Yesterday

Yesterday after work Jamie and I went down to Second Beach in Middletown and enjoyed the sun and read. It's nice being so close to the beach that you don't have to plan a day trip, you can just go hang out for a few hours and then make it home for dinner. This is just what we did too.

It was a beautiful day out, I was amazed at how bright all the colors were. The grass and trees out in the bird sanctuary was a deep green and there wasn't any fog at all so the sky was a strong blue with puffy white clouds. The ocean water was a blue green instead of the stone gray blue you usually think it will be in September. We sat and read for an hour, the sun kept us warm and the view was perfect. It's a super charge to your batteries to be able to sit on the beach, it complete erases the work day and gives you energy for the rest of the day.

From the beach Jamie and I went to Home Depot and the paint store, again. We have become regulars at both. When we got home we both worked on house stuff. Jamie was out in the yard, it's looking amazing out there! He has done a terrific job, I can't wait to see what spring time brings us. I worked on prep-ing and painting the final bedroom upstairs. It feels like a never ending project getting everything painted but it has slowed down because it's just been me after work and there is only so much you can do with out sun light.

My mom is coming by later today to help out, I'm very excited to see her. It always feels like you get so much more accomplished when there is a second person so I'm looking forward to it. My brother Kirk said that he'd be able to come out on Wednesday to help out too which should be great as well. Yesterday was a good day for me almost made me forget what day it was....

Yesterday was Sept. 11 th, a day that when you hear it sends a shiver down your spine. Sept. 11th is also my brother's birthday, it feels strange to have something so terrible happen on a day that was memorable to our family even before 2001. My cousin's birthday is Jan. 28, which was a tragic day in 1986 when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded and something that we are reminded of each year.

I feel bad that such terrible things happened on a day that should be happy for them. I get excited when I see my birthday as the expiration date on a carton of milk. "Whoo hoo that's my birthday!!" and the milk always tastes better to me. I asked my brother how it feels to see his birthday everywhere, he said that he grew numb to it. I think that we all kind of grew numb to it though.

Watching the recreation of the 9/11 attacks on t.v. last night made me feel sadder now then when I had watched it all unfold in real time back in 2001. Now I know how many people are still in that building, that there will be very few survivors pulled from the rubble. Now I know what it means for our country, how everything has changed. I have heard many stories of the people's lives that were cut short that day, no one was ready. The pain is worse now knowing that almost 3,000 people lost their life that day and over 2,000 men and woman died in the resulting war.

Knowledge is power, though sometimes it causes more pain. Stay informed and empowered.