Weird, weird day

First off, today was the coldest day this summer--a sudden snap from low 90s yesterday to 64 degrees at noon today. Not that I mind, it's a great birthday present to me, I didn't have to hide out from the heat in the basement for the first time in weeks. But I had to turn on the heat in the car (it's August for Pete's sake) on the way home from swim class because DD was a bit blue-tinged with mild hypothermia.

But it also just so happened to be THE day that I scheduled to have the DDog clipped. As an Aussie Shepherd he's been miserable in the heat, laying in front of the fan, panting. And the shedding, my Dear Lord, the shedding! So off the groomer today he went and got shorn like a sheep on the coldest day since March. Poor fellow. I gave him a doggy valium before we left (he's a bit high strung) and he was stoned for about eight hours. Poor guy.

Then, a shipment arrived from my Brother #2 and his wife...it's Christmas presents from last year that she set aside and never mailed. Until she found them last week during their packing to move and sent them to us with a note. Inside were some great Groovy Girl stuff for DD, nothing for DH and for me...well...a ME calendar for 2005, a Christmas tree ornament and a pair of earrings that I had given my SIL for Christmas in 1998. I am 99% sure they are the ones I gave her because I remember clearly that I got them for her during our trip to Scotland. I even remember the shop on Princes Street in Edinburg where I bought them. I loved that shop. Tourist trap, but a classy tourist trap.

She is never going to live this down. Never. Snicker.

And for my birthday I got a pair of striped satin jammies from DH that I'm taking back to exchange at the first opportunity (A for effort but I DON'T do pinstripes) and the You've Got Mail DVD (what's not to love). He took off at 5:30 pm with DD to make a mad dash to Target to get me something.

I baked myself a wheat free birthday cake that could masquarade as a doorstop, it's so heavy, and the icing is sending me into a sugar spin...wheeeeeee.

Otherwise I spent all afternoon straightening, sweeping, making DD straighten, vacuuming, dealing with the compost and with the watering of the plants, and otherwise preparing for my Grandmother and Aunt's visit tomorrow...can't wait!

The high points of the day:

DD put her face into the water a) willingly and b) multiple times in swim class this morning. This is the THIRD time she's repeated the Penguin level because she wouldn't put her face in the water. She's done it (on purpose) two days in a row now, and I'm soooooo happy for her. Yay!

DH took me out to dinner even though there's a lot to do still to have the house ready for tomorrow. He took me to The Olive Garden which is a sentimental favorite for us. The food was fabulous. In college when we started dating The Olive Garden was the fanciest restaurant we could afford, so we ate there for birthdays and anniversaries. Strangely enough, it's still about the fanciest restaurant that we can afford...

The waitress brought extra black olives for DD which made DD very happy, and I managed to eat hardly any wheat. There was some on the breading of the appetizers and I snuck a couple of inches of breadstick, but otherwise I was very good, wheat wise. Blood Type Diet not so much, but I'm not being as stringent with that as I am with the wheat. Did I mention, the food was great? I recommend the Mixed Grill and the Stuffed Chicken Marsala. I had the first and DH had the second and we shared a little. Both were excellent. DD had the grilled chicken but ate mostly french fries. She did really like the calamari, probably because I didn't tell her what it was.

So, weirdnesses and all, it was a good day. Add to it a snuggle with my sweetie and it'll be perfect.