burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness

I had the window fan running in my bedroom last night, and when I finally got up ~10 this morning, it felt fine, but when I left my bedroom it felt decidedly cool in the rest of the house. Thermostat said 70F (we kept the house ACs running overnight, knowing we'd heat the place up today with cooking & guests -- Melissa's estimate last night was 19-30) -- and weather.com said it was ~83F outside. Oh, summer.

7:33:18 bff phonecall -- with a lot of pauses/silences.

Edible Arrangement from Housemate's parents arrived ~11:30am. They came back ~3pm. (Even with the ACs running, it seemed unwise to leave an Edible Arrangement unrefrigerated for 7+ hours.) We didn't actually know we were getting an Edible Arrangement until like this morning.

Shoshana texted me about quarter past 6 to ask if it was okay if she came early (apparently the T made better time than predicted) and so she arrived before I'd quite wrapped phonecall.

Cate arrived about ten minutes of 7 -- apologized for being "over the top" early.

It was 7:35 when the first of Melissa's friends arrived (Cate is our friend). Continuing our trend of my friends arriving on-time/early and Melissa's friends arriving late.

Jessie says she's arriving a week early next time (Jeff M's 23hr-early arrival has set a high bar).

Every year I think about doing nametags and I never do (in part because I often don't think of it until close to the date/time of the party). My friends could have their names in red and Melissa's in blue (or vice versa) and "our" friends in purple. And people could write in salient characteristics, how they know us, whatever.
[Edit: Also, Meredith suggested "Friend of..." so there could be "FOM" and "FOE."]

Apparently some people (Jeff B.) dislike my referring to morning/evening church, though I have yet to acquire epithets that I like better.

Apparently the fact that I have 5 2 churches was the topic of some conversation and led to suggestions of "Elizabeth chooses a church: the reality show," which might well include rival churches (and which apparently needs to include a secular humanist society or something).

Nye is excited about my idea for a dramatic reading of Revelation. I'm thinking maybe October/November -- after Drag Gospel Brunch ("liked this? you'll like this...") but before Advent.

Talking up Beit Midrash - Boundary Crossing: The Story of Ruth is apparently also a thing I'm doing.

Apparently bacon-wrapped-tofu is awesome -- the tofu absorbs the bacon juice; and whereas chicken can dry out, you can cook the tofu long enough to get the bacon really crispy. So say other people; I did not partake of the bacon-wrapped anything.

We ate most of the Edible Arrangement, but there is an abundance of cake left (Nye made TWO cakes -- in case one didn't turn out; I gave her a gold star, I think for the fact that she would never make anything with nuts which she was bringing to a party). I will be bringing to Coffee Hour tomorrow. (And apparently Rooftop People is in fact happening tomorrow. Yay! ... Though I am gonna be really tired when I get up in ~6.5hrs, aren't I? :/ )

Oh, we got to sing Happy Birthday accompanied by a trombone.

Jeff B. got me a card and an IOU for dinner and a movie with him. (He also brought cookies and I think veggies&dip from book club. And I think Jeff M. brought beer. And someone brought a bottle of wine.)

(And yes, Mom, the MFA renewal was in the mailbox.)

***

Harold assured Jeff B. that I'm not mean when playing A2A:BE, but Jeff B. still bailed before we started playing (though that may have been a function of how late we started playing -- as usual, I got pulled into lots of conversations plus some hostessing duties and didn't get to spent a lot of time having actual conversations with people).

I won:

New (Rainbows - Esther)
Delicate (Tribulations - Jack)
Unforgettable (Mothers - Jamie)
Fearful (Jail - Nye)
Cool
Crazy (A Child - Nye)

Meredith was the first to hit 5 green cards but soon after I was winning like every hand.

I think it is a lot more enjoyable to play A2A:BE with people who are really interested in/knowledgeable about the Bible.

Jeff M. was Enormous & Frightening. But not Smooth.

Esther disapproved that I have local fandom friends I had not introduced her to.