broken some ribs on a ski trip the week before and the foldout bed I shared with another co-worker was a painful experience despite the massive quantities of alcohol consumed. We’re meeting them after at least twenty years at Sharky’s on the Pier a favorite Gulfside restaurant.

Our dinner last night was a bit disrupted by the work being done on our driveway. The crew is out there again this morning adding pavers, but left in a hurry last night without much of a clean-up effort. Our entryway was covered in a half-inch of white sand and we were concerned about the slippery surface. I did my best to clear a pathway so our guests could safely get in and out of our house. The neighborhood grounds crew also left us a mess of dirt and grass clipping to further add to the poor first impression. Just days before, the front yard was in great shape for company, but naturally before they arrived the work started, leaving us with uprooted plants, two huge skids of pavers, and a pile of sand. A wheelbarrow, tools, concrete saws, clumps of sod, and trash bags also littered the front of our house. They should be finished today now that all our entertaining is done. 

We’ll have to find things to do for the next two weeks now that Tahoe is off the table. The new Marvel movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, followed by a Date Night dinner is now planned. I’ll also baby sit for my granddaughter again, so we can watch more Disney movies like Raya and The Lost Dragon together. My wife and I also intend to visit the Gamble Mansion, a former sugar plantation, as part of “Tourist Thursday.” It will have to take the place of Donner Pass that was on our Tahoe area historical  itinerary. More trips to the chiropractor will also be necessary, as the pain has led to another shortened run this morning. I’m just grateful that I’m not stuck on an airplane all day tomorrow, as my body stiffens with even short sit-downs. “Oh Yes, I’m a Mess” – just like the front of our house!