It makes so much sense...

A Pretty Good Day

My work computer was in the shop yesterday and I was feeling twitchy without it, so I took the afternoon off. Traci and Audrey picked me up and work and we went to Luna Pizza for lunch. Then we did a little bit of shopping (I got a crazy bargain on a fabulous pair of sandals at Marshall's...). Then we went strawberry picking.

Those of you in the know will ask why I went berry picking for the second time in 5 days. Because the first batch was all gone. Between the margaritas and the shortcake and eating berries 3 meals a day, I had none left. Strawberry season is short and we decided to take full advantage of it. Traci and I picked (and one of us sat smack on a berry....) while Audrey ate her fill and entertained us with her crazy chatter.

After the berries we stopped at Webs so I could pick up this:
It's sparkly yarn (that's real stirling silver!) dyed by Gale the Kangaroo Dyer. I love love love the color and I can't wait to play with it. Lily likes it too.
We traded some strawberries for fresh eggs from Melissa's chickens. I love having access to super fresh eggs every week. And Melissa had this:
It's St Hallett Barossa Gamekeeper's Reserve. They serve this at the Side Street Cafe in generous portions. Traci and I first had it there during the holidays and every once in a while we stop in for a glass as a special treat. I've been keeping my eye out for it in stores with no luck. Finally Melissa asked her friend who owns Ryan and Casey's in Greenfield if she could get some. She could and we ordered a case to share.

This may be the most perfect red wine in the world. And it's affordable. Bottle number one went fast last night (and made us happy). We're going to need to order more pronto.

After Webs we stopped in at the Miss Florence Diner for Audrey's first milkshake and lessons on how to use the jukebox. This one has "Movin' Right Along" by the Muppets AND "Dancing Queen" in it.
(this one's for you dad) Two of the other patrons in Miss Flo's had arrived Vespa style.
All in all it was a pretty perfect Thursday afternoon. Friends, strawberries, shopping, yarn, wine and milkshakes. What more can a girl ask for?

Mikey and Julie sittin' in a tree....

This picture is almost 2 years old, but it's the most recent photo I have of my brother and his fiancee. Aren't they cute? I can't believe my geeky little brother finally popped the question. He asked in classic Mikey style - totally unplanned, camping in a canyon, looking up at the stars. Then he called my dad and said he had the best Father's Day Gift ever for him - a Daughter-in-Law.

Dad has always said that if they split up we're keeping Julie. She's adorable and sweet and gentle and fun and smart (despite agreeing to marry my brother). I can't imagine anyone I'd rather have join our family.

While my brother was busy being all adult and romantic - I was not.

Seen on my way to work

I drove past this field on my way home at dusk last night. The light was terrific then, but I didn't have my camera with me, so I stopped this morning.

I have always loved how these round hay bales land all higgledy piggledy in the fields.

Sam

My dear friend Hilary has lost her nephew Sam.

I've been struggling all week trying to find the right words to say and there just aren't any. He was 13 and it is awful.

I met Sam on my first trip to England in 1996 when he was just a baby. My heart is broken for his mom, his siblings and his grandparents. I keep thinking about Hilary who would give anything she had for her nieces and nephews.

Today the news made international headlines when information was released that he was being bullied on the social networking site Bebo. So now the family's tragedy is going to be paraded around as an example.

Kids are kids and they tease each other horribly. But things are worse somehow when they are in writing. The nicest person you know can send you an email that comes off as harsh and nasty - it has happened to all of us. Maybe the taunts a kid can put up with in the school hallways are unbearable when they are in writing on a screen in their bedroom. I don't know.

Games are fun

A real blog catch-up entry is coming soon, but in the meantime I had to play this Flickr game:


the rules:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker).

the questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

specific photo details here.

Victory

Drinks all around.

More here.