Birthday Bounty

An inexpensive oil burner I bought for myself. The blue background is a living room test colour on carboard!

I've been meaning to write and share photos of my birthday presents with everyone but the week zipped by with no time to post.

My birthday was wonderful overall, but the day itself was a little lonely. I stayed home with a migraine and my grandmother (out east) ended up in the hospital that day with a heart attack. My entire family is on the east coast, so I didn't have any of my own kin to share my birthday with and the only person who phoned me was my Mom! I did get birthday cards, but it was a lonely day so far away from everyone, especially during a family crisis. I felt like I should be there, where I belong. But I have lived away for 20 years now. It never gets any easier. All the people I love, my very own people, are 2000 miles away, so there are times when it gets very, very lonely.

Luckily David and his family are so kind and loving to me. His Mom hosted a birthday weekend for me at her house and the three of us ate home-made chocolate cake and had fun. His darling Grandma sent me a card, and his brother and sister-in-law had us over for supper last night for a belated birthday (with another cake!). All-in-all it was a wonderful two-week birthday bash. David made it special with a beautiful gift and card and flowers, so I am very thankful and feel very loved. It is still hard having none of my own family here, and harder every year I get older for some reason. But I'm so thankful for all I have, and for the friends who wished me well too!


David bought me a beautiful handbag that I've been coveting. I never buy expensive purses, but this one stole my heart and instead of going for a fancy dinner and blowing two hundred bucks and then buying a big present, we pooled the money and I got a crazy expensive Michael Kors bag from Holt Renfrew! I adore it. It's the nicest bag I've ever owned and I don't think I'll ever get tired of carrying it. I'm a practical girl and not one of those gals who ever indulges a lust for expensive shoes and handbags. I love them all, but I'm sensible and can't bring myself to spend over $200 for much of anything (except house stuff....) anymore. So I adore my posh new bag. Who knew that burnt orange goes with everything, especially all the white and khaki and blue and beige I wear in summer!

My Mom sent a beautiful card and the always-lovely gift of money. I decided to spend some of it on a set of Spring coffee mugs and a serving bowl from Portmeirion. I didn't buy the sugar and creamer because I already have two sets! The mugs are so pretty and happy and spring-like and I don't have matching mugs for serving coffee after dinner. I thought these would work with my inexpensive blue and white dinnerware until I eventually buy a set of matching dishes! Here's a photo of two of the mugs. The rest of the set (8 mugs and serving bowl) is on order. I heart them!


I also got a Lululemon gift certificate from David's mum, plus a beautiful Floragold depression glass fluted serving bowl. I collect this Floragold pattern and already have several pieces (I'll have to show you some time). The bowl is so pretty I hate to put it away in the cabinet.

From David's brother and sister-in-law I got a sweet cat card and a gift certificate to Pottery Barn. I can't wait to go shopping! Hmmm...maybe this afternoon instead of going on the treadmill...

But the real highlight of the week was my auction find! While visiting David's mum in the country, we attended an estate sale auction and I saw this amazing solid oak library table. I thought it would make an awesome desk for our (as yet unorganized) office. But then I decided it was too impractical (no keyboard tray) and decided not to bid. However, when it came up at the sale, it almost went to a single final bidder for $150! Not wanting this person to get my desk for such a deal, I bid against him and ended up the proud owner of a library table for $300! Talk about a steal! Getting it home was an ordeal, but luckily David and I had driven the truck to his mum's in case we found something at auction. We have a carpenter in the family and I hope to requisition him to rebuild the drawers with a keyboard tray for me! Thrilled!
All in all, an amazing birthday. And I am happy to report, my grandmother is still in hospital but seems to be on the mend. She will be 82 in August and is an amazing lady who raised 5 kids and cared for elderly parents, a sick husband for 15 years, and milked many cows and hung out many loads of laundry in her day. She is a trooper and yet seems to be enjoying the rest in hospital and all the attention. I can't wait to see her in May and hope she gets out of the woods soon...xo