"Poor me" days are rare, but when I do have one, it is usually a doozy. Much of yesterday was spent hiding from the world and trying to avoid as much human contact as possible. I just wanted to wallow, to be by myself, and to feel sad.

I'm happy to report that I'm feeling better today. My Ampuversary blues are not completely gone but are definitely fading. I'm beginning to feel happy and excited about various projects, and my smile isn't forced. I want to thank everybody for their support and kind words. It helps to know that I'm not alone and that so many people care!

I can't see my mood doing anything but continuing to improve as the day goes on. After all, it's impossible to be sad when fireworks are being displayed! Robby, Scott, and I have our matching flag shirts and we're ready to immerse ourselves in all things Patriotic today.

This morning we are going to a parade followed by blackberry picking. I've promised Mr. Bill a pie and, even though the pool collapsed, I want to thank him for all of his hard work. After the pie is baked and delivered, we'll head to Middleburg, VA for more Fourth of July festivities.

Middleburg is an absolutely charming town near us. To describe it as affluent probably does not do justice. Although we all love the area, there is no way we could ever afford to live there. So, every year on the Fourth of July, it has become our tradition to park our car a few blocks away from the town square and discretely sneak through some bushes to crash the quaint community celebration.

Slipping into the crowd feels like stepping back into the past. Robby has a great time joining the children's sack races, tug of war, and ring toss events. I didn't know that people actually had sack races and community tug of war competitions until we discovered this town! We don't know anyone, but we realized that if we act like we belong, nobody ever asks any questions. The celebration ends with an impressive fireworks display which always leaves Robby in awe.

I hope that everybody has a happy and safe 4th of July! I'll post pictures of our party crashing highlights tomorrow.