let's see...

My boys woke me yesterday with menus! and money!
Choose some items from the spa - and go have them done!
I've been wanting a facial for a long long time - and NOW I shall have one.

Mostly I sat on my butt yesterday.
On my bed.
With the AC cranking.
I did get a lot done - rearranged the piano mover, found out how to replace a title document, searched for moped parts, and then was taken out to lunch by M.
M who brought me the most gorgeous Claus Porto soaps - I think I am going to put them in a bowl...the colors are amazing!

Part of the reason that I did nothing (aside from the facts that: a. I am lazy and: 2. it was my birthday) was that the day before I had de-dustified Youngest's room.
Youngest is allergic to dust (his only allergy) and hasn't been doing too well -
so I decided to TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF HIS ROOM and dust it all and vacuum the hell out of the place.
You know, I don't think those hypoallergenic mattress protectors are very effective, I'm only sayin, cause when I removed them there was dust ON TOP OF THEM - yes, dust that would normally fall into the mattress I suppose, but dust that then sat PRETTY DAMN CLOSE to my kid. I am going to try them OFF the mattress and see.
So, yeah, I hauled all of Youngest's crappe into my room and dusted and polished and vacuumed until you could do open heart surgery in there.
Which you KNOW he has done.

And when I was done - 8 hours later, I had a helluva allergy attack...and to tell you the truth, I still feel kinda crappy, what with the dust and exertion and such.
But his room looks great.

His bedside table is resplendent.


His electronic center is DUST FREE.


The Totoro house is spotless!


This bookcase could still use some straightening up...

So. I was wiped.

And what else did M bring me at lunch?
A pair of JCrew surf shorts which she had purchased for one of her sons. Turns out they were the wrong size and she waited too long to return them (and she hates going to the mall...). I gladly took them off her hands (with the tag still on them) for one of my boys --
or so I thought at the time.
But then, when I got home, it turned out that they fit me very nicely - and while not especially flattering, they are very comfortable.
And I may wear them on the beach!

an unexpected present!

I made one of my favorite pasta dinners -
perciatelli with sausage and peppers and a dollop of fresh ricotta, and my mom brought over my traditional birthday cake...

...you know, the one made from Famous Chocolate Wafers and whipped cream?


You cut it on a diagonal - and hopefully, if you've seen pictures illustrating the difference between a camel and a zebra, you can see the stripes of the cake. (inside joke)

Plus -

as I am always beautifully accessorized - note the way my Chapstick matches my cake!
Chapcake!

Cakestick!

Anyway - that's just silly.
Here is one of my favorite presents...


I had a perfectly nice birthday and was impressed with the thoughtfulness of those around me -

thank
you
all.