Birthday Fullness

 I've been away so long!  Yikes!  We were busy happy birthday-ing Noah, Lizzy, and me!

 I must pop in Tim (aka the spoiled prince) photos.  He's so happy, isn't he?  No insomnia for Timothy.

I had a wonderful 60th birthday.  People are so nice.  BILL is so nice. 

 I lost a little of my cake vision by the time I needed to bake my birthday dessert. 

Shocker.  It didn't want to come out of the pans in a "perfect" fashion, so it is a bit like a cake Thing #1 and Thing #2 might have made.  

 I THOUGHT I might enjoy eating a big slice, but I didn't.  Oh well.  Note to self:  No cake baking necessary next year.  

I went to lunch with Christie and the boys. They brought flowers and balloons (JOY!) and then we went to the yarn store and James helped me pick out the yarn I wanted.  Aw!  I shall make a hat. 

 I have a friend who shares my birthday so we met for coffee.  I ordered us wrist corsages.  Aren't they gorgeous?  The florist took a few short cuts (glued on buds, not wires - boo) and one of each of our buds popped off.  Maybe we talk with our hands too much.  Ha ha ha. 

I needed (sort of) another pair of Aussie boots, so I used gift money and a gift card to reduce the cost.  Now, if the weather could just get wet and cold enough for boot wearing.  

Look at all this wool!  Again, we need some cooler weather for necessary bundling. 

 Brad gave me four envelopes of special teas (and the cute cup).  The Russian Caravan is smoky and delicious.

 And then . . . Kelli, Jenny, and I went to Victoria, BC for further birthday celebrations.  I thought you might like this lovely dish pattern I saw at the Empress Hotel gift shop. 

 They have re-faced the Empress and it's still lovely, but it doesn't look as authentic and delicate to me. 

We went whale watching and saw a young humpback whale and MANY sea lions and seals. 

 We shopped in Chinatown. 

 Five years ago,  Bill and I visited Bee Hive Wool Shop, so I had to return.  I wish it was my LYS. 

 And then we went to the Butchart Gardens.  Wow.  The blooms were wonderful - still fresh and lovely.

 We came back to our room for naps. Aw! I love my sleeping beauties. 

 We took a water taxi to Fisherman's Wharf where the houseboat "neighborhood" holds great charm. 

 Oh, we had a wonderful, easy and peaceful time.  I'm so thankful.  
I'm thankful to be home now.  It's definitely feeling like fall.  The evenings grow a bit chilly and the mornings are cool.  The skies are lovely.

 Here's the home sweet home mascot, again.

Remember when I was working on my Rule of Life?  Well, it's time to revise, so that's what I'm going to do in the next few days.  Also, I'm going to make some lists.  I like cleaning lists and other house-y "to do's" and after being in Victoria (every restaurant was spotless) I think I'm inspired to try a little harder in our hobbit house.

For my book club we're reading The Virginian.  I've never been very interested in cowboys or the Wild Wild West, so it's a bit of a chore to focus on this month's read.  I'll do it.

God be with you this sweet October.  Anne of Green Gables loved October and we do, too.  Don't we?