It's almost time.

My extended, forced Christmas vacation, during which I am banned from the office until January 4, 2010, starts in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas is kicking my ass. Again.

Saturday, I worked in the bookstore, then I had to go to K-Mart and buy another Crockpot, because I forgot and left all my others ones at the office. That's okay, though. I can always use another Crockpot. Then I came home to cook, because my book group women were gathering for our annual Christmas party that same night, and it's a major food and gift extravanganza. I made a Greek terrine, chicken and rice soup, and homemade chocolate sandwich cookies with vanilla cream.

I didn't get home from the party, until after 2:30 a.m.

Then I dragged my sorry butt out of bed on Sunday morning and made it to the 11:00 a.m. service. I stuck around to work in the bookstore for a little while, then I came home and finally got my Christmas tree up. It isn't one of my prettiest trees, but, by this point, I ain't picky.Then I headed back out to meet my other women friends for dinner and gift giving. It was very nice, and I ate my weight in fried pickles, a fact for which I will certainly pay today. I begged off driving around to see the Christmas lights, because I have entirely too much to do tonight. I stopped by K-Mart on the way home and bought a gift card for my mailman and a couple of Christmas movies.

I came home and messed with the tree some more, stuffed assorted stockings, set out my Fitz and Floyd Santas, addressed Twelfth Night invitations, wrote thank you notes, and otherwise tried to get a handle on my remaing list of Christmas tasks. I have a party tonight, and I don't expect to be back from it until around midnight. I have to find time to take Mike's gift to him, and I have scads of packages to wrap on Tuesday night. God only knows when I'm going to have time to bake.

I'll be so glad when Christmas is over, and I can finally start to enjoy the holiday.

I love almost everything...

...in Zac Posen's new pre-fall collection.

http://projectrungay.blogspot.com/2009/12/zac-posen-pre-fall-2010.html

Except the cats. Not crazy about the cats.

I'm off to Knox-Vegas.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I am preparing to do something gauche.

I am going to go Christmas shopping in my own house. I bought tons of stuff at the after-Christmas sales last year, and I have baskets of never-used bath and beauty products, shelves of never-read books, boxes of never-brewed Gevalia coffee, and a bunch of wooden doodads that Daddy made for me while he was practicing his lathing skills. Plus, I have stockpiled baking ingredients--3 different kinds of flour, chocolate chips, butterskotch chips, Heath bar chips, peanut butter chips, peanut buttter, Nutella, butter, margarine, and spices. I could put together a dozen gift bags and never break a sweat. (I also have a closet full of unused gift bags, tags, ribbons, bows, and decorative boxes.)

So, I'm going to do it. And if that makes me a tacky sort of person, so be it. There's a recession going on, you know.

Now, sing with me...

I'll be gauche for Christmas.
You can count on me.
I have stuff
That's good enough
For presents under the tree.

Free Books!

Simon and Schuster UK is giving away free books again, and there's a big honkin' bunch of them to choose from. Go here and select one for your very own self.

I hate Facebook so, so much.

Here's my latest email exchange:

Hi,
We were unable to find an account associated with the email address you
submitted your question from.

If you have a Facebook account that is associated with a different email
address, please email us from that email address and copy and paste this email
into the new email, so that we may confirm your account ownership for security
purposes. Please include your name and date of birth (month/day/year).

If your issue has since been resolved, no further action is needed on your part.

If you're experiencing other issues with your Facebook account, please visit
http://www.facebook.com/help.php

Thanks,
The Facebook Team
************************************************



Facebook Team:
I don't know how that is possible, since I signed up with that address, and you sent me both a confirmation email (see below):

Hey (my name),

You recently registered for Facebook. To complete your Facebook registration,
follow this link:

(link deleted)

Facebook helps you communicate and stay in touch with all of your friends. Once
you join Facebook, you'll be able to share photos, plan events, and more.

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

And a welcome email (see below):

Hi (my name),
Your account has been created — now it will be easier than ever to share and connect with your friends.
Here are three ways for you to get the most out of it:
Find Friends
Find people you know on Facebook using our simple tools.
Upload a Profile Photo
Personalize your profile and help your friends recognize you.
Edit Your Profile
Describe personal interests, contact information, and affiliations.

If you have any questions, reference our New User Guide.
Thanks,
The Facebook Team Sign in to Facebook and start connecting
Get Started

...to that very same email address, which is (my email address). Plus, I keep getting invitations to add Facebook friends at that very same email address.

So obviously, the problem is on your end. And I've been to http://www.facebook.com/help.php several times, and it's pretty much useless for dealing with my issue.

BTW, this is me:

(Facebook link)

My birthdate is October 6, 1960. Please fix this, because I'm getting pretty damn frustrated dealing with the issue.

Okay, okay.

There is one fun thing about Facebook. You can set the language option to English-Pirate. Avast there, ye scurvy social networkers!

I have a Facebook account now.

And I loathe it with the heat of a thousand suns. I set it up this morning, and when I tried to log back in this evening, it wouldn't recognize my password or my email address, which means that it won't let me reset my password, and I'm pretty ticked off. Fortunately, I kept my confirmation email, and I was able to get back into my account through the link in it. But with each passing minute, I despise Facebook more and more. The format is annoying, I cannot get it to upload pictures beyond the userpic, the FAQ is useless, and I resent having to sign up for the damn thing in order to participate in the Cultural Arts Committee.

BTW, if you couldn't hear it, I just stamped my foot like a five year old.

Happy Veterans Day

To all the veterans of the United States armed forces, including my father, who served in the Navy in the late 50's. We honor your service.

I just keep shopping.

I went to Peeble's last night to buy a basic skirt and a basic pair of trousers. I came home with a basic skirt, a basic pair of trousers, and three dresses. But they are totally amazing dresses.

One is a short, very mod little empire frock in a black/purple wooly paisley. It will look cute with tights and some of my new pointy-toed flats.

Another one is a knee-length, black/white A-line sweater dress that looks a lot more expensive than it is. It will look fantastic with black boots, chunky black/white bangles, and one of my many fabulous black hats.

The third one is a red sweater chemise with an oversized cowl neckline, and I bought it, because it reminds me of a fabulous red sweater dress that I had in college. In fact, I think I can trace the birth of my signature style, if I can be said to have a signature style, to that sweater dress.

I grew up in a house where pretty clothes were valued. My mother loved pretty clothes, and my father was a clothes horse. It didn't hurt that they were both very attractive, slender, dark-haired, dark-eyed people, and therefore could wear pretty much anything well. I was always a chubby kid, but I picked up my love of pretty clothes from my parents.

We were fairly poor when I was a little girl, at best lower-lower-middle class, and we lived in a rented four-room house until I was 11, while my parents saved for a house. But my mother could sew, and she sewed for me and for herself, so I always had nice clothes, even if they weren't store-bought. Then my mother went to work for a wholesaler when I was in middle school, and suddenly, we had access to fashionable (if not designer) clothes at wholesale prices.

By the time I was in college, I had a fantastic little wardrobe, and I dressed up for school, which is where the red sweater dress comes in. It was an A-line dress with a fitted turtleneck, and I wore it alone (I was so much thinner then) or with a blue/red/green plaid blazer and a matching plaid tam. When I wore all three pieces together, people oohed and aahed and told me I looked like I had stepped out of Vogue Magazine. And that's all it took. Red has been a signature color in my fall/winter wardrobe every year since I was 19 years old. :-) And, of course, hats...

I have shopped again.

Another pair of low-heeled shoes.


Apparently, these are from JLo's collection. Who knew?

The process of buying new shoes has begun.

My first three purchases:



Penny <3 Kenny (only in dark brown, instead of black)


Nine West


White Mountain, and an incredibly comfortable pair of shoes, if I do say so myself.

Sigh.

I'm going to have to buy some new shoes with low heels. I simply cannot continue to do 2 and 3 hours presentations in my heels. My knees will not put up with it.

Just in time for Halloween...Vampires! In love!

Book Love Affair is giving away a copy of "Immortal: Love Stories With a Bite", which is a collection of vampire love stories by various urban fantasy and paranormal romance authors. If you're interested in that kind of thing--and who isn't?--then go to Book Love affair to enter.

http://www.bookloveaffair.com/2009/10/giveaway-p-c-cast.html

Okay, okay.

So I bought one last hat for my birthday...a vintage Mr. Charles pillbox. But I only paid eleven bucks for it, including shipping. It was a steal!

Book Review

I don't often do book reviews, but I'm going to do one now.



Isn't that a fabulous cover? Now, you all know me...I have a thing for good cover art. I have been known, on many an occasion, to judge a book almost entirely by its cover. And so it was that, after my science fiction book group finished discussing our September selection at Borders, the group spread out to browse through the store. And what do I see on the New Releases table but this book. I mean, the cover practically leaped out at me, wrapped a brawny arm around my neck, pulled me close, and breathed menacingly in my ear, "Buy me, woman!" But I'm not quite that easy, so I took a moment to read the cover caption:

A novel of vampires, werewolves, and parasols.

Parasols?! And I was tempted, oh, so very tempted, but still I resisted. Then I read the blurb on the back:

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse, apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire--and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and a werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe that Alexia is responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening in London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful, or just embarassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

At that point, I was a goner. I ran gleefully through Borders, with the book clutched in my hot little hand, to show my sci fi friends what a treasure I had found. And then I went home and read it. Not all at once, you understand, but almost immediately, which rarely ever happens with the books I buy anymore.

So, how was the book, Min? It was, in a word, delightful. Alexia is a stubbornly intelligent, but ever so proper (when it's called for) young woman with a devoted friend (whose dreadful taste in hats is a running gag), a mostly appalling family (her stepfather isn't so bad), and a reluctant werewolf suitor (whose beta may well be the most intriguing character in the whole book), all out of the best traditions of Austen and Heyer. Except for the werewolf part. It's a sweet little romance and a Victorian adventure story and a goofy comedy of manners and a proto-urban fantasy, all rolled up into one charming little book, and I absolutely loved it. I don't want to give too much more away and spoil the fun, but suffice it to say, I will be buying the sequel, "Changeless", as soon as it hits the shelves of the local bookstore.

Well, pooh.

I got overbid on my beautiful blue and green Jack McConnell hat. OTOH, I did win this lovely red and black Jack McConnell hat from the same seller and for just a little more than half of the final bid for the other hat.



So yay, me!

I have once again changed my blog header and color scheme.

It feels more seasonal like this. :-) The header image is taken from a digital collage by Jennifer Gordon.

See this hat?

This hat is a Jack McConnell. I don't own a Jack McConnell.
This hat is royal blue. I cannot resist the color royal blue.
This hat is for sale on Ebay. I have bid on it, I am winning it, and I am determined to own it.

Sing with me!

Happy birthday to me!
Happy birthday to me!
Happy birthday, dear Mi-in!
Happy birthday to me!

And it's been a fantabulous birthday, so far.

Hatty Awards

Jane, aka glorioushats, brought this to my attention, and so I share it with you all. There is such a thing as the Hatty Awards, and you, my hat-making and hat-wearing flist, are eligible to enter. Check it out:

Hatty Awards

Free Books!

And I'm the one giving them away! In honor of my 49th birthday on October 6, I am giving away books that I have culled from my shelves, mostly duplicates that I have purchased over the years. If you'd like to be included, head over to my LiveJournal and enter.

Here!

And the gift-buying march to the sea continues.

I bought myself another birthday preseent. Yes, I am hopeless. Yes, it is a hat. A beautiful Frank Olive hat, and I got it for ten bucks on Ebay. It was a steal!

The pictures aren't very good, but they give you an idea of the hat...brown, with feathers, tilted up on one side.





And I want this one so bad I can taste it:

And so begins my gift-buying march to the sea.

I have bought myself a birthday gift. A hat. A very fine hat. A very fine Italian hat. And you know what a slut I am for the Italians.

I am very Mad Men today.

Black/white print georgette dress with a fitted, criss-crossed bodice and a floaty, layered skirt. Jeanette says she is going to call me Joan. :-)

Dragon*con is imminent, and I am getting both nervous and excited. I have a thousand things to do today, and I still have to do my job.

Ebay is my weakness.

I got all caught up in an auction and bought a Calvin Begay cuff bracelet that I really didn't need. But I do love his work.

I found a few pics of the Ribkoff clothes I mentioned.

(This pic doesn't show the cute little bolero jacket that goes with the dress.)


(Imagine this is an irridescent version of the purple above.)

Clothes for Fall

I stopped by Janice Ann's, my favorite dress shop, while I was in Knoxville earlier this week, and the fall clothes that she has in are nothing short of amazing. There's a fabulous fitted black/white houndstooth suit with black knit sleeves that is very Katharine Hepburn-esque, a purple and black A-line dress with a cropped jacket and a black/white plaid sheath with a bolero jacket that look like they stepped out of an early Barbara Streisand movie (she had the most fabulous clothes in those movies), and a purple irridescent all-weather coat with a ruffled raised color that is just stunning. Bootie (the salesclerk) offered to hold the coat for me, but I was hesitant to buy anything, when I'm trying to lose weight.

But if I can take off 20 pounds by the end of September, they will all be mine.

Free Books!

fashion_piranha is giving away three Chinese stories on LiveJournal, and if the covers are any indication, the books will be wonderful. :-) Go here to enter.

********************************************

Circle of Books on BlogSpot is giving away a copy of "Dying for Mercy", by Mary Jane Clark. Go here to enter.

I have to stop buying Onex shoes.

I bought these at Janice Ann's last year:



***************************************

I bought these at Janice Ann's this year:


Only mine have a black platform soul.



I also bought a pair of black and rhinestone evening heels for which I have no picture.

****************************************

Then I bought these on Ebay:


Mine are actually pewter, not white.



And I also bought a pair of gorgeous teal fauz crock slides for which I have no picture.

****************************************

And then I bought these on amazon.com:



****************************************

How do I love these shoes? Let me count the ways:
They're made in America. California, to be precise.
They are comfortable, with soft leathers and padded insteps.
They are affordable, most costing less than $100 a pair.

Stop me, before I buy again!!!!

Link

Miss Janey asked for a link to Jennifer Gordon's artwork on Etsy. Jenn's having a buy one, get one free sale on her prints right now.

Go here.

New Art

I have posted Jenn Gordon's art before, because I just love it. I made the mistake of browsing her site at Etsy today, and I am buying more of her original collages, because I just can't help myself.

New Art

I have posted Jenn Gordon's art before, because I just love it. I made the mistake of browsing her site at Etsy today, and I am buying more of her original collages, because I just can't help myself.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/PhantomMinuet/Art/il_430xN_76729784.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/PhantomMinuet/Art/il_430xN_75054075.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/PhantomMinuet/Art/il_430xN_77897809.jpg

I want...

This vintage purse...


To go with this vintage Mr. John hat...


To go with these new shoes...


But I'm afraid the colors won't match, once I get all the pieces together in the same room. Not to mention that I don't have a single dress or suit that I could wear them with.

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair!

I received a nice compliment on my hair last night. I took Tracy out for belated birthday margaritas and dinner, and, as we were leaving, someone complimented the cashier's hair, which had been professionally dyed with blonde and auburn streaks. So Tracy says to me, "I don't die my hair." I looked at her, and she said, "I'm 36, and I don't dye my hair. I think that's pretty good." And I was thinking, "I'm 48, and I don't dye mine, either", so I said to her, "I don't dye my hair." And she looked at me in surprise and said, "You don't?"

Apparently, my gray isn't as noticeable as I thought. :-)

I won! I won!

I was sooo afraid that someone was going to come in and overbid me at the last minute. But this fabulous vintage purse is mine, mine, all mine!!!!!



Blue and green...my favorite color combination. I simply had to have it. :-)

I'm bidding on this fab bag, too:

Free Books!

fashion_piranha is giving away free books on LJ! Go sign up for the contest.

http://fashion-piranha.livejournal.com/68666.html

Trip Report, Part 1

I miss having an English breakfast. I don't eat eggs or mushrooms, but I love the other parts...beans, grilled tomatoes, hashbrowns, bacon and toast. Sigh. I suppose I could make myself an English breakfast, but that's work. I'd rather have someone serve it to me.

I have scadzoodles to do, but I wanted to start my trip report. The flight over was without incident, and we all made it, safe and sound, to England. Wish I could say as much for our baggage. It didn't make it. None of it. Of the eleven people on my pilgrimage who boarded together in Nashville on Sunday, not a single one of them had luggage waiting in London-Gatwick. Zero, zip, nada, niente. They just didn't load it in Nashville. No, I don't know why. I suspect it may be because they needed room for extra fuel, in anticipation of bad weather.

Still sucks.

Here I thought that I had learned from my Scottish experience and packed so much more cleverly than I did last year--sweaters to layer, a light rain jacket, short and long-sleeved shirts. All for naught, because I don't have my luggage for two days after arriving in England. So I ended up buying two sweaters (it was cold the first few days in Winchester), jeans (because I couldn't bear to wear those damn pants a third day), underwear, and socks. So much for my careful packing.

Next up...Winchester. The pilgrimage begins.

A quick report from Canterbury.

Today was beautiful. Just beautiful. Pleasant, sunny, breezy. It was a perfect day to go traveling. First, we went to St. Martin's Church, where Ethelbert's French (and, more importantly, Christian) queen, Bertha, worshipped and where it is thought that Ethelbert was eventually baptized. We reconfirmed our baptismal vows with a 12th century font, and then we went to the Isle of Thanet, had prayers with the Benedictine nuns at the Minster Abbey, and had a picnic lunch on the grounds. After that, we went to visit the Roman fort Ruptiae, where Augustine had built a chapel. We had prayers and shared reflections on the pilgrimage in the ruin of the chapel.

Naturally, I cried, because I am turning into a sentimental old biddy. :-/

After that, we went to St. Augustine's high cross and celebrated Eucharist at the foot of the cross, which was just lovely. Then we had dinner in Wickham at the Red Lion. Faaaabulous meal. I had some wonderful pea and ham soup, chicken in a sauce of white wine and chives, and a toffee pavlova. We made rather merry, seeing as how there were 20 of us, and the wine flowed rather freely.

Hey...we are Episcopalian, you know. ;-)

Tomorrow, we're attending the Eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral and, hopefully, taking the train to Dover to visit the castle. Then, tomorrow night, the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral is locking us in and taking us on a candlelight tour of the cathedral. Should be a fantastic experience.

Blessings to you all.

The Countdown Begins.

On Sunday, May 17, at approximately 11:41 a.m., central time, I will be boarding a plane and flying to England. I'm going on pilgrimage to Canterbury. Me, Tameron, a couple of married couples, and a covey of Episcopalian gay boys, all walking a portion of the Pilgrim Pathway.

It should be a total blast.

Star Trek

I loved it! L-O-V-E-D it! I'm not going to post any spoilers, but here's what I really liked, without giving away specific plot points.

--A very, very clever plotting device that makes canon objections moot.
--The young man playing Jim Kirk. Just fantastic...good face, better eyes, tons of confidence and swagger, great comic delivery.
--Bruce Greenwood. If I ran Hollywood, he would be in every movie ever made.
--Karl Urban. The others are just a little too young for me to find them all that sexy (especially the adorable child playing Chekhov), but even with shoeblack in his hair and a southern accent that wanders, Karl tips my applecart.
--Special effects that enhance the character interaction, rather than overwhelm it.

I'd give it a 9 out of 10. And the only reason for that is Winona Ryder. I don't know what they were smoking when they cast her as Amanda, but they should never, ever smoke it again. At least, not while casting a movie. Or operating heavy equipment.

It's here! It's here!

The new Star Trek movie! I am so sneaking out of work early to go to the matinee.

More free books!

Circle of Books is giving away 5 copies of "The Girl Who Stopped Swimming", by Joshilyn Jackson.

Enter here:
http://acircleofbooks.blogspot.com/

Bookish Ruth is giving away a copy of collected Sherlock Holmes stories.

Enter here:
http://www.bookishruth.com/2009/05/book-giveaway-new-annotated-sherlock.html?showComment=1241651820000#c792335203489384940

An acquaintance of mine passed away unexpectedly this week.

She was a very talented bead worker. Several years ago, she designed and made a beautiful amulet bag out of red seed beads and antique jet beads for me. I still treasure it as one of my most unique pieces of jewelry. I have always regreted the fact that I didn't ask her to do another piece for me.

You can see some of her amazing work here:

http://www.geocities.com/~anniebee/cwelch.html

Another Book Giveaway!

fashion_piranha on LJ is giving away two books to some lucky winner. Here's the skinny:

GILDED AGE GIVEAWAY!!!
TWO BOOKS WILL BE GIVEN AWAY TO ONE LUCKY WINNER!
1. Emily Post by Laura Claridge
2. Etta by Gerald Kolpan

This contest will run until May 24th, 2009. Enter by posting a comment here:

http://fashion-piranha.livejournal.com/64525.html

"Here she is! Ms. America!"

Because the First Lady is always the real Ms. America. And here she is, indeed, looking amazing in an Azzedine Alaïa dress and a Peter Sorenon corset. Check out the new 'do, as well.



Take a lesson here, ladies and gentlemen. If you're going to load on the jewelry, keep the ensemble ultra-simple.

I lied.

Apparently, I'm not finished buying new shoes for the spring and summer season. Because I just bought these Anne Kleins on Ebay:



I don't know why I bought them. I hate pink. Okay, I do know why. I have a hot pink linen dress and jacket (I don't know why I bought them, either, because, you know, I hate pink), but I don't have any shoes to match. I also have my eye on this short, sexy black/pink dress at Peebles...

More Free Books!

More free books!

Jo Jo Loves to Read on eBlog is giving away a slew of books for Asian Heritage month.
http://jo-jolovestoread.blogspot.com/2009/05/giveaway-amazing-asian-heritage-month.html

A copy of "Best Intentions", by Emily Listfield, is being given away at Teddy Rose's eBlog.
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/05/giveaway-best-intensions-by-emily.html#comment-form

Check them out!

Hurrah!

I just won one of two free copies of "Requiem for an Assassin", by Barry Eisler, over at Book Love Affair on eBlog. The entrants had to write an haiku about a spy or an assassin. I won for Best Haiku:

She calls me to serve
In the national interest.
My eyes are her eyes.

Book Giveaway

Circle of Books is giving away a copy of Anita Shreve's "Testimony":

http://acircleofbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/testimony-anita-shreve-hachette.html

Giveaway ends May 7.

Steeplechase Ensemble...Again

I have rethought my Steeplechase ensemble a third time. This weekend, I found a cotton sundress that I bought for a song at Janice Ann's last year in my guestroom closet. I had completely forgotten about it. I've only worn it once, because it is so extravagantly decollete` that it isn't really appropriate for either work or church. However, it will be perfect for sitting out in the sun at the race track.

The dress is a dark red/dark pink/black/tan batik-like print, and I have a huge black sinamay sunhat that I can wear with it. My new dark red sandals ought to work, as well.

I'm experimenting.

What do you think of my new spring color scheme?

I tidied up my point of view...

I got a new pairs of shoes! (With apologies to Patti Labelle.)



You can never go wrong with navy.

With this pair and the red pair I bought, I have completed all the shoe shopping that I will need for this season. I already have half a dozen pairs of black sandals, as well as another pair of navy sandals, two pairs of white sandals, and pink, gold, cream, orange, pale blue, and brown sandals.

I am sandal rich.

Just to clarify, for everyone who misunderstood...

Gaston Hall at Georgetown is not a church. It is an auditorium, in which there are several religious symbols incorporated into the architecture, because Georgetown is, after all, a Catholic university. Granted, there are several chapels at Georgetown--the Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart, Copley Crypt Chapel of the North American Martyrs, St. William Chapel, St. Thomas More Law Center Chapel, the Medical Center Chapel, St. Ignatius Medical School Chapel, and the Dahlgren Crypt Chapel--but the President didn't give a speech in any of them.

Administrative Assistants Day

In my workplace, the professional staff waits tables and serves the associate staff lunch for Administrative Assistants Day. I was responsible for decorations, and I also acted as hostess.

Here are my tables:




Here I am, in all my hostess glory:


Each of the attendees took home one of the Gerber daisies that I used for centerpieces.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I am always amazed at how much people love peanut butter cookies. They seem to me to be the most plebeian of cookies and somewhat overshadowed by all of the exotic chocolate variations, which include chips, chunks, nuts, dried fruits, etc. But the peanut butter cookie still holds its own.

I made a double batch of peanut butter cookies for a church event last night. It's the classic recipe from the red and white Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, which, along with the Mary Starr cookbook, are the two cookbooks that my mother bought for me when I set up housekeeping. And it's a pretty damn good cookie, if I do say so myself. I was so pleased with how the batch for church turned out that I made a third batch to bring to work this morning.

I love new shoes.

New shoes make me happy.



I bought these Donald Pliners on Ebay yesterday, because I need a pair of low-heeled red shoes to wear to Steeplechase. I've decided to go with red as my Steeplechase ensemble color, and the only other red shoes I own are 4-inch ankle-straps. Trust me when I say those simply won't work on the hillside next the track where we set up.

Lent is over...

...so, naturally, I went over to Ebay to look around. Bad move. Very bad move. I ended up buying this:



And bidding on this:



Fortunately, vintage thermoset doesn't usually cost very much.

Easter Monday

This was my color for Easter this year:



My eyes look like that, because it's spring. :-\

And here are pics of the flowers at church, which I thought were particularly lovely this year:

In the entryway:


On the columbarium:


Behind the chancel rail and with the Pascal Candle:


On the reredos: