200th Post

Yessiree bob, this is my 200th post.  I can't believe I have so much to say.  Well, not really.  I wasn't planning this topic for the bicenntenial entry but I was scared out of my shoes today.  By my blog.  It disappeared.  Really.

Edvard Munch

Then after hyperventilating and much weeping and wailing it reappeared.  What???  All by itself.  Go here for a complete tutorial on backing up your blog and saving your template.

You'll be glad you did.

Happy New Year!

Here we are with another year coming to a close.  Time flies when you're having fun!  Some of us didn't have such fun times all year.  One of you lost your house to fire just before Christmas.  One of you had your husband undergo an emergency appendectomy just before Christmas.  Some of us lost loved ones this year, some of us lost our jobs, and some of us saw our husbands lose their jobs.  But do you know what?  None of these dear souls are disheartened or discouraged because they have faith.  Faith that they can handle whatever life throws at them, good times and bad.

Gentle Readers, I wish that faith for each of you during this new year that is almost here.  I love you all.  I have made so many new friends since I started blogging this year and I am so grateful for that.  Your comments have led to meeting some great people all over the world and that is truly amazing and wonderful to me.

See you next year!

The Postman Always Honks Twice!

Today I woke up to the electricity being out.  I was very glad to have our nice warm fireplace in the kitchen.  While I was lolling around in my pj's the postman lady tooted her horn in the yard. She brought me a parcel.

All the way from Australia!  I hear it's cold there this time of year.  My dear friend MMMC sent me a Christmas parcel.  I was so excited I couldn't wait for Christmas, I just ripped into her. The parcel I mean.

What is lurking beneath all the packing?

Pretty packages tied up with ribbon.

Look at this beautiful card.  Can you see the words there in a foreign language?  I wonder if that's Australian.  The artist captured my likeness remarkably well.

First I opened up a box to find a lovely Delft Christmas ornament.  It makes me think of Horsey and Sassy.  You'll have to read MMMC's blog to find out who Horsey is.

She's off visiting her Delft neigh-bours.

Brisbane Breakfast tea.  I'm going to have it for supper though.

Along with these yummy looking biscuits cookies.  Those Australians and their funny language!

See, it says right on the package that I don't have to share.  But I will. Maybe. Just one.  Moving on....

A beautiful silk screened by hand hankie from another Australian blogger. I don't want to take it out of the package.

Then I came upon this guy.  I have no clue who he is but when I turned him over I found this:

A Mid Century Modern dollhouse!!!  I'm on a mission to find one for MMMC

Two large, luscious Australian decorating magazines.  I'm going to try and hold off reading them until Christmas afternoon.  Hubby's going through them saying "Oh look at this!" knowing I'm trying not to peek. He's getting a lump of coal, that's all there is to it.

Last but not least, this wonderful handy dandy fold up shopping bag.  I'm storing my tea, cookies and magazines in it away from you know who.
I can't remember how MMMC and I became good friends. I think I found her on someone's blog list.  I kept stalking leaving her comments until she caved in and started corresponding with me.  She's a wife, a mother to four young children, and a law student.  How you can do all that and still find time to write such an entertaining and educational blog is beyond me.  If you like vintage Fisher Price and Scandinavian design plus the antics of four lovable children, this is the place to be.
Thank you so much MMMC for your lovely gifts.  Your friendship means so much to me. You say it here far better than I can.

Do I Know You?

Some of the bloggers I read have mentioned how embarrassed they are when someone they actually know reads their blog. Count me in!  It feels like my mother reading my diary as a teenager. It's not as if I was lying or being misleading in any way. I don't know why. It just feels weird.  I don't tell anyone in the real world I have a blog.  I did when I first started but as I kept on writing I didn't want anyone that I actually knew reading this silliness.

However, like all rules, there is an exception.  That would be my hubby's cousin.  We only meet up once a year, if that, and I would like to claim her and her sister as my own flesh and blood. Usually, the few times we do meet  it's because of a death in the family and that's no fun.
So, the most recent meeting was at the funeral for my hubby's sister-in-law. Cousin told me she loves reading my blog and gets a kick out of my many visits to Homesense.  She told me she was at a fea market this summer and saw a blue and white plate she wanted to buy.  Her husband asked her why she wanted it as she had no blue and white.  Cousin told him it was for me because she could tell from my blog that I loved blue and white dishes.  How lovely and thoughtful is that!  Here it is:

She noticed that I didn't have a square plate so she got this for me!  It is about eight inches square and very heavy.  I love it!

So cousin, you can read my blog anytime but just don't tell anyone else about it okay?! Unless they want to send gifts of course.

How does everyone else feel about people they know in real life reading their blog?