The 2 and 4

I had such a pleasant day on the 11th of February that I must share. It included all the special touches that birthdays should have.
I don't usually splurge on buying fruit (i know buying fruit seems more like a normal, healthy part of the human diet than a splurge, but for this mostly seasonal-eater with a small bank account, it is) so a bowl of blood oranges appeared in my kitchen.

Flowers were given. Lilies that smell amazing and look nice all week.




I opened some real, non-email cards (such a rarity and such a luxury), and a set of these knitting needles (yes, a certain someone has actually been listening when I go on rants about my wish list from the knitting world). And I opened a package from Minnesota....a gorgeous hand-dyed, hand-spun, hand-knitted cowl from my talented sister Becca.
And I even got a surprise present from someone who didn't even know it was my birthday. Christina, a beautiful Swedish woman with several grandchildren, is one of my students in the English literature class I teach on Wednesday nights. At coffee break time, she wondered out loud if anyone was interested in getting a hat she had knit for herself but which didn't fit right. In .5 seconds I reasoned if i don't take the initiative here, this hat could end up being claimed by someone who doesn't really want it, but who might take it just because, and then I'd feel too awkward to admit how much I really wanted it. So I marched up with ooohs and ahhs to take a look, and once the 4 other grandmothers in the class insisted I try it on and praised how nicely it fit me, it was securely mine. I couldn't help saying, after profusely thanking Christina for this hat which was just the style I'd been wanting to knit for myself, that it was actually my birthday anyway, so how perfect! At this my ladies burst into congratualtions and birthday wishes. What sweeties.Thanks to everyone who made me feel loved and appreciated last week! I am blessed much more than I even realize to have such wonderful people as you in my life.