Surprise!

I love surprises! Who doesn't? It was so much fun to come home Friday after a burn-out week to find a package from my secret pal!

First there were some fun black and white stationary goodies: a journal, stickers, post-its and ribbon!

Next is a silky bag and a dark chocolate, espresso bar which I will indulge in when I need that afternoon pick-me-up during the week!

What was in the bag? Gorgeous black Malabrigo! I LOOOOVE Malabrigo! I think this skein may become a hat and matching fingerless mitts!

Thank you so much Magic Loop for all your thoughtfulness!

Another Friday delight was my first trip to Curves! What a fun way to exercise! I really felt invigorated and I actually enjoyed the experience! I'm sorry I was unable to go on the weekend! Saturday was taken up by our spring MUSIK workshop. It was a wonderful workshop all about choral techniques for children's choirs and the best part, of course, was being able to hear 5 different choirs. The downside was that I had to get up as if it were a school day and I had to leave the house at 7:30 a.m. Yuck! That shouldn't be allowed on weekends!

Today I shunned my usual Sunday activities which involve cleaning and I took advantage of Mother's Day being a day for mom to relax! I visited my mom and brought her a CD player with some CD's of music from MGM movies of the past --think Bing Crosby, Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland etc. My mom is almost 86 and she is in hospice care in a nursing home. I can't help but find her existence to be sad. She loves music like the rest of us and I know she was thrilled with the CD player. When I was giving her dinner, she would stop eating and just listen then say "I love that song." I just hope the nurses will remember to turn her music on for her. DH called out and got crab cakes at Timbuktu's for Mother's Day dinner! If you've never had a Maryland crab cake from Timbuktu's, then you've never had a REAL Maryland crab cake! They are the absolute best and they are HUGE! Today was also Bird's 21st birthday. We gave him a home brewing kit along with some smaller items. The rule is that any fermenting will be done in the basement!

Sahara progress: I got the neckline lace done and the seams stitched. It's a beautiful sweater!



I have started the 2nd sleeve and I expect to be done before next weekend!

Here's the latest from the Kitty Cam:

Greg, the King of the Remote Control!

Back in the Saddle Again!

Today was day 3 back at school! Surprisingly I've been able to get up fairly well which is surprising for me. I even went in a half hour early today for a meeting. I still prefer sleeping in if given the choice. The kids have been pretty good too which won't last long. I suspect the resurgence of winter has a lot to do with that. Once we get a stretch of spring weather, things will change! Once the spring fever sets in, the behavior goes down the tubes fast!

I ended up having a lovely birthday. I cooked dinner since it was Easter and I had bought a ham. DH and Bird had an ice cream cake for me. We did do a special birthday dinner on Thursday night at Timbuktu's which, in case you are unaware, has the best Maryland Crab Cakes on the face of the earth! I don't care what others say--you cannot get Maryland style crabcakes anywhere but Maryland. Period! I've made that mistake. You know--you're on vacation and see it on a menu somewhere in another state and make the mistake of ordering them thinking you will have a little taste of home only to be disappointed. I have learned to accept the fact that truly excellent crab cakes can only be purchased in Maryland!

DH gave me a nice little surprise for my birthday!

I have always wanted diamond hoops! These are gorgeous! The photo just doesn't do them justice!

I have been working on Sahara and I'm loving this Great Big Sea yarn by Handmaiden.

The sheen that this yarn has just doesn't show in the photo. It is simply gorgeous and I think it will feel heavenly against the skin. Notice the stitch markers! I made special ones with kitty photos! You can see pictures of Harley and Mike!

I am playing with the beads to use on this sweater. These are size 5/0 triangle Mizuki glass beads in an assortment of oranges. Some have silver cores and they all look quite different. I will string a few to see which ones I like best.


Speaking of kitties--Greg has been really clingy since I returned from Chicago. I guess he's afraid that I'll leave him. He still insists on getting under the bedspread. He does it so well--without messing up the bed. You just walk in the room and see a lump in the bed!


Peek a boo!

The sudden return of winter has Bar (real name--Harley) sleeping by the radiator again!


I think I will have to take Deke (real name-- Peanut) to be put down. I didn't realize how bad he was until this evening when he was having trouble moving his legs. He got off the couch and his legs just went out to the sides and he couldn't stand. It is just so sad. He is very weak and has stopped eating. It's just so sad. I have to tell myself that it is the merciful thing to do. It's just not fair to let him suffer anymore. It's something I've never had to do before, but I think it is time. I'll post some favorite photos as a little memorial.