Today was a Good Day. I secured a number of donations for the JHU Freshman Day of Service on Wednesday. Today I picked up a five-gallon bucket of Sherwin-Williams gloss finish exterior latex paint. Tomorrow some folks from Hopkins should be dropping off paint rollers and trays, trash bags, gloves, and possibly some gardening supplies. In-kind donation forms and thank-you letters abound.

I woke up this morning with a headache that began last night. Despite a grumpy start to the day I managed to keep my energy and spirits high enough to do what I needed to do. When I got to the office to print and copy the paperwork for the Sherwin-Williams donation (and use the cool postage machine!), however, I was manic and shaky with hunger, probably a result of last night's visit to the gym. Luckily, Karen was there and suffering for lack of food and fresh air as well, and we walked over to Carma's. I ate gazpacho outside and hoped I wasn't too poor a conversationalist due to being undernourished and sleepy.

This afternoon I was pleased with the day's work and couldn't wait to come home and ask Doug to go out to dinner with me. There was a coin toss along my way, and I threw all the change I had into the boot of a smiling fireman with kind eyes. It wasn't very much, but he said "thank you, God bless you," and there was just enough time for this exchange before the light turned green and my time on Gwynns Falls Parkway was over.