RAINY DAY RAMBLINGS

Happy Birthday to me!! It was yesterday and I had a great day. We really haven't celebrated much yet because my son Jeff is out of town, but when he gets back we will go out to dinner. And then The Husband and I are planning my birthday trip and I have chosen New Orleans. We like to do that for milestone birthdays and this was a heck of a milestone. I am thinking that we will go in April or May and I have my own strange little reason for putting it off. The weather here in Chicago is miserable right now. I think I have seen the sun about 5 times since November. Before the snow on the ground melts, we get more snow. So you would think that I'd want to go away now. Nope. I would abhor coming back. That is my reason. I think of getting away in the spring as my reward for putting up with this weather. So off we go to the Big Easy and I have plans to pop in and visit my friend Christine from Christine's Home And Travel Adventures. After we met here in Chicago, we vowed we would get together again and she is not that far from New Orleans. I am so excited!


Abby made me this cake last night. We don't normally have cake at home because we order dessert when we go out for dinner, so I completely forgot about a cake and candles when we decided to skip the dinner. Well, I think she was appalled. She drove to the grocery store and got the ingredients and candles and made the cake. Isn't it cute? And so is she. And because I refuse to cook dinner on my birthday, we ordered sushi. It was a great day. :-)
I was finally able to finish the book that I have been reading for years it seems. I have lamented about my lack of time (and overdoing the blogging) for reading and it kills me that it took so long to read a book that should not have taken more than a week. And you might be able to tell by the condition of the book that it has been everywhere; in my purse, in my duffel bag, in my bed, on the floor... It is an excellent book. In a nutshell, it's about a young mother who is widowed suddenly. Her mourning is disrupted by a cast of characters right out of a Woody Allen movie. This is a book that can make you laugh one minute and cry the next. There are the craziest relatives, a few larger than life friends, a hunk (of course) and a priest that is ready to give it all up for her. "...Juliette Fay writes with vivid dialogue and conjures up characters that feel real enough to be sitting in your kitchen." And that is the truth! I love books like this. What is that called? Character development? Anyway, it's a great read and you should look for it at your book store or on Amazon. I am now set to either start a new book or finish the other two I am reading. I think I will move on the Julie And Julia and keep the juggling act going.
I was doing really well on my diet until the birthday cake came along. I had a sliver last night. Then a sliver this morning. I figure that totals one whole piece which is not bad. But last night the Husband brought home Carmel corn. And not just any Carmel corn...Garrett Carmel corn. The best Carmel corn in the world. If you pass the shop in downtown Chicago, you will see a line all the way down the block. I have personally seen this line on the most frigid of days. People are either waiting because it is the best Carmel corn ever, or they have never had it and know it is a Chicago tradition. But I digress. He brought this home and I was such a good girl, didn't go near it. Because you know that if you have one piece you have to have the whole bag. Today I was alone, thinking how good I had been about the luscious chocolate birthday cake when I spotted the bag. Feeling virtuous, I thought, I deserve a small handful. And I proceeded to finish the bag right off. And then I made the mistake that every dieter has made. "Well...since I already screwed up..." and before I knew it I was cutting a humongous piece of cake. I even hit the fortune cookies that came with the sushi. So if you have little restraint or need a jump start on a sweet binge, you can have your own bag of Carmel corn by going to www.Garrett Popcorn.com. You may or may not regret it.


So that's it for my ramblings today. I hope you are having a great day. Thanks for stopping by!