Andy and I drove to the shore in the van (with Cokie), and Mom went with Sandy and Ivy. We arrived about an hour earlier than they did, so by the time they arrived the house was all opened up, groceries put away, and ready for them to just relax. Sandy has been having serious issues with her back, so I wanted her to be able to just kick back and relax after the long drive.

Murphy's Law Moment: when we arrived and Andy opened the (very loaded) back of the van, the only thing that fell out was the small cooler. The lid popped off, and the only thing that fell out was the carton of eggs. Surprisingly, they seemed to have survived their adventure.

For the rest of the afternoon the five of us enjoyed the peaceful surroundings on the back deck (the park is very green and lush.) Once it cooled off we came inside for drinks; Andy made whiskey sours for the four of them, and Sandy had some wine for me that was very good - because it did not taste at all like wine... :)

Then it was time for gifts. Mom had the gifts she'd brought home back from France: a stunning Van Gogh scarf for Sandy, and the Dijon mustards collection for Andy. They gave Mom her birthday gifts: a book of 200 NY Times crossword puzzles, and a collection of 36 exotic-sounding coffee K-cups for her Keurig. I gave Mom her Mother's Day card (that I packed so well I couldn't find in Paris on Sunday) and gave Andy his birthday present, a t-shirt that made him laugh.

Then Mom gave Andy the birthday present she had ordered for him back in January and then stashed away. It was a bit of a crisis when she couldn't find it this week because it was not in any of the usual places. The two of us did a lot of searching, and she did eventually (VERY eventually) find it. I can see why she was distressed when she thought it was gone forever; it's a collection of 24 very different salts from all over the world, in a bamboo cabinet. (Did you know there is black salt? I didn't!)

Andy grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner, and (of course!) we taste tested his new mustards. As expected, they were yummy. Now we are watching the Orioles' game. It's the top of the 7th inning and not looking too good for them - but it's not over until the fat lady sings.