Belated Birthday Surprises

I was all set to post another scrapbook page from June when, out of the blue, a belated birthday parcel arrived in the mail and a neighbor handed me a home-made spice cake across our back decks. Two surprises on the same day. How cool is that?!?

The parcel was from my sister's family. My niece crafted the bookmark out of sheer ribbon with beads, paillettes and a dangly lipstick charm. Isn't it darling? I love the idea of adding a wee bit of bling to my "me time" reading. The only problem is that I rarely read one book at a time. So I've asked her to make me another one.

For the record, my birthday was July 21st. We won't discuss my age (because proper ladies don't do that, didn't you know?) but I will say how lucky I am to have such wonderful neighbors and how much I love them, each and every one.

If you have ever had to suffer less-than-stellar neighbors you can appreciate my incredible good fortune. So I gleefully asked them to join me for cake and we had a really nice time catching up over cream cheese icing and an unbelievably moist, delicate crumb. This was all that was left of the scrumptious cake!

Oh, and my neighbor's precocious three-year-old used me as a giant dress-up doll. Picture me playing princess — strung with old Mardi Gras beads, a well-worn, straw cowboy hat (crown!) and a Disney princess sleeping bag for a royal cape. I sat sweating under that cape for easily half an hour or more, silently praying for an intervention that never came.

But the girl was so cute! Her excitement and enthusiasm were hard to deny. Seriously, why can't science find a way to bottle kid energy? All I can say is, I went home TIRED. Not even the sugar surge could compensate. I'm glad I'm not her mommy. I would have a terrible time telling such an effervescent child no.

What am I saying?!? Some day soon MY deadly little charmer will need guidance and direction. I better start taking notes. And fast!

Psst, if you're still reading...
...Little Sprout steps back into the spotlight next post, licking his first spatula and mixing bowl. You won't want to miss out on this cuteness!