(12/30): Necklace and a birthday wish

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Today is my friend Marianne's birthday.  I thought that rather than posting a picture of her (and let's face it, we don't generally love the photos taken of us and that's perfectly fair.  What doesn't seem fair is to post one on your birthday without first getting approval.  Although the threat of posting photos can be a handy tool, right Megan?) I'd post one of the beautiful pieces of jewelry she makes.  I am really digging this macro thing, and if it weren't so early I'd have better lighting for taking this picture.  The beads are a dark, dark teal, and the pendant (a Christmas gift from my dad) is gray shot with black...Picasso something, I can't remember.    I love it, (although *cough, cough* none of my current earrings are a perfect fit, if you take my meaning), and I'm always so proud to wear something she's made. 

I have a lot of her stuff (I was actually accused of being a "jewelry hog" just last week), and every time I go to put on a pair of earrings or a necklace, I think of her.  We don't see each other a lot (but hey, summer vacation is just around the corner with the beach beckoning), and wearing her jewelry is a nice way to have hear near me.

She has, as you can imagine, a great eye for fashion and color, and is one of the most glamorous women I know.  And that's glamorous in a good way.  A way that makes me want to be more like her.  She's funny and generous and confident and creative.  When we were first getting to know each other, we found so many similarities (remember Perpetual Motion and Brian Andreas?!) that we started to wonder if we were separated at birth.  She's an appreciative friend, a phenomenal cook, and brews up the best Bloody Marys.  What more could you ask for in a friend?

Have an amazing day today my dear.  It sounds like it's going to be a lot like the wonderful birthday you helped to give me, and I can't think of anything better for you.  I hope that you enjoy it to the hilt, and I have no doubt that you will!

xoxo, me

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catch-up

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Thursday: (08/30).  How to survive a golf tournament.

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Friday: (09/30): Girls weekend.  Snacks and drinks.

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Saturday: (10/30): Breakfast thanks to Kim.

Sunday = a day of rest.

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Monday: (11/30): Party favor.

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I have to take a brief break from all these photos and wax rhapsodic about my weekend.  My friend Lisa is so generous, in many ways really, but one spectacular way is in the use of her parents' beach house.  She offers it up twice yearly for girls' weekends, in the spring and the fall, and this past weekend was our weekend.  I don't always manage to make it, but man, this year, come hell or high water I wanted to be there.

I won't share the few photos I took because, well, you know...what happens at girls' weekend stays...yadda, yadda, yadda.  But let me just say there was amazing food (even for the vegetarian!), plenty of drinks, a contraband dip in a pool, what was that?  Oh, never mind.  Didn't happen.  There were beer fairies, movies, a gorgeous storm that I watched track along the coast from north to south and a perfect beach day.  I slept better than I have in months and even missed the sunrise (that almost never happens).  It was the setting, for sure, but more than that it was the company.  Thank you my dears, for rejuvenating me.

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