Eating Out x 6 + Post Cards x 54 = a Very Happy Birthday Girl

 So this was my week ... it all started with a walk with LaVern on Monday ... during our walked we noticed lots of fun ice that had formed as the farmers used sprinklers to water overnight, and it had frozen.

 I headed home, stopping at Walmart for flowers to plant and paint to paint the mail box Dad had poured the the cement pad for the previous Saturday.

After planting some planters I headed back to LaVerns for a Mother's Day Luncheon.  She had invited a lot of neighbors from the Park ward, where she and I met.  

 We all had a nice lunch, then showed items we had brought that reminded us of our mothers.

 That night Dad and I picked up Kim and Ian, then Eszie and went to dinner at the Costa Vida where Eszie just got a job.  Eszie is loving meeting family members, and since it was her birthday the beginning of the month, and Ian's was the next day, they both got birthdays cards with money from Grandma and Grandpa.  Ian is going to get a video game with his, and Eszie is saving up money to get her driver's license.

On Tuesday I headed to Salt Lake to meet Arlene for our monthly temple session.  Then we had a nice long chatty lunch at Zupa's, her favorite restaurant.  Of course I spent several hours junking before heading home.  Dad, had his regular Tuesday Temple shift.

 On Wednesday I worked, as usual, and was pleased when Trevor and Nell stopped by and brought me flowers for my birthday.  Dad had headed to Logan for the rest of the week, that morning, so I had a quiet evening of reading at home.

 On Thursday at work I pulled out a week's worth of junking finds and got them all priced and ready to put out at the mall.  The rusty wire wheel was found while walking with LaVern in Genola.  There's a family there that has an incineration pit right by the road.  A couple of years ago I hauled out some rusty crib springs. LOL

Also that day, I had been invited to a luncheon with some friends from my book club and service group, We Can ... when I got to Patti's cute condo, just a few minutes from work, I found out it was a birthday party for me.  How sweet are these girls!!

 Carolyn had made a sugar free trifle for my 'cake', isn't she a dear girl?

 I did have to eat fast since I just have a half hour for lunch ... though Nikki told me to take my time, and I was gone a total of 45 minutes.  Then Nikki, who is a Jehovah's Witness, gave me a gift.  I told her my birthday was the day before ... and she laughed.  She said if it had been my birthday that day she would have taken the gift back and save it for a month to give it to me on a random day.  She is such a good friend, and I have learned so much about her religion.

 I went grocery shopping on the way home, then made dinner for Cheryl before heading upstairs with my dinner, and my comfy chair and more reading time.

On Friday I was up early and got some junking in around Payson and even drove down to Santaquin, which was a false alarm ... one of those people who have their yards and sheds set up to sell antiques, and are priced like an antique store, but who insist on listing themselves as garage sales .... grrr .

Then it was time to head to lunch with the kids for my birthday celebration.  I had made arrangements to deliver the Union Jack table I had done for flea.o.logy but had sold on the Reclaimologist site on Wednesday.  This gal is picking it up for her sister who is an Anglophile like me. And yes, Becca, this is the table I had time to do because I took the day off to help you paint murals. :-)

 Next it was time for lunch at Cafe Rio in American Fork.  It was fun to see the kids, and it was nice that we could eat outside ... not gonna lie, I am sick of winter and a sloppy cold spring!

 Then, as always, I was off to do a spot of junking before heading home for some down time ... oh and painting the mail box black, as well as the porch chairs, since we are going to be doing all the house trim in black, including the front door.  Its going to be an awesome back drop for seasonal wreaths, don't you think?

I pulled myself away from by chair nap/ reading session in time to make Cheryl some dinner before heading up to the park where Alexis, Nell's sister, was performing in a short play festival.  Not sure you can tell, but this actor is reading himself a little Pride and Prejudice.  Since the play was called 'Becoming Darcy' It all made sense.

 Here, the 'girl' played by Alexis, overhears something she should not!!  It was a super fun play, and being Austenish, how could I not love it!! Actually all the acting was quite good, fun and dramatic.  The plays shorts were well written and fun too!

 The guy in the middle is the faux Darcy, if you didn't guess.

 I stayed for another couple of short plays before heading home, to await my own 'Mr. Darcy', who had finished up his week in Logan, and came straight back to do a temple shift as a trade for one he is giving up for our antique trip to Texas!  I didn't actually see him until almost midnight.

 Saturday morning, my Mr. Darcy, AKA Dad, got the mail box installed.  We have owned it for a mere 10 years ... its just that all the digging and form building and cement laying, and bolt insertion designing in the cement pad was all just so daunting ... but alas, My Hero saved the day!! or should I say decade!

 Meanwhile I was off to Salt Lake to partake of bon bons ... well, of course I didn't actually partake of them ... but there was a lovely luncheon of BBQ chicken, fruit and salad ... and lots of sister-in-laws, nieces and grand nieces to be be enjoyed at Jack's fiance' wedding shower, held at Jill's house.

 Here we see Kim, Nina and Dianne.

... and Jack with Jane Middleton, and yes, she actually is Kate Middleton's sister, I guess that's why she's marrying into this royal family!!  

To the left are Natalie, Darby and Mary.

... and Mary again, this time with her Mom, JoLyn, and sisters Brook and Jill, with Brooke holding Jill's baby Addison.

Darby, Mary and Kristin ... it was all of lot of fun, and getting together with my family is becoming so rare, its definitely something to savor!

After the shower I ran by a local antique and gift shop who was hosting a Downton Abbey Tea Party ...

More Union Jacks, and the queen herself sans her Granddaughter-in-law ...

 Meanwhile, Dad had taken his Dad to see a Barbershop show.  He said that he was pretty quiet, but at least he looks pretty happy is this double grandpa selfie!!

After we both got home, we regrouped, changed clothes, got Cheryl's dinner, and headed north again ... this time to Highland where we were meeting the Heuers and Moes to attend their Stake Conference Adult session, before going to dinner at Zupa's Cafe.  We got talking about how bad movies have been lately, and how our favorite genre, romantic comedy, has largely gone to 'R' ratings, leaving us all out in the cold.

Barb mentioned they had just watched a fun one, and since they were house sitting Donelle's house, they invited us, at 10:00 P.M. to come and watch it in Donelle's theater room.  We did like the movie, Alex and Emma, and I thought it was funny at one point when Kate Hudson, who plays Emma, reminded me very strongly of Goldie Hawn, who I used to love as an actress.  When I mentioned, it Barb laughed, and said. "You do know that Goldie Hawn is Kate Hudson's mother, right?"  Silly Me.  Well, Dad and I felt kind of young and wreckless staying up so late! :-)  We got home by 12:30, so that wasn't so bad.

 After church on Sunday, Dad and I headed straight to Spanish to visit Grandpa again.  We took turns showing him pictures on our phones, which seemed to interest him.  He was much happier and much more animated that he had been at the Barbershop Show the day before, so that made for a nice visit. When we left he even said "Good bye," and "Come Again". :-)

After having a nice dinner with Cheryl, I headed upstairs and took some pictures of the post card birthday event I'd been experiencing all week ... to the left is the cute box that Nell made to hold the collected birthday post cards ... did you notice the polka dots?  ... what fun it was all week to go to the mail box and sort the mail looking for post cards ... the most came on my birthday with me receiving 17.  That was kind of fun, since that's my favorite numbers.  Other days I got 14 and 12 and 3 and 4 ... in all there are almost 60 at this writing, which is perfect for my 60th birthday, don't you think?

So that was my fun birthday week, with three luncheons and three dinners at restaurants.  The post cards coming every day added to all the fun!!  I would like to thank my wonderful friends and family for making this such a magical week!  I love you ALL!!