I have such a blessed life.  I almost don't even know what I did to deserve it, but really I do.  However, we won't discuss that. 

My dad had a party for his friends that he's know for fifty years, he's only fifty-three, so... these people knew me before I even knew me.  I cooked sooooo much food, it was like "Like Water For Chocolate," I had a mini breakdown when I peeled the potatoes, but everyone really enjoyed the food.  There were beef ribs and spare ribs.. that I seasoned two days prior, chicken, hot links, hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, green beans, roasted white corn on the cob, veggie and turkey beans, deviled eggs, pecan pie, apple pie, key lime pie, ice cream, and what I saved for last... red velvet cake.  They were calling me "Chef," since everyone watches "Hell's Kitchen."  I felt so honored, plus I put out my "2009 Kate Stephens Volunteer of the Year" award.  I felt like it was my party, well it was.  I've claimed the kitchen as my domain... officially.  This place has absolutely no furniture, but it is definitely a home.

All of my dad friends are musicians!!  We don't have furniture, but what we do have is a make-shift studio with two wireless mics, my favorite part, and many other, make-shift features.  They all work though... and well, I might add.  So we had a PARTY!!  Let me tell you the most exciting part about the whole night... I walked away with a new voice teacher.  YaY!!!  We had an accompanist playing songs for whoever wanted to sing, then my dad got on guitar... and guess what the hell we ended up singing???  "Unforgiveable."  I mean, I'm still petrified of performing in front of people, but when no other person in the room knew the song, or acted as though they didn't... I'm not sure, I yelled from the kitchen that I did.  So I felt like choir wasn't all for nothing.

I got something else out of it too.  Y'all know that I've always struggled with the decision of whether or not I want to be in school, but the accompanist guy, Steve, encouraged me to go for at least the B.A.  It was interesting because they all started out in music, but life has taken them all down different paths, some of them have stayed with the music, some of them have not, and the ones who didn't, said they regret it.  Remember, me going back in the first place was about me not wanting to feel the regret.  And I guess life happened so that I ended up with this semester off because I was doing things the same way, I guess, but I really wasn't about to go back to school, now I know I have to.

Anyway, I'm starting to get sick, I need to rest.  The pool is finally complete, and I am so trying to be in it... but after I heat it up.