Two Funerals And A Party

Allen has had a rough spring. His dear friend, Dan Brown, died in April of complications from diabetes. Allen has worked for Dan and his wife Barb for nearly a decade. He is more often than not in their house doing some sort of project. Over the years, they became very close. We've been to both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and many parties at the Browns' home. Allen has become a part of their family and he was there for them at the end of Dan's short life. Dan was one of a kind and his death is a huge loss.

Dan and Allen last Christmas

On Memorial Day, another of our friends, Ken Glidewell, was in a motorcycle accident. He died from his injuries on Tuesday morning. The loss of Ken, on the heels of Dan's death, has been very difficult. It is all so surreal.

Ken playing music

And to make things just a little better, I get to wear this for the entire month of June.

Unbeknown to Allen, I have been planning his 40th birthday party for months.

The Invitation

I wanted to throw him his first birthday party ever and wanted him to have a birthday that "didn't suck." To get him to his party, I told him we were meeting a few friends for dinner, Ken and his girlfriend being two of the friends. The night Ken died, Allen told me he didn't feel like celebrating his birthday. I had to fess up, and we decided to go ahead as planned. Ken's funeral and Allen's party were on the same day. It wasn't the party I envisioned, but it was nice for everyone to join the celebration.

Allen and his sister Natalie (right) and her best friend Natalie

Allen, Kim, Lisa and Doug

Devon, Jana, Kelly, Larry and Eric

Tom, Jackie, John, Chris, Heidi and Doc

Allen, me, Sabrina, Kirk and Laurie

The Crew from Oxford

Allen and John

The Cake

Allen opening gifts with Robin's and my help

The band that was setting up was really sweet. They sang happy birthday to Allen and then invited him to sing a song with them. Allen loves to sing.

Allen singing "Some Kind Of Wonderful"

Happy Birthday, my love. May the second half of the year be better than the first.

Apparently, I Don't Know My Neutral Colors

The tenant living in the apartment I lived in for three years in the first house I have ever owned, after jerking me around for months about her moving date, or not moving at all, or maybe moving but not sure and don't know when if so, is moving out. Thank God. When she moved in she asked if she could paint. I told her she could paint neutral colors.

Is the wall with the fireplace painted a neutral color? Apparently so.

You can't really tell from the picture, but the paint color has a purple hue. That neutral color on the fireplace wall is the same color that covers the entire bathroom, making it look like a very small cave.

What follows is a summary of our e-mail exchange a few days ago:

Me: Hi Tenant. I hope the move is going smoothly. I would still like to have the bathroom paint returned to a neutral color. I can live with the other walls, so don't bother with them.

Tenant: i'm sorry your tenant didn't work out. however, i am going to stick with our agreement, and will not be painting the bathroom. the last time we spoke, you said on the phone and in email that the paint was fine.

Me: I said the paint was fine for the new tenant and not to worry about it since I had asked you to be out by June 2. Since that is not the case now and you disregarded my permission to paint neutral colors, I still want the bathroom returned to a neutral color.

Tenant: the bathroom is a neutral color (neutral colors are black, white, shades of gray, and brown).

Me: The bathroom looks purple to me.

Tenant: it isn't. it is the same shade of grey that is throughout the rest of the apartment.

Me--so very, very close to sending this but did not: I don't give a fuck what color it is I don't like it and want it repainted.

If she doesn't repaint it herself, she's paying whoever does.