I head back to D.C. tomorrow afternoon. After all, we cannot spend all our time on vacation. Otherwise the work would never get done. And my cat would get lonely. And Rudi would miss me. So, I suppose it’s a good thing to get on the plane tomorrow. But I will miss my folks and Karen (and also getting to eat cake multiple times a day).

I thought I’d share some more cake with you.

This is the homemade blitz torte. It was so good that we’re down to a single slice remaining.

You know it’s a good birthday when you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, even if you were intending to write a blog recap from bed.

Rudi & I began the day with bagels and birthday presents before he took me to the airport for a flight to Connecticut.

My parents gave me midday cake (above) and we spent a low key afternoon reading and dozing (me) before heading out for pizza. We returned home for more delicious cake (Mum made my favorite cake of Gramma’s) and a dizzying array of gifts in front of the fire.

I got texts or calls from everyone I know, starting before I got up to moments before midnight, which made me feel very loved.

If your birthday sets the tone for the upcoming year, mine promises to be a good one.

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time once again to reflect back on three beautiful things from my past week:

1. A return of cold weather means that my birthday eve sundae doesn’t melt as I eat it on my walk home.

2. Rudi and I won’t get to spend much of my birthday together, so we went out to supper to celebrate at our favorite D.C. pizzeria two days early instead. We’ll do Valentine’s Day next week.

3. In Connecticut, where I grew up, “April showers bring May flowers.” But here in D.C., apparently February showers bring February flowers.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Last weekend involved endings, so hopefully the upcoming week will center around beginnings.

Here’s what I’m hoping that looks like:

The yarns (and pom pom) are for a colorwork hat that I’ve been planning to knit for a couple years now.

And the book, an Austenite British novel, rather than one set in a New Jersey bookshop, as I originally thought when I grabbed the title at a recent library book sale, seems fitting for a week set around love (particularly since on Sanditon, the two main characters finally realize they each like the other).

Head over to As Kat Knits to see what everyone else is working on.

I thought I’d share a sense (or five) of what’s going on in the Burrow tonight:

Seeing: A lot of mess, but much of it good mess like piles of books to read and dvds to watch. The warm light of the floor lamp combined with the fairy lights around the perimeter of the room.

Smelling: The barest hint of the broccoli dish Rudi stir-fried for supper tonight. Possibly also some of the citrus I bought last week.

Tasting: Toothpaste. (I’m heading to bed after posting this.)

Hearing: The hum of the refrigerator. An occasional car driving by. (There was just the acceleration of an SUV or truck trying to make the light.) Corey padding around in the kitchen.

Touching: The warmth and softness of my polar fleece lounge pants. The too comfortable sag of my couch cushion.

And a bonus:

Feeling: Excited about trips to Connecticut, Phoenix, and Fort Lauderdale this month and my birthday at the end of the week. Stressed about a couple of work projects. Achy in my knees from three days in a row of sports (I’m counting bowling), including tonight’s very vigorous volleyball game. Sleepy and ready for bed.

Good night!