It started last night when Eric came home with boxes from the mail room.

Boxes we didn’t order….boxes with goodies inside….goodies we had no clue of.

He was so excited to see what was in the boxes (even though they were my boxes) that he opened them up right away.

They were from my dearest friends, Kim & Lisa. And while we opened the contents of box 2, we left box 1 for me to open today – on my actual birthday.

[that would be hurry up & wait number one]

The card made me smile. And after unwrapping the rest of the goodies & eating the M&M’s she stuffed in box 1, I got busy with making my own birthday dinner.

Pulled Pork BBQ.

I had wrapped up the pork shoulder last night with all kinds of good spices.

Nestle it in the crock pot…

Turn the timer to 10 hours…whip out the BBQ sauce Lisa sent me to add at the last hour…and wait.

[hurry up & wait number two]

Ten hours later, the pork is fork tender & then it’s time to start on the buns.

Have I mentioned that all the bread at the commissary expires within a day or two?

There’s never any fresh bread – so I’m glad I brought the bread machine my mom got me years ago. (Thanks, Mom.)

Start the  dough cycle…and wait.

[hurry up & wait number three]

Hmm…these don’t look so done. So back in the oven they went.

[hurry up & wait number four]

While those keep baking, it’s time to start on the chocolate lava cakes.

Unwrap the chocolate…without eating the chocolate…

Put all the goodies into the double boiler….

[ring, ring, ring]

It’s Eric…he’s having to work late. Fudge.

[hurry up & wait number five]

So it was dinner for one & wait to do the cakes another night.

Lovely tender, juciy pulled pork BBQ with a dill pickle & diet Sprite – because I’m all about counting calories.

I may make the cakes tomorrow night, I may make them Friday night.

I don’t know.

It’s been a long day of hurry up & waits and I’m ready to go crash for the night.