After a long day

Yesterday was my birthday. With the party to celebrate the fact that my birthday was on a Saturday and that I didn't have to work.

Knitting group came over, we went to Miss Chickpea's and bought yarn, came back and exchanged gifts and ate cake.

Nine cakes. Just a few more people. Yum. I still haven't sampled everything. To be honest, there is a cake that has not yet been cut.

Here's what the table looked like when we started. (To be honest, we had some of the peanut-buttery-goodness-frozen-dessert-cake before the trip to Miss Chickpea's.)


We have, clockwise from lower right:

1. Plain cheesecake
2. Chocolate cheesecake
3. Peanut-buttery-frozen-goodness
4. Mocha layered cheesecake (complete with chocolate covered espresso beans)
5. Raspberry layer cake with raspberry frosting (pink)
6. Cassata cake (white)
7. Ugly Bundt cake - white with chocolate filling and glaze (ugly because the top stuck in the pan when removed)
   
8. Three-layer chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting
9. Four-layer yellow cake with chocolate sour cream frosting

We ordered pizza for dinner, and the boys ran to get it. (A change, as I am usually the carryout driver.) Patti brought salad with some tasty dressing she made, and we chowed.

Cakes went over mostly well, I think. Megan really liked the cassata cake's frosting, Jessica really liked the raspberry cake, Melita liked the cheesecake(s), and Nick really liked the peanut-buttery-goodness. Not sure what Patti took home, but she filled her tupperware. I still haven't sampled them all. Hope no one was freaked out my my very strong french press coffee.

Oh well. Zuzu was very well-behaved, although I think she did swat at a few people who were trying to pet her. It takes her a while to adjust to people. At some point during the evening she did sit on my lap, which was nice. She is now snuggling on her alpaca blanket.



Oh, I finished Chris's clogs. They were desperately crying out for red hearts on the toe, and now they have them.



Yes, I am rediscovering the joy of posting pictures. Hope you appreciate it.

About 60% done with my sister's blanket. Here, you can see how beautiful Zuzu looks on it.



Because she needs the love.

Oh, and the gifts! Patti brought some tupperware in a cute bag (I told her to bring her own tupperware if she wanted to take leftovers home since I was running low). I get to regift the bag back to her, as she realized that it said "Baby" on the handle. Megan brought some chocolate and some very cute coasters that she'd made from a thrift shop sweater (great idea!), and Jen had somehow found the time in her crazy schedule to make a needle organizer! I am thrilled - the needle shoebox can be retired. :-) I will have to post pictures of that once I get everything organized. Carl brought me a six-pack of mead, too. Mine, not Mike's. Although he will probably drink most of it, as I can only drink mead in small, small doses.

The gift exchange was fun - much yarn and needles were exchanged, as well as a project bag and even cash.

Anyway, I should have more cake, and get back to the knitting. Enjoy some cheesecake!