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"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."
- Unknown

"That which does not kill you, makes you stronger."
- Handed down through the ages.

"Life's tough. It's even tougher when you're stupid."
- John Wayne



Birthdays

Happy Monday! We had a good weekend but overdid it as usual, and now I'm paying the price: watery eyes, stuffed nose and sinuses, and general exhaustion . . . again. Or is it 'still'? I think 2008 will be known as 'The Winter Chicken Mama Got Sick & Never Recovered Until She Could Take Time Off'.

My folks - who always host Thanksgiving for the four of us while we host Christmas - were going to haul all the meal fixin's out here so that we could get in a day of wood working . . . but we ultimately realized how ridiculous that would be. Besides, we'd not have Mom's help for much of the day since she'd be inside tending to said meal. And, we finally realized (duh!) that it would be further "pushing the envelope" for all of us. So, instead, a traditional, RELAXING (except for the poor cook) day is scheduled at my folks'. I'm planning on resting, eating, and napping. In that order!

When we lived at Hastings-on-the-Lake (or previous little house down by Lake Superior), we had wonderful seasonal neighbors who became a second (third?) set of parents to us. Unfortunately, since we moved and seem to be busier than ever, the summer came and went without us hosting so much as one visit here. And today, it's his birthday and all my wonderful plans of getting a newsy letter into the mail are already tardy. Hmph. But, I hope they'll accept our love, hugs, and kisses through the electronic ether. We're sending it to all of you in the R family, especially b-day boy T last Monday (Happy 44th!) and Big J's 74th today. I know you can't tell by our actions, but WE MISS YOU and think of you (all) all the time! :(

This coming Saturday is my first of two art festivals I'll be selling my stuff at this holiday season. Problem is, I only really have three days to prepare since I'll be busy both on Thanksgiving (obviously) and Friday. That leaves today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. And, today really needs to be a get-things-in-enough-order-just-so-I-can-think day. That leaves Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm trying not to completely freak out. I'm hoping the organization I create today will set the tone for the rest of the week. But then there's still the fact that my head is clogged and my nose is stuffed . . . .

Today is the FIRST BIRTHDAY of the little peanut I nanny for, and yesterday was the birthday celebration. It was really a fun gathering: 9 people, including us. There were yummy hors d'oeuvres and libations followed by 9 individual pizzas (!) which we each got to "make" as we wished. Then, of course, there was cake (strawberry). The birthday girl was NOT too thrilled with her first taste of the cake (the first she's ever, ever had) . . . but in no time, she figured it out and ate A HUGE PIECE! It was darling.

Here she is, enjoying a story with Uncle Tommy. That's another sweetheart that we're "aunt and uncle" to on the left: her dad and the birthday girl's are brothers.


Ewww . . . I'm not sure I like that pink stuff! (That's her daddy helping her.)


Mmm! Well . . . maybe . . . !


"Hey, this is GOOD!" (I love the expression on Nana's face in the background!) And she ate this ENTIRE piece! (Every girl's got to splurge on her birthday!)


I have a big story to tell you about our Saturday outing, but that will have to wait for another time. We went ice skating, and it was WONDERFUL . . . but that adventure was followed by a little field trip to another, much larger lake. And, let me just leave you with the quote of the day as temptation, "It's not so much how cold the lake is . . . as how thin the ice is!"

4 comments:

  1. Thanks, Chicken Mama, for taking the time to post this entry for all of us on such a busy, busy day!

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  2. P.S. Wow! What an ice skating rink!

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  3. First off, I like your skating picture at the very top--the ice is so clear!
    I'm sorry to hear that you're still feeling poorly--I hope this nasty crud doesn't decide to linger all winter.
    Good luck getting ready for your shows--I remember those days (and late nights!) well from my shows of years ago.
    The birthday party pictures are fun--especially the one where it looks like you're plugging that piece of pink cake into the birthday girl's mouth--very cute!
    Have a good rest of the week and a Happy Thanksgiving if I don't talk to you before then!

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  4. Hi, Ruthie -

    What shows did you do? I mean, what did you show? Your knitting, I'm assuming? Doing them is always a bit of a toss-up. You don't make a huge amount of money, but the flip side is that you wouldn't make ANY money if you were just at home that day. But then, if you consider the time getting ready, driving there, setting up, tearing down and packing up, and then driving home . . . . Well, we all know it's a labor of love more than anything else!

    I'm going to try to get a video of the birthday girl up on our YouTube account of her inhaling that piece of cake. It's very sweet. At one point, someone suggested, "Stop and take a breath!" :)

    ReplyDelete

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