A Happy Birthday

Well, yesterday was my birthday! I made it to the ripe old age of 55 and still going strong! And i have to say i had a wonderful birthday this year, filled with the love of friends and family. First, my good friend Kate picked me up on Friday evening and drove us to Bread and Jam, a local coffee house that serves great food and coffee and lots of great music too! Kate treated me to dinner and a glass of wine, invited some good friends to join us, and delivered me back home safe and sound! Thank you Kate, and also Jordan, Vickie, Lily, Kathleen and Olya for joining us and making our Friday night fantastic! Yesterday i helped out at The Paper Sparrow for a few hours and when i came home, we had a special little get together. My Parents brought pizza and a cake, (Mom makes the BEST cake) and Carly, Seth and Lola joined us...
Seth made me this awesome card, complete with a chain attached to hang it from

Inside the card is a very good portrait of me(top part of card in black marker) and a special message in code...(Bet ya can't read it!)

Lola also made me a card...the first card i have gotten from her! This is the front of the card...

And this is the inside. She told her Mommy what she wanted to say. Also the drawing is of me at a party having fun with Dave (Guerin) Binka (my son in law Ben) Katie, Gigi and Bepa (my Parents)

Carly and the kids brought me these beautiful flowers and i got a treasured gift from my favorite artist- my Mom...

The bouquet is just lovely...

There's nothing like fresh flowers in Winter...

Just Beautiful...Thank you Carly, Jeremie and kids!

And this is my gift from my Parents. Mom painted a picture of her cockatiel Shenny, who was one of the last cockatiels i bred here. We figured Shenny is about 22....23 years old
and still going strong too!

Here is the painting closer up...It's just Beautiful Mom...Thank you so much...

And this was waiting for me in the living room on Friday night when i got back from the coffee house. I walked into the living room in the dark to hang my coat when i sensed something...different in the room. I turned on the light and there it was.....the Rocking...pig! I had seen this antique wood carving in the window of The Trojan Horse Antique shop, and every time i passed by the window i would say..."I just love that pig!" Well, the pig is now MY pig! He is life size, a bit old and cracked in spots and no longer rocks, but we will find him a spot here to live out his retirement as a beautiful addition to our home. I think i will name him Peggoty. It just seems to fit him!

Thank You Katie, Ben and Bill for Peggoty Pig. That truly was a BIG surprise! And thanks to all of you for your good wishes thru phone calls, email and Facebook.... It's been a rough year, but i know for sure i am truly Blessed...