The Birthday Blog

Well another birthday has come and gone. I have a love-hate relationship with my birthday, so this year I decided to go small and have a quiet dinner party at our place with just my closest family and friends in attendance. My mom and K were amazing and came to our place during the day when we were at work and decorated and cooked a delicious dinner. K also fulfilled my birthday wish of a yarn swift and he built this one himself... yesterday! What a guy. I was totally impressed, surprised and excited and set to work right away on winding some skeins to test it out!

Kevin checks out his handiwork while I wind away. 

I got really excited and needed to wind a lot of yarn! 

Much to the chagrin of the other party guests I wound 5 balls of yarn before dinner. What a party animal I am.
(Clockwise from top: Turtle purls yarn, Malabrigo worsted, Malabrigo Rios, Misti Alpaca Baby Me Boo, Waterloo Wools Huron Worsted)  

While I was winding, my mom had put together an incredible feast. I am almost ashamed to show you a picture of the copious amount of food on my dinner plate, but hey it was my birthday and it is too delicious not to share.

Clockwise from top left: Roast beef, roasted carrots, onions and shallots from mom and Kev's garden, Mom's famous Cesar Salad, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes and broccoli (had to get something healthy on the plate!)  

During dinner Lola decided to entertain us with a show. We had set up a small table to put extra dishes on next to the table, but she decided that it was the perfect perch from which to watch the action and try to sneak a taste of dinner by being adorable. This series of pics was too cute not to share. 

While dinner was digesting I was showered with amazing gifts from the special people in my life. My three besties were present and L promised me a road trip to an American yarn festival of my choice and E&L got me lots of goodies including a cool Table Saw to cut cake with and Skull and Crossbones ice cube trays from one of my favourite companies Fred, a cupcake pen to dole out perfect blobs of cupcake batter, and gift cards to 2 of my favourite places: Starbucks and The Purple Purl. It should also be noted that E showed up to work today with a very cool Starbucks to-go cup with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Pure heaven! In addition to the yarn swift, Mom and K got me a great set of pyrex nesting bowls that I collect, and a gorgeous mixed media art-piece that my mom got at an auction. I need to do some research on the artist and I imagine that will be the subject of its own post because it is a beautiful piece of art that I am thrilled to have as part of my collection. Nan kept me in yarn money.

My guy struck gold with his gift when he bought me this amazing hand-crafted yarn bowl. He had a sure winner by combining two of my favourite things: owls and knitting. All of this equals one very spoiled birthday girl. 

My owl yarn bowl that my guy found on etsy from Little Pig Pottery. 

Finally it was time for cake. Since Nan's birthday is only a few days away she helped me blow out the candles. This cake is incredible. Buttermilk cake, layered with frosting and peach jam with fresh peaches on the side. If anyone wants a slice there is still half a cake in my fridge. 

My delicious cake, made by the best baker around, my mom. 

Nan and I blow out the candles.

About to dive in with my Table Saw. 

All and all it was a wonderful birthday evening. Thanks to all of those who shared it with me. 

Before I go to bed to sleep off the excess, one last story and present that really touched me today. The story is this: My mom is a nurse and she works at a long-term care facility. She had often told me about the group of knitting ladies that meet regularly to knit at the home. Unfortunately, some of the women who knit here do not have a lot of money for yarn, and some will even knit a project and then tear it out so that they can reuse the wool. This story made me incredibly upset because I can completely understand the drive to knit and the therapeutic benefits that it can have for people. I decided that I would clean out my stash and send a bunch of yarn to the knitting club. This has continued for months now, ever few weeks I send some new yarn for the ladies. They have sent me gifts back every now and then: pairs of handmade socks, a lovely necklace. I tell my mom that they don't need to send me anything, but they are insistent, so we have had this lovely long distance craft barter going on, even though we have never met. When I came home from work today one of my gifts was wrapped in a beautiful knitted ripple blanket that the ladies made for me. I am so touched and grateful for this gift.

Now to sleep...

msi