… I was sick as the proverbial dog on Thomas’ birthday and into the next day. I even had to come home from work on Wednesday … thank goodness we live 15 minutes away so that Rick could run me home and be back in time for the next class. I slept and lived on water … and slept some more … and end up finally eating real food by Friday. Ugh!

That all said, Thomas had a great 18th birthday … the kids had a great day on Thursday (talent show and shorter classes and general good times at school) … Maggie tried out and made Dance Club (so we’ll be seeing her dancing in the Spring!) … and we all had Friday off for Inauguration Day.

Can I just put in here … I have always liked Trump … I understand him … I appreciate his populist spirit and while I already have a Lord and Savior (and certainly don’t need Trump … or any POTUS … saving me) I think it is a good thing that he is now in the White House. And the take away from Friday’s inauguration .. whether you wanted him or not .. is that our country can change polarly opposite leaders with little bloodshed and few blips to the system.

So, Saturday, Catie and I had a “date” to go to dinner and a show — it was her Christmas present to me. We went to Saturday evening Mass, got wonderful Thai food at MumMum (lousy service … but excellent food), than headed over to George Mason University’s Hylton Performing Arts Center to see the Aquila Theater’s production of Murder on the Nile (a classic Agatha Christie story). This version was so cool: THREE actors (two men, one woman) played all the parts as if they were doing a BBC radio broadcast during 1942 and the London Blitz. Occasionally, you would hear an air raid siren … bombs dropping … BBC overvoice. It was an amazing performance and we couldn’t believe how well the three-man crew did – especially with their ability to assume the character’s personna by just donning a hat (and sometimes doing a part for one of the others who was busy playing a different part). It was really cool.

When we got home, we got the mail and lo and behold … our favorite relatives from down Clemson way had sent Thomas a birthday present: an official NCAA Football Championship t-shirt proving that Clemson (and the ACC) whupped up on ‘bama (and the SEC)!

A tough week (ok, it was a 3-day work week … 1.5 days of which I was out .. but still) … that ended on a definite high note or two (including my finishing of a new design that has just finished blocking)! Hope your week was just as marvelous!