My day

I am such a fan of birthdays, poor Sam is still getting used to my love of fanfare, trumpets, banners, cake, presents, flowers and general hoo ha.

So yesterday was meine geburtstag, and this is how things rolled.

Cake for breakfast, fruit tarts are the cake du jour for me. Leo also approves, especially for breakfast before kinder.

My random stamp friend Karen in Ontario, Canada sent another lot to my post office box, that's a present in itself! Karen works at Carleton University in the International applications office I think, anyways she sends me stamps a few times a year and they are always from countries which are under-represented in my collection. This installment includes Ghana, Kenya, Brazil, Hawaii, and of course a few from Canada.

My sister knows me too well, she brought Lindor balls over for afternoon tea. Did you know that there is a Lindt shop in Collins St? Me neither. Did you know that the brown ones are peanut butter, the blue ones cookies and cream? Me neither, though we are well acquainted now. Methinks Lindt are trying to crack the American market with these new versions. Good luck to them!

To be honest I have been a bit unwell, Leo has handily shared his virus with me and it feels like a cross between hayfever and tonsilitis. It's such a rip off to have these symptoms during 35 degree heat.

So much of yesterday was spent on the couch watching the cricket (pathetic effort from the Windies, I know), blowing my nose and finishing my crocheted cushion cover, using some cones of metallic yarn from the Yarn Barn. I realise that instead of making 9 squares per side, I could have just made one grande square per side. Next time.

Finally finished last night while watching Mr McCloud on his Grand Tour. Sam and I travelled to Venice and Florence years ago, and seeing Mr McCloud revisit those amazing buildings reaffirmed my love of Renaissance art and architecture. Many thanks to Mr Caskey who was my art teacher in high school.

I also managed to squeeze in delicious scones at Paula's for morning tea, phalaenopsis orchids from Mum, Tito Puente from Sam, but I really missed my Leo who was out all day, he knows how to celebrate and without him it felt a bit quiet.

Listening to: Tito Puente, his daughter Millie, and the Poncho Sanchez Orchestra