Weekend Catchup: 18 Again, Only Less Sucky

Wow.

Just, wow.

I had such an awesome weekend I'm almost hesitant to tell you about it, because it might seem like I'm bragging...

But I'm gonna anyway!

So Friday night after getting The Kid, we headed home for a nice quiet evening of hangin' in the crib. I finished (almost) the Birthday Bag for Elise (I can tell you that now, because she's got it at last!) and finally got started on the Folklore Bag I meant to make in February but never quite got around to doing.

It's going to be SO CUTE... especially the palm tree liner fabric!

Waiting for me at home was my birthday box from my mom. This year, she sent me an amazing sweater that she made with her very own hands, from a pattern on Interweave I was drooling over awhile back. It's gorgeous, and the cables are amazing (and go in different directions depending on which side they're on!), and the buttons! So cool - they're big and kind of Polynesian.

It's totally cozy and soft... thanks Mom!

She also sent some gorgeous earrings from the gem show she went to awhile back, including these very Arts & Crafts style dragonflies (which I'm wearing even as I type) and a pair of unusual carnelian ones that match a bracelet she sent a couple of years ago, plus a beautiful card which is suitable for framing! (I think I'll do just that... I think it would look awesome in my bathroom, which sounds weird, but I mean it in the best way!)

Saturday morning I got up and we had some breakfast (The Kid made blueberry muffins, isn't she sweet?), and I got the lining almost done on the Birthday Bag. I had a date with a pedicure up in Loveland with Nova, but I knew we'd be coming back to the house before heading out to Denver for dinner, and that I'd have time to finish up. I tacked the lining in place with approximately 1000000 (or so) straight pins, called it good, and (after The Kid got picked up by her grampa) headed down to have my heels buffed.

GROSS. But necessary!

The pedicures at this place are just so awesome; they hot wax your feet, there are massage chairs...

It's bliss!

After our fabulous pedis, Nova & I went for some lunch at a hibachi place with a lunch special, which was awesome. I did try to pay for lunch (I went to some extremem measures - a Hail Mary pass was called for), but she beat me to it!

Back at home, I FINALLY finished the bag while Nova got ready for our dinner in Denver (her husband was heading down to meet us). Et voila!

Can also double as General Ackbar's favorite hat

Thankfully she liked it (or at least didn't hate it on sight haha), so yay! Craft success! The link for the original is here, but please note the photoshopped handles because there's no way they got them that perfect. I changed the colors and the top pattern since I didn't like the flower, and I didn't take a picture of the lining, but it worked out great!

We had dinner at Racine's with TR, Nova's husband Kelly, and TR's brother George and the afore-mentioned Elise, which was lots of fun and...

Um, I shouldn't drink rum in public.

Not that I was running naked in the streets, but I do seem to get rather loud.

Also, when did I get to be such a lightweight?! One mojito and suddenly it was story time!

Oh well!

After dinner, the gang went to their respective corners, and TR & I headed for some hot tub loveliness, and can I just stress it was a HOT TUB. I swear it was hotter than the hot springs! I had to keep getting out, but it made the pool feel absolutely lovely.

And then...

TR gave me my birthday present.

Holy shit!

I told The Kid that she can use it, under supervision, if her hands are clean and there are no liquids in the vicinity.

There may be a hazmat suit. We'll see!

And let me say again...

HOLY SHIT!

He totally surprised me, which is not easy to do! I have an intuitive streak that often means I know exactly what's coming... I try to shut it off but inevitably I ruin it for myself.

But this?

Complete shock.

It was a delightful surprise, and I am enjoying it thoroughly! It's so pretty.

So white and pretty.

And clean.

On order: one hardshell protective case. I know myself well. I'm also going to make a soft padded case for it, because I'm a crafting nerd.

Sunday morning we had a late breakfast at a place which immediately charmed me, but stole my heart entirely as soon as my 4.95 steak and eggs arrived (with rye toast, mind you)...

How can you not love a place with a horse on the roof?! (Click the picture for a little local history.)

Now you might fear a 5 dollar steak breakfast, but let me assure you that everything was fresh and delicious; no powdered eggs or frozen potatoes at this place.

My favorite part was the original Formica table top with the boomerang design, which you could tell was the original due to the center of the pattern having been almost entirely wiped away after 50 years of use. I imagine when the smoking ban wasn't in place that it was kind of gross in there, but now?

Absolutely delightful.

After breakfast I headed home, although I had meant to stick around awhile and help if I could with a local campaign that's going on (click it and help if you can!); between the super-hot hot tub melting my muscles and a super-squishy bed that induced near-coma, I kind of yanked my back out of line, but a few Advils and a heating pad did a lot to fix that. (Today I'm not feeling too bad, but I'm definitely taking it easy!)

After languishing at home awhile, I headed to get The Kid from her grampas and have dinner with them (gluten free tempura - it was fantastic!). Her grampa and his fiancee gave me a very funny card, and a gift certificate for Bed Bath & Beyond... I see new sheets in my future! Maybe a comforter set. We'll see.

Tonight, I'll be finishing my new bag (I got the lining and exterior done last night - definitely the hardest parts!) and enjoying my new toy.

It was a delightful birthday weekend, full of balloons and surprises; I was made to feel very special, and really what more can I ask?

Especially at my advanced age.

Last but not least, congratulations to... um, us! There will be some bumps, and there's still a lot to do, but it's finally DONE.

Thank goodness.

Now maybe we can move on to some more stuff that needs doing!