This morning, those of us who are up are quite hungover. Not on any alcohol, mind you, but on a rather sleepless night. Well, that and a good time.

Yesterday was a fun day, a play day. I have so few of those, and it was a great time. I can't remember the last time I had a day like it. I'll definitely have to have more fun days.

Sandra came over in the afternoon. We walked, played with Avadore, talked, laughed and ate some lovely fruit. We just pulled out a huge cutting board, sat at the table, cut the cantaloupe, apple and pear with a knife and had a great time nibbling on the juicy fruit with our fingers.

Later for dinner, after Sandra left to go mow her lawn, we ate fried chicken, Italian bread with hummus, roasted red potatoes, fresh strawberries and mushroom salad. It was fabulous.

Then Randy and Lacy came over, and Avadore and I went with them to listen to the live music downtown. (Don't ask why Ken didn't go. I'm still annoyed.) The band was comprised of two men -- a drummer and a keyboardist/guitarist. It wasn't the greatest live music I've ever heard, and they need to work on their gab, but live music is live music and it takes not only a lot of guts to get up and perform but a lot of work, as well. There was also a gentleman who was hopefully quite drunk who got up towards the end of the show and danced on stage. It was quite entertaining actually.

Sandra and Jeff showed up when the show was almost done and we all walked to a local Italian restaurant. Avadore and I ordered the most amazing dish -- Brie and apples were baked together and were served with roasted garlic, Italian bread brushed with olive oil with lemon slices to squeeze over the cheese and apples. It was incredible. Other things were eaten, but I honestly dream about the Brie on and off all night, which is really uncommon for me.

Last night I also dream about being instructed on the importance of cow manure and why not to move it as well as a family who moved here from Arizona and raised chickens. It was a really bizarre night.

About three, Katie, my sixty-five pound dog, jumped on the bed. We told her to get off, but she got back on. After a few times of this, it was obvious something was really bothering her. Finally, we all moved around to try to make room for the cat, dog and two people when the thunder began to pound and the lightening lit up the sky. It was a fabulous storm, but enough of one that the husband (from now on known as Rice) got up to see Winter and shut down and unplug all the machines in the house.

They have a presentation today, so Winter was still working at three a.m. after having a pot of coffee at midnight. He ended up going to bed and reading up on Java. Rice went to be on the couch in the basement because it's hard to sleep with two people, a huge dog and a good-sized cat in a queen bed during a thunderstorm.

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Now, let me tell you about mushroom salad. You saute' a ton of sliced mushrooms of all different kinds (make sure you get some portabellas in there) in the following sorts of things: sherry, chicken broth, soy sauce, Worcestershiresauce, etc. Don't forget the diced garlic. When they're softened and are saturated with whatever you've cooked them in, toss them in a bunch of lettuce, especially romaine, and onions (white or green, etc.). Then you add some blue cheese salad dressing (I make my own) and mix it all together. Oh, it's so grand.