HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Yup it is that time again. Only now I have turned the big 6-0. Where oh where has the time gone. I have been told that 60 is the new 40. I don't feel like I am 60 BUT then never having been 60 I am not sure what it is supposed to feel like. All I can say is I never thought I would be 60 and here it is the day I turned 60. So in honor of my birthday.

It seems as if I will celebrate this birthday for a few days. Yesterday I went knitting at Mona's and there was a very large tasty cake for me. I thought a certain someone there was going to take some home for her kiddies but from what I took home it seems like her kids got none, nada, zip, zero. I cut it up and put it in the freezer so I can savor the cake for a while. I love cake, cake and ice-cream, ice-cream cake, strawberry shortcake with ice-cream. Did I say I love cake and ice-cream? Oh and I love cookies and cookies with ice-cream also. AND a big thanks goes to Tania who gave me a container of Diva's Delightful Crisps (Cranberrylicious, Peppy Pecan, Rosemary Raisin and Almond). HMMMM YUMMY. Apparently they are from Cosco and I don't have a membership to Cosco.

Saturday I am going out for a breakfast special. For $3.00 sausage and pancakes, juice and coffee all for $3.00. I wonder if there will also be hash browns like in Dec and Jan but then it wasn't pancakes it was bacon and eggs and ham and eggs. After Genie, Jennet and I are going bargin hunting. We have been invited to a Norwex party but I don't know if we will be in the area at the time of the party since our plans for the day had already been made. Once back to my place we will have appetizers (Jennet is providing) and order dinner. My choice is Chinese food. I mentioned dropping over to my place to a couple other friends and one (Luna) is unable to make it and the other doesn't know. I really would have liked Luna to come over so we could also exchange out "Christmas" gifts and NOT have to wait until July to do it like we always seem to. LOL

I planned on getting myself a ballwinder yesterday as my birthday gift BUT Mona didn't have any. I have my name down for when one arrives and with my $40 is gift certificates (from last year) I have almost enough now so it won't cost much. I am seriously thinking of getting a swift also. I have it mentioned on my raverly about me page and a fellow swapper in the Cocoa Swap contacted me to let me know about the one she purchased from ebay. As much as I would like to get one locally there is quite a difference in price with the one being sold on ebay. Check it out here http://cgi.ebay.ca/Portable-Oak-Yarn-Swift-Winder-Decorative-Base_W0QQitemZ140294071377QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item140294071377&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

I am just curious if it will slide off the table when it is going round and round and round. I think those would be two very nice birthday pressies to me.

I did shop before I left Mona's but it was for my swaps. I have most everything I need now. I just need to write some notes, seal the boxes and mail them. Solara's two swaps are not quite ready yet. The toys for those two packages need to have the catnip added to them and then they also will be ready to be mailed. More on sending and receiving swaps further down the post.

Today Janice took me out for dinner for my birthday at one of my all time favorite salad restaurants. Not they don't make other great dishes but they sure make a mean salad. An absolutely hugh salad when you order a "large". For my birthday Janice gave me some very nice yarn, four skeins of Crystal Palace cotton chenille.

I can see hat with this yarn. She also gave me the new edition of Vogue Knitting and some "Turtle" candies. After we ate we went knitting at Starbucks in Chapters. It was a small group but a fun time.

Knitting Goodness

Of course, what made today extra special was I received two swap packages.

I finally received a package from my Secret Pal. I should be getting my third package but this was only my first. My secret pal sent me some massaging soap from LUSH, some lip gloss and two skeins of yarn. One is Austermann Step which has ALOE and JOJOBA Oil. This is my first skein of it and I can't wait to try it. I have heard it makes your hands very soft after working with it. BUT that will have to wait a bit as I have two pair of socks on my needles now.
BUT the second skein of yarn is to die for. OMG!!! First thing I noticed was the sparkle in it. How I love glitter and sparkle. Then I read the label of what the yarn is made of. Are you ready? 63% Merino, 20% Silk, 15% Nylon and 2% Sterling Silver. YES you read that correctly this yarn has sterling silver in it. That is what makes the yarn sparkles so nicely. It is by Dye - Version. the color is Tickled PINK and I love the name of the color. The gauge is 6.75 - 9 stitches per inch on a 2 - 3.25mm needles. First I though SOCKS as I always think socks but then I decided a lace shawl would be ever so lovely with the sterling silver glittering in it. Maybe another Clapotis Shawl???? Only I would have to get at least two more skeins since there is only 385 meters in the 100 gram skein. I hope you can see the glittering sterling silver in my yarn. I know my heart stopped when I first saw it and then read there was sterling silver in my new yarn.

Solara certainly liked joining the yarn in the box after everything was unwrapped.
She became very possessive of my new yarn and even decided to check it out herself. We ended up having a tousle over it as she didn't want to give it back to me. BUT not to worry it didn't get damaged.
Then I opened my Raverly Color 2 swap package. I wonder what the color would be. LOL "Like" PINK "Duh" , of course. I did say I liked some other colors but my most favorite color is PINK which I emphasized.

WOW was there ever a ton of PINK goodies in the box. Here goes the list with photos.

First was a PINK teddy bear.
As soon as I put it down to photograph it, Solara decided she needed to check it out and okay it.
It must have passed inspection b/c she then started to kiss it (she was licking my PINK teddy bear as if it was her baby).

Also, in my PINK box was two skeins of this KISS yarn which is a blend of Australian Merino yarns (50%) and acrylic (50%). There is 90 meters (99 yards) in each of the 50 gram balls. Is it every soft. The color is PINK.
Two skeins of Elann Peruvian Baby Lace Merino 50% "baby" alpaca and 50% fine merino. Each 50 gram skein has 550 meters (600 yds) of lace weight yarn. At first I read the yardage incorrectly and thought I would need more but after reading it again I think 1200 yards should be enough for a shawl. I don't think you can ever have too many shawls or too many PINK shawls. LOL Depending on the light sometimes this yarn does look pink and other times a more rusty color. It is called PINK on Elann. Anyway I am happy with it and that is what counts!!
For non yarny goodness in my color package I found the following treats; sticky notes, pink sparkly notebook, to do magnetic note pad and calendar,
teeny tiny shiny pink purse, and
some PINK items for my kitchen including pink sponges, pink smelly garbage bags and small zip lock bags with several different designs of PINK hearts on them. I wish I had a larger kitchen and could decorate it in PINK. I have seen several appliances in PINK. Again Solara wanted to get in the photo b/c she likes PINK also. On the bottom of the box was this lovely book. There is the card that came with my package.

AND there were also some bath items: a PINK shower pouf, PINK tub pillow, PINK bath bomb, PINK toenail accessories, PINK colored hand gel, PINK lip gloss which tingles when it goes on and tastes not bad at all.

Then there was some PINK gardening gloves, three pair of PINK socks, a scarf with a lot of PINK in it.

PINK ribbons, PINK buttons and PINK beads.
Last but NOT least was the handmade item which was a requirement of this swap. My partner knit me a mug rug cozy (already I can see what age is doing to me LOLOLOLOL and a little bag.

So I thank you Rhonda in Florida for your wonderful package. It certainly helped keep that smile on my face today. It also made my Solara happy

I wonder if there are furchildren at Rhonda and my SP's home as Solara sure couldn't keep away from "my" new toys. She was all over them.

She also thanks you for the tissue paper.

AH there is my tail.

Bet you can't find me?

So now what swaps am I currently participating in? Ravelry Color Swap 2, Ravlery Coffee Chocolate and Yarn Swap 3, Cocoa Swap 2, SP 13, and Knitter Coffee Swap 4. I still have packages from the above groups to receive and three others from the birthday club in my addicted to knit dishcloth group. AND Solara signed up for Kitty Valentine Swap 5 but she NOT only signed up it, she decided to take on a second partner when she discovered there was a couple of kitties who didn't get there names in on time. I think swapping maddness is contagious.