Last night's mini birthday celebration was fab. Ptichka's new job involves working later and she tutors on Tuesday, so I made roasted vegetables with haloumi, a hard Cypriot cheese that doesn't melt, (The package says, "Haloumi - The Cheese that Fries!") and baguette. Ptichka bought some sparkling wine, which is still sitting in the fridge, some nice red wine, which is currently in the wine rack because I'd already opened another bottle, a tub of vanilla ice cream, some two-bite brownies, and hot fudge sauce. Yum! We ate dinner, mocked the families on The Amazing Race, found it terribly cute when the Paolo-family patriarch hugged Walt, the Bransen family patriarch, and Phil, the host, and celebrated when the Schroeder family was eliminated. We're also happy that the families are finally leaving the US. I'm American and all this flag-waving crap was getting to me.

I talked to my parents, who called while on vacation. They're currently in Montana, looking at nature. They're having fun. My mom asked about Ptichka's new job and when I said she loved it, my mom replied, "Well, she likes her job and you like teaching this year. The two malcontents are finally happy." I thought that it was funny but now I'm a bit worried. Am I always that grumbly?

My parents bought me a subscription for Cloth Paper Scissors. The current issue should be arriving shortly. This makes me happy because while my American friends have already devoured the magazine and one of them has alreade made a project from it, it still hasn't arrived on Canadian newstands. Ptichka bought me a lime green wallet. I currently have a black one that I bought for a loonie at MEC. My computer bag is also black so I lose it all the time in there. Not any more! Inside the wallet was a coupon for a modbird! You can see one here and there's a whole gallery of them here. The artist's blog is here. I have wanted one of these for so long. Now I only need to pick out the fabric. Whee!

Anywho, the computer just told me that it's nine. I had hoped to leave the house by nine but I'm not even showered yet, so I'd better get going.