Birthday Seriousness Oh Noes!

It took me a week to figure out what I wanted to say on my birthday this year. I'm not very exciting in person, not a terrific knitter, a particularly good parent or that great of a wife, but somehow online I seem to have a knack for making and keeping some really fantastic friends who are very creative, talented, funny, and loving. With these friends in mind, I am blogging as if I have something important to say. Possibly no one will read this and thats ok too, but just in case my tractor girls peek or the terrific Asheville crowd is following me, these are my birthday thoughts.

I have been concerned with a few things this year. Chiefly, this earthquake in Haiti. I wonder, every day, how those people are doing without shelter, living there with family dead or missing, children, animals left to fend for themselves. I worry. Let's not forget them.

I have a new hero this year. A good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have watched her slog through the ick and the fear and the whole terrible ordeal with a determination that I cannot even convey. I'm so very proud of her.

Just this week I witnessed another epic battle between good and evil when the horrible landlord of the Miles building downtown decided to get nasty with the owners of the Humor Shop. These are good, decent people with children to provide for, making do as best they can, and that landlord is trying to grind them under her expensive heel. I keep wondering how I can help.

This year has definately been epic. I'm turning 42 today, no big deal at all, yet I've been fussed over and spoiled so much that I'm embarassed. This is a positive thing, being so rotten. I have a theory that until your loved ones really make a big deal out of your birthday, until you really feel that people are celebrating your life on the planet, you'll need the party and the songs and the cake. This year, when I was asked "what do you want for your birthday?" I thought about Haiti, and my friend recovering from chemo, and my new friends from the humor shop, and I thought about how I'd love to help them all, heal them all, no more fevers, no more worries, a new job for Brenda, for Bruce, and I thought about my family, the loud boys and the crazy dogs, this unique city that I've come to love, and I don't need one single thing. I'm grateful for everyone, everything. Im lucky to be here.

42 is no big deal but Im so blessed to have these beautiful people thanking me with their gifties and their love. What else can I say? That is all.

Horde of Zombie Pugs?

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and the Chinese New Year, plus there was a great Mardi Gras parade downtown. I love Mardi Gras. Well, I love cake anyway, and there's king cake involved. And feathers. Feathers are pretty cool. Too bad I missed it, but we had more snow and ice and Ward wrecked the car trying to avoid hitting a bus.
We walked up to the store though, and got everything to make Ward his Valentine cake. Then I spent the day obsessing about what we would do if the school called and one of the boys was sick and I couldn't get to them. I did start the Everlasting Bagstopper, or as I am calling it, the gobsmacking bagstopper. It's an easy knit. Pretty too, in the Katia cotton. Had to stop my pretzel sweater, I can't get any help on what to do after the second cast on. I'll ask Gay at Wed knit group since she's made it before.
So this morning school was cancelled again, and I was carrying some cake to bed to avoid the blast of cartoons. I don't really recommend carrying cake to bed if you live with a herd of pugs. That is all.

Cupcakes, Mardi Gras and Ravolympics

Tons happening as usual here, and February is packed full of shenanigans. I missed the fetish ball because I got overexcited about my new teapot Cheryl. No lie. I was taking sexy pictures of the teapot late that night when it dawned on me that I was supposed to be at the ball. Is this a sign? I'm turning 42 later this month. I think yes. It doesn't take much to get me going these days. HA!

TeamSockMonkey is casting on tonight when the Olympic Torch is lit, and I have already ordered goodies for the team through our shop on cafepress. I set it up so all swag proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders for Haiti. Urbangypz is our official prize sponsor, donating her luscious hand dyed yarn to our winners...go team!

Meanwhile, the shop has been jumping, Lindsey finished her chemo and THAT is great news. My lil recycled magazine stitch markers are starting to sell too- yay!

I'm linking to BlogAsheville because she has some really cute valentines day pictures and info about local stuff happening for Sunday and even mardi gras!