1) I had a feeling cancellation of the open house would not have penetrated through the entire guest list, so after a breakfast of egg drop soup I spent the morning on light housekeeping, and I'm glad I did. About 10:30 AM there was a knock on my door: a friend, and a friend of his, both running in the race and eager to drop their gear. Delighted to welcome them both!
2) Williams Street was empty of spectators as late as 11:15 AM. In the end, dozens fewer people than usual. Someone on the street mentioned that perhaps there was another road race going on today. And anyway, it was bitterly cold for spring - bitterly cold! The bright sunshine cruelly deceived a few. I remained carefully muffled up.
3) I passed the time picking up bits of trash in the garden, and then not too long after 11:30 AM, the motorcycle cops came along, signalling the arrival of the first runners.
First!
4) The new neighbors came down to the sidewalk to join me, as one of their number was running. This was my first real chance to chat with them since they moved in Easter weekend.
My new neighbor.
Too cold for shirtless running, except for this one guy.
5) Suddenly the news went round that one runner had proposed to his girlfriend while they were running together hand in hand! "Perfect JP wedding proposal, right?" smiled one of my neighbors. I replied, "All they needed to do was be running through an herb garden."
Is this the couple that just got engaged?
6) My friends had predicted that they'd finish the race by 11:45 AM. That time, however, came and went, and it just got too cold for me to wait to see them come in. As it happened, and as usual, I missed seeing them go by. They rang the bell about 12:15 PM or so, and enjoyed a good chat while they sorted out their gear and headed off to another engagement.
7) That meant that I could settle down to the Most Savory Lunch Ever: a bowl of Pr******o chickarina soup sprinkled with oregano and with a large clove of garlic crushed into it. Heaven in a bowl. And then a NAP. I slept like the dead for almost an hour, when I woke up and realized I hadn't moved. So I rolled over and promptly went back to sleep for over half an hour. I really needed that.
In conclusion, I really missed having friends over today, but Discretion truly is the Better Part of Valor. Right now I feel pleasantly drowsy after my nap, instead of utterly destroyed (and perhaps a wee bit hung over) as I surely would be after hosting a party.