Today I am still sore but it is a good kind of sore – the kind of muscle ache you get when you've done something really hard, and each time you twist around you are reminded of why it is there. My lower back has the worst of it, but it is no longer the kind of soreness that makes me obsess about how I bend over because I am afraid I am going to throw out my back. Anyone who has ever thrown out their back knows exactly what I am talking about because after you have done it once (and I have done it now three times in my life) you start feeling a little paranoid. The rest of the ache is in my arms and the backs of my thighs, which tells me that at least I was doing a lot of the 'proper' lifting technique. I have a feeling that when I get to Curves tomorrow during lunchtime to do my workout I may be feeling those sore muscles a lot more than I am now, but I think I can handle it. Of course I have also just taken some ibuprofen and am anxiously waiting for it to kick in so I can stand up and sit down without feeling like I am a feeble old woman, so it's possible I don't know what I am talking about.

There are about 72 large stones and probably the same number of smaller stones left over (although possibly a few more since we didn't alternate them exactly one to one when building the wall). We knew there would be leftovers when we placed the order, since we had to buy them by the pallet, but hadn't been sure of the exact number. I am pondering all sorts of possibilities for using these leftover stones but I have a feeling they will probably just sit in wobbly piles off to one side of the yard until we are forced to move them, or until inspiration strikes, or until someone we know decides that they could use a few. Last night when Richard's parents and little sister where here for dinner, I noted that they would make lovely stocking stuffers for Richard's family's Christmas tradition but I got the impression that somehow they would not be all that appreciated. It has also occurred to me that perhaps we could take the drive-by toading to new levels for all our friends and loved ones, leaving small but nicely arranged piles of alternating large and small stones on their front lawns. Perhaps if we paint goofy faces on them first it could start a new craze in decorative lawn art. Or perhaps I should just leave them alone and wait until after the backyard is finished and we start ripping up the front yard (because this is apparently a sickness and it just keeps getting worse!) and find a use for them then.

We were sore enough this morning waking up that if we hadn't already promised to be there, we would have happily skipped church. But we went to choir practice and sang through the song we'll be doing for the baccalaureate on Tuesday, and then Richard went home to poke around on his computer while I stayed behind for recorder group practice.

It is an interesting sound, listening to a room full of recorders, especially when most of the players are still working out the basic stuff. At one point it was noted that we sounded not unlike a calliope – one rather out of tune. To our credit by the end of the practice session we had at least managed to tune the calliope, but I'm not sure we will be progressing beyond that rather unique sound for a few more months. Still, not everyone can claim to be part of their very own makeshift carnival instrument on a bimonthly basis.

Now that the wall is built, Richard is happily taking computers apart across the desk from me. In fact I probably don't want to know exactly why he is doing this. And I really ought to get off the computer myself and tackle the stack of presents downstairs so that we can find the breakfast nook table. I now have – among many other things (including the coolest clock ever for a cat lady!) - a nice stack of lovely new books and if I get a little bit more cleaning done around this house then I will feel a bit less guilty when I commence reading.