Sorry I took so long

I learned some time ago to throw my own birthday parties. This year was a visit to Jensen's Supper Club in Eagan. The supper club is a restaurant format that has never, ever gone out of style. And Jensen's does it well. The food is excellent, the service attentive and prompt, the atmosphere conducive to conversation. I can't say enough good things about it. (Hint: Their martinis and gimlets are very generous so plan to spend a fair amount of time sobering up before driving home.)

While gifts were not requested nor totally expected, they were welcome and not refused. This is one of two pairs of lovely sock yarn that Betty got for me. Ivy Kettle Hand-Dyed Essential (tm) (75% Superwash Merino Wool and 25% Nylon). Uber soft.


The next is the Bordeaux colorway of the same yarn.


Here are CJ and Sandy, friends I've known since the mid 1980s. That's Ben on the left.This lovely lady is my tai chi chuan teacher, Sifu Phyllis Calph. I've been with her for 16 wonderful years.


Here's my small cut prime rib with a bit of creamed spinach and some mashed potatoes. Very, very good. When I said rare, they did rare. Yum.


Betty is on the far left, then Stephanie and Ben.


No birthday dinner is complete without a very chocolate birthday cake and whipped cream on top.


Back row: CJ, David, Ben, Stephanie. Front row: Sandy, Betty, me, Sifu and her husband Ed.
It's good to have so many wonderful friends. Unfortunately, Nikki couldn't make it as she was out of town.


Typical of Minnesota, the next day was snowy. This was taken at 9 a.m.


David had left the camera on an odd setting, but I think this really speaks to the feeling of this sort of weather on April 2.

It took so long to get these up because my 4 GB card couldn't be read by my old card reader. Had to go get a new reader.

Catching Up

Every once in a while I "Google" the names of people I've known over the years to see if I can find them or to find out what they're up to. This week I found a lady I hadn't seen in over 10 years. It's good to know she's well and she sounds happy in her life. That makes me happy. Hopefully, she'll answer the e-mail I sent and we can reconnect.

I have enjoyed contacting and reconnecting with a number of people I've found through various means. I have a cousin in Georgia I haven't actually seen since the 1970s. My first husband found me by "Googling" me and now we correspond from time to time. As I get older, this just seems like the thing to do.

Now to my current life. I've made a lot of progress on my socks in the last week. My friend Betty says that turning the heel on a sock is an act of faith. I'd gotten quite comfortable doing it just one way and decided it was time to try something new. It's always scary and last night I was sure I was doing it wrong. It may not be exactly right, but it doesn't look too bad.


I had to take the sock off the needle with the other sock to work the back of the heel. When the other one is done, I'll put them back together on the same needle again. While it may be a bit putzy to work two at a time, it certainly gets them both done faster. It just seems more efficient. I might even have this pair done in time for Easter church!

Who are those people and why are they laughing?

The photo at the top of my blog is from 1909. From left to right, Lela Stinson, Ethel McConnell (my grandmother), Charles McConnell (my dad), Ernest Stinson, Emma Stinson (Ethel's aunt), Lowell McConnell (my grandfather). I have no idea why they are laughing. It is very nearly the only photo of my grandmother smiling.

This picture is more typical of how I remember her. It is 1913, she's sitting on a swing with my father who is about 4. See her smile? No? I don't either. I notice he isn't smiling, either.