Now that was fun

What a whirlwind of a week. The July issue of the magazine went to press today, so the last couple of days were full of urgent last-minute proofing, and things on the real estate front have been really busy too. Sadly, I did not get to go to Colorado. Apparently the powers that be believe that rather than flying someone across the country, putting her up in a hotel and buying her meals while she does a story, it is more cost-effective to do phone interviews from North Carolina. I don't get it. :)

Yesterday I spent all day in a fantastic class with Zan Monroe. I hate sitting in real estate seminars but he is a phenomenal, smart, motivational speaker. Then Kate and I ran around downtown Southern Pines and can I just say there is nothing like an abnormally hot June day to make you appreciate a running partner. This was our first run in which we were accompanied by her gorgeous, sparkly engagement ring! Congratulations, Kate and Vinny!

The highlight of my week came this afternoon, though. Mom and I had breakfast this morning and decided it would be a great idea to sneak out to Dad's school and decorate his car for his last day of school. We called Amanda and she was all in. We met out there after lunch armed with balloons, glass markers and plastic bottles and got to work.


We were starting to wrap up when who should walk out of his classroom and toward his car but Dad! All we had time to do was hide behind my car. His reaction was priceless. I am furious at myself because I grabbed my camera and thought I'd recorded most of it. Wrong. In my haste I must have set the camera for taking pictures, not videos. So frustrating, but take my word for it, his reaction really was perfect. And I quote: "I'm so glad we raised you girls to do things like this!" (So am I.)

It was basically the end of the day by then, so we hung out in his classroom for a few minutes and then all the teachers who were still there gathered at his car to send him off. That time I did get video. (There's not much to the first one, but the ending is sweet. The second one is the real send-off.)

(He made it as far as the front of the school before stopping to say goodbye to more people. We took more pictures.)

Then Mom and I followed him home (he invited her to ride with him, but then had to retract the offer because his car was too full of school stuff). Things stayed attached remarkably well and Mom and I laughed the whole way home because you just had to.

Happy retirement, Dad! We love you so much! (And now it's time to start your blog.)