We are now midway through my official Birthday Week, and it's been good so far. In the interest of not contributing to global warming (due to the heat that would be generated by a horribly large amount of birthday candles), I blew out only a single candle on my birthday pumpkin pie. I received a few presents (I've heard a rumor there may be some more!). My favorite is the CD soundtrack for the documentary "Hurricane On the Bayou". I can't stop listening to it. It's a fantastic collection of Cajun, zydeco and New Orleans R&B. I know several of you who read this blog love music the way I do and if you're looking for something different, you won't be disappointed. I dare you to listen to it and not start dancing! The proceeds go directly to the Audubon Nature Institute's Louisiana Wetlands project. You can only get it here.


To celebrate, I took off a couple of days from work, all the better to get lots of knitting done, of course. Yesterday we went to the Nelson Atkins Museum to see an exhibit on contemporary old West photography and to wander around in the phenomenal Bloch Building. The building itself is literally a work of art, composed of a unique glass that functions as a lens for the light entering the galleries.

My favorite gallery - the Japanese sculpture court

My favorite sculptures - these are paired fountains - it's impossible to capture their magic with just a picture because they are a multisensory experience

The water is "trained" to flow perfectly over the sides - every night the fountains are draped with cheesecloth. When it's removed the following morning, the water flows in the pattern that the artist created. You can sense the life-force of the water in this room. It's truly amazing.

(This picture came from the 'net)

After working up a huge appetite wandering around the museum and grounds, we went to dinner at a brand-new Cajun resturant, Boudreaux's. The food is authentic southwest Louisiana, but different than what I grew up on in the city. It was tres bonne and we will certainly go back.

I managed to get quite a bit done with the pointy sticks. I finished a prototype pair of wrist warmers for the retirement home project I am working on.


I am writing the pattern for these in 4 different sizes for the members of my church's knitting group and will be posting it here as soon as I have finished. Even though the yarn was an acrylic, (Bernat Camoflage) I liked knitting with it since it was soft and not squeaky at all. The colors are a bit loud, but someone gave me the yarn, so I won't complain.

I also finished this dishcloth, using one of my most favorite patterns, the Yarn Harlot's One-Row. I like it so much, I am keeping it for myself. I also managed to make my list of Christmas knitting (no way it will get even close to done) and cast on for the first of the bunch. I also started on a crocheted chemo cap that my sister asked me to make for a little girl she has taught, who has a nasty form of cancer. And I started, and am almost finished with the second prototype pair of wrist warmers. I also squeezed in some time to buy the yarn for the holiday knitting/ it's pretty intimidating when I look at it all together.

The Christmas stash

Finally, Mr. C and I did a home visit for one of our former foster pups, Bonnie, who is still looking for her forever home. A great couple here in town are interested in adopting her. It would be an awesome match if this couple ends up adopting her. They are very interested and are willing to drive 3 hours to her foster home to go meet her next week and hopefully bring her home. And if this happens, she'll live only a few miles away!

The sweet and beautiful Bonnie

Speaking of former foster babies, we got an update on Bonnie's sister, Annie a couple of weeks ago, and on Griff. Both are loved to death and spoiled rotten!

The sweet and beautiful Annie

The gorgeous Griff - still my favorite boy

Annie has a 1/2 acre fenced yard full of squirrels and bunnies. She likes to pick up sticks and carry them around with her. Her best canine friend is the German shepherd who lives next door. She is a popular guest at the neighborhood block parties and travels extensively with her family. Griff was immediately accepted by his big doggie brothers, has his own chair and ottoman to sleep on and loves to go boating with his dads. It warms my heart more than you can imagine to see how happy our precious puppies are and how happy they make their families. Dogs are absolutely one of God's best inventions! (Cats, too, just in a different way).