My Birthday.....Day

Yeppers, today I turned the big five one. Doesn't seem so bad spelled out! It was a quiet and uneventful day. My son remembered, and bought me the very practical gift of a new lampshade for the moose lamp on my bedside table. My room is done in pale greens and pinks and I do gravitate toward the shabby style. A few years ago I spotted this moose lamp in a store and just had to have it. I subscribe to the theory that if you like it, it will "go." Anyway, the original shade had begun to fall apart and I like the new shade much better. It's a burgundy color and casts a very soothing light. The moose lamp is yet another thing which needs to be photographed and posted.

I was incredibly thankful that I felt better today than I did yesterday. By tomorrow I will be 100% caught up with my orders, and will be able to read email without cringing. Lately I am guilty of email avoidance. I receive a lot of emails. A lot. Seriously.

My hubby spent many hours working on the embroidery sewing machine and the laptop, getting them to communicate. Something about Windows 7 not recognizing this or that, and having to download an update, etc. I understand the basic concept of it but anything further makes my eyes roll back in my head. He is very "techie" and enjoys it. He's also a whiz with sewing machines. I can sew a little. So we decided he will do the technical stuff, the hands on sewing and changing thread, and I will do the design and layout and sales of the finished products.

We are blessed to have a neighbor/friend who owns two embroidery machines, one of them being mega expensive and the kind of thing you look at from a distance. She has been so kind and helped us both with her experience. I help her with online sales of doll clothes she makes, as the whole internet marketplace is new to her.

I was talking with a friend today about how we could pool our resources for the benefit of both our households. Everything from going halves on a side of beef to cooking double batches of our favorite recipes and sharing. Her parents have a farm and in the Fall they are drowning in pears and apples. I have always wanted to learn to preserve fruits and she has the knowledge.

Stepping back in time a bit is one of the things the Lord has laid on my heart. And it's a very calming thing.