Birthday Bash

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Thank you for all the birthday wishes! I took the day off work, hoping to spend it stitching, knitting and going to the Aquarium for lunch. The Aquarium plan got nixed because it was only 27 degrees outside! So, I stayed holed up and did get some stitcing done on Easter Fairy. I wanted to start Astrid, but I ended up not having the right needles here (that will be rectified shortly, since I spent my birthday money from my parents on a set of Harmony Wood needles from KnitPicks). Michael came home from work bearing beautiful mauve tulips

and took me to dinner at Magic Fingers Buckhead for some amazing sushi. They fly the fish in fresh from Tokyo every day. We had the best piece of nigiri we've ever had; a Japanese fish called kinmedai (golden eye snapper). For dessert, there was pineapple mango creme brulee. Whoah. And then, there was "second dessert," my birthday cake!

Doncha love the candle? =) Anyway, it's a chocolate raspberry cake from Whole Foods...so it uses real butter in the buttercream icing. Very moist and wonderful! My main present from Michael was the coolest ever "Tea Passport" that he made:

We actually went to The Four Seasons, one of my four "destinations," on Saturday, but very, very sadly, I forgot my camera. There's a blank page at the back of my passport that Michael tells me can be a "return visit" to one of the tea places, and that may be the one, because it was delightful.

Thursday was not a banner day, since all the contractors were supposed to show up...and only one did. The home inspector (for our old place) showed up as scheduled and did the same great job he did with our new place. The painter never showed up. His boss said he wasn't answering the phone. The HVAC guy never showed up, and when I called, they said he was out of town and someone was supposed to call me and tell me. Well, they didn't. The glass contractor just never returned my calls until late in the afternoon. So, I had to take off to my hair appointment unshowered and with the promise of another day where I'd have no chance to work out, let alone shower. *sigh*

However, the day did get better after that. =) Since Why Knot Knit is so close to where I get my hair cut, I decided to drop by and make an AYP (Authorized Yarn Purchase). That is, it didn't violate my decision to not purchase stash, since it was for finishing an existing project. I knew I'd need more Kureyon to complete my Herringbone Block Shawl, so I got this:

I wish you cuold see this yarn in person, because the picture does not show the deepness of the colors. Two of the skeins are actually Silk Garden, and the colors are incredibly vivid.

Afterward, I came home and rescheduled all the contractor appointments for the next day. Then, I took off to my stitch group (kindly meeting on an alternate day because of my church's Easter Choir reheasals...which ended up getting changed after stitch group changed to accomodate me...) for a birthday celebration for me and another member. My DF Andy cooked a fantabulous dinner at her swanky new place and there were lots of presents!!

From Debbie, a great CD (yes, I've already listened to it...love it!) accompanied by a beautiful handmade card:


Jill made me the most fabulous scarf and gave me a gorgeous shawl pin, which I have high hopes of going beautifully with my Medallion Capelet once it is done. (Progress pics are coming soon, I promise!! Unless you're on Ravelry; in which case, head on over there and see them now.)

I've already worn the scarf twice. =)

And, in the "nice to know my girls got my back" department, I got some lovely stitching- and knitting-related presents. Linda (the other birthday girl) gave me a gift certificate to Knitch. From Cathy, who somehow remembered a comment I made about this being my favorite--and very out-of-print--La Broderie pattern:

From Andy, Angela and Jean, a pattern I was dying to have the moment it was released (including ALL the materials and the oh-so-cool scissors).

I can't wait to start both of these during March Madness!! Also, Jean gave everyone these awesome Kitchener Stitch reminder dogtags (check out etsy). Andy gave me this cool coin purse (and I have just the stitch markers to put in it). And finally, Andy, Angela and Jean (though I suspect it was mostly Jean's idea ;) gave me these spectacular stitch markers:

TMTIH. That's for "The Magic That Is Heather"...a nickname that Teresa gave me. I think it was because I'm such a geek that I wrote an AI program to handle our ornament kit exchange. =) Anyway, thanks, girls. You all made it a great day despite the start!

And my brief postscript is that Friday, the glass guy came (eventually), the painter came, and the HVAC guy came and actually fixed the heat pump! He said when he saw all the data I emailed, he knew he'd have to send his most technical guy. And today, it was 70 degrees outsie. =)

JiffNotes
Somehow, the stash keeps coming. Ain't nothing wrong with that. =)