This morning is cold enough that if there were precipitation it would be an uncomfortable rain. Rain at 35 degrees feels so much worse than snow at 30 degrees.

After a colossal amount of work the meal remains that didn't head out the door in recycled restaurant carryout containers are neat in the fridge. Two bowls destined for across the street are ready. And the house is looking better than usual, a parting gift of the holiday to the host of such an event.

Lots of good stories yesterday, only one little dust-up (former co-workers who know each other too well) that blew over after a walk in the yard. A couple of trips out just to look at the yard; twice people came in and told me "you have a huge eggplant out there" with hands gesturing the size of a football. Another trip out to look at the array of fossils on a low stone wall, carried up from the creek bed over the years.

And the final sweet moment of the evening was spotting Pepper beside the open dishwasher quietly licking pan drippings off the steel kitchen tongs in the silverware rack.