Joel had taken a taxi to the rental car place before Philip and I even woke up.

Philip and I got right to work cleaning up the crack-house he's gonna be renovating for the next few months. He cleared crap out of the side-yard and weed-eated while I tackled the inside... moving furniture and garbage into piles that will be hauled to a dumpster (that gets delivered Monday).

It was an all-day job. The place was a wreck. But I felt really good being able to help Philip fulfill his dream. I actually enjoy manual labor... when it's a labor-of-love.

:-)

We finished all the main areas... and raked the cut grass into piles before having to go get dressed up again for dinner.

Boat boy Allan and his dad Gary came over to our place then we all went over to Emeril's Delmonico. The atmosphere was a bit rigid for my comfort level... but the food and service were top notch. Philip and I shared a yummy sausage appetizer... I had the tomato / asparagus salad and the wild mushroom-ricotta cannelloni. I also had the apple-pie cake with cream-cheese icing to top it off. I'd like to go back just to try more desserts... maybe lunch would be more relaxed... Anyway, it was a fabulous meal, fabulous experience. It was our holiday gift from Allan. We love Allan... and we love Gary (Allan's dad).

After the meal we drove through Celebration in the Oaks at City Park. It might've been more enjoyable if I hadn't breathed in all that dirt and soot while cleaning up the crack-house all day. I think I'm getting sick... Allan and Gary were right... I should've worn a dust mask...