Today was the 103rd anniversary of my grandmother's birth. At least I think it was. I'm not sure if she was born in 1901 or 1902. I know my grandfather was born in 1899, because that was notable, being in the prior century. When my grandmother died a few years ago (I'm also not exactly sure what year that was), my family agreed to get together every year on the weekend in March that was closest to her birthday. Life, however, got in the way and that tradition, such as it was, ended after only a few years. Now my family is lucky if we all get together once a year.

I've missed the time when my morning shower coincides with the sunrise. It must have happened a few weeks ago and I was either traveling or it was cloudy or I just didn't notice. Sunrise now is around 6:15 and I don't get in the shower (which has glass walls and has a view through a window into the back yard) until around 6:35.

I'm in the midst of picking out paint colors for every room in the house and am amazed that in the big set of paint swatches the painter left every paint chip has both an identifying number and a name. Who spent their days naming the thousands of hues and shades (1488 in 192 color families, according to the notation at the beginning of the swatches), coming up with Parlor Blue (medium blue with a slight periwinkle cast) and Blue Visage (a clear light blue) and Napoleon (a darker, more brooding blue suitable for short rooms)? Are there naming standards for the colors and if so, who decides whether Daisetta or Butter Cream is more of a creamy yellow? Apparently there are standard designations called light reflective values and Munsell notations, giving me some hope that Bacchus, Bashful and Fire Princess will all be true to their names.