Shiver Me Timbers! Sheila Turns 40!

Pirate Cake! Beautiful bouquet from Cindy, Sostena & the kids.

Josephine stuck her finger in immediately. My little sweet tooth.

Rudy is very into silly faces right now. 

 

 

 

What a great birthday! This was Sunday afternoon, after I had come back from several hours of writing and shopping for birthday treats, including a GORGEOUS leather bag to replace the canvas one with the broken zipper for my school stuff--thank you, Oma & Opa! It should be said that Rudy picked out the pirate cake and the grown ups also had a carrot cake after the wee pirates were in bed. :)

But the celebration really began on the previous Thursday, when Paul took me to a lovely dinner at Alto Italian in Lemont, where we shared an antipasto plate with all my favorite nibbles, and then a decadent wild boar stew (for me) and maybe the best pasta bolognese I've ever tasted (for him.) Mocha panna cotta for desert, plus two of my four gifts (one for each decade! Isn't that sweet?): an Ipod to accompany me on my daily walks and tickets to see Anthony Bourdain, one of my favorite food/travel writers, in Hershey, PA next month! 

Saturday night was for the girls, and we met at a local place for drinks and dessert. It was a perfect fall evening, and we were lucky enough to grab the deck out back, with its two fire pits, so it was cozy and perfect for talking. We drank delicious red wine and shared carrot cake and chocolate walnut torte. I have such wonderful friends. 

There were care packages from my far away dear ones with all sort of trinkets and baubles and delightful comestibles. Notably, these completely darling cupcakes packed in Mason jars from the Bangerang Bake Shop courtesy of my lovely sister and niece!

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Paul also gave me a beautiful necklace made by one of my favorite designers, and a bottle of my favorite olive oil. In short, I wast totally and completely spoiled by my family and friends!

Hello, 40. Welcome!