Tuesday, August 18, 2020

A Week at Home: Another Year Older and Deeper in Debt

Well, not literally in debt. In fact, less than ever! I'm entering my new year knowing that I'll pay my house off next month. But the new water heater wasn't an inexpensive birthday present to me!

Didn't Rick set a cheery table? I loved this bright lily.


That said, all was fine and wonderful. We came back from the lake. Rick made a lovely dinner and we were delighted when these two showed up -- with flowers, no less.

We started with bread and oil. Then dinner. I have to say, Rick knows how to cook a steak and found the most tender one in town, I think! A lemon couscous and fresh sweet corn on the cob and it was to die for.

But this was a treat for both of us. These pix are a bit soft. It's hard to hit a moving target!

But look at that face. Oh, he's going to be big, adorable trouble!

As Rick shared, he is the spitting image of Cam's dad at the same age!

We were glad we had chalk. Molly said "regular" chalk works better for his little hands than sidewalk chalk.

 A few days later, my friend Kate came over and we celebrated both our birthdays -- safely and at a distance in my messy garage!

Our friend Sarah Holland, massage therapist and baker extraordinaire, baked the most wonderful cake for us and we each had beautiful bouquets of hydrangeas from her as well. So thoughtful! Kate's birthday was on March 1. We were going to celebrate later that month after I got back from Canada. Well, we all know what happened then! It felt so good to celebrate together -- a "normal" day.


Fall is closing in! Ah, well, till then I'll enjoy celebrating another year older....with hot water!


I am so grateful to be having another birthday.

 

And I look forward to a new year.

Especially with this guy!

57 comments:

Sandi said...

Happy Birthday! 🎈

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jeanie,

Happy belated Birthday! It is great to have family and friend time! The water heater was unexpected but necessary. Your flowers are beautiful, sounds like a great birthday dinner. The bread and steak are yummy! The cake and cupcake looks delicious too. Take care, enjoy your day!

Rustic Pumpkin said...

What a lovely, happy, cheerful and colourful blog, except the bit where you needed a new water heater, of course, but happy to have hot water, I'll wager. We don't know what we have, do we?

Deb in Wales

Linda Sue said...

Those babies look like Rick, except shorter. What a lovely birthday!

Valerie-Jael said...

Looks like you lovely people all had a fabulous time and feast celebrating your birthday. Could you send Rick over to do some cooking for me? I can't do steaks to save my life. The cakes and bread look wonderful. I'm sure you were happy to have your 'little people' there, too. Hugs, Valerie

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Happy belated birthday! The dinner sounds wonderful.

Parisbreakfasts said...

What a wonderful celebration!
Very joyous
Lovely family Jeanie

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Happy birthday! Oh, that cake looks soooo good! Your friend is the spitting image of someone I used to work with. It's uncanny! Paying off your house already!?!? Wow, not too many people can say that! -Jenn

Hena Tayeb said...

Happy Birthday dear Jeanie. May you have many more filled with family and friends.

DUTA said...

Happy Birthday! Many Happy Returns of the Day!
It all looks perfect: the table, the dinner, the gifts, the people (Rick and the guests).

I need orange said...

Happy Birthday, and congrats on paying off the house!!

:-) Persistence! :-)

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

Happy birthday! I want to come over for a piece of that cake and a slice of Rick's bread.

Divers and Sundry said...

Happy Birthday! Looks like you had quite the celebrations :)

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Wonderful, wonderful birthday celebration! A big happy birthday to you, my friend.

Susan Kane said...

He's a keeper. Knows how to grill steaks is a skill not every male has. And that cake is amazing.

Little guy needs as many kisses as you can give him!

Sandra Cox said...

What a purrfect bday.

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

I'm so glad you had such a happy birthday celebration, Jeanie! Flowers, food and loved ones. What could be better? Sorry about the water heater. I hate to think how old ours is! It's always something, but blessed still.

bobbie said...

Happy Birthday, dear Lady!!!

anno said...

Looks like you celebrated your day with a lovely series of celebrations -- so glad you got to share the day(s) with all the special people in your life (and pretty flowers & beautiful cake, too).
And you're paying off your house as well?
Life is sweet.
Happy Birthday!

My name is Erika. said...

Happy birthday Jeanie. And congrats on paying off the house. That is a second celebration. Even if you need a new water heater-we do too. Yuk! And Rick does set a fabulous table and how fun to see your friend and to see those 2 little cuties. All around it sounds like a super day. That is a gift! Hugs-Erika

Joyful said...

Wonderful birthday celebrations all around! You do know how to party :-) A big congratulations too on paying off your house soon. That's awesome.

Iris Flavia said...

Happy, happy Birthday and yay for paying off!
To a great new year for you!
Love the table setting - and your company!
And bread with good oil, we had that in Tuscany, served by Nonno Dulio, so sweet. (like in "cute")

Oh. My Brother just sent me holiday pics and my nearly 10-y-o Niece looks like an adult. They grow up too fast, enjoy this cutie pie!

Messy. Hm. You should see my Hubby´s place, THAT is messy.
Great card. And yes. Let us be thankful for every day, every year we get...

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Aw! Happy Birthday dear Jeannie! Such sweet and thoughtful celebrations. Ooooh, that cake looks so delish and so nice to have sweet family and friends to share it with. Congrats on paying off the house, too! Love the sweet pics xx Hugs - Karen

R's Rue said...

Happy Birthday.

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, what wonderful birthday celebrations! It is so obvious how much you are loved by family and friends.. The little one is so handsome, what joy the grands give us. Your meal sounds delicious and the cake looks divine! Wishing you a most wonderful year ahead!

Pamela said...

Happy Birthday! I love birthdays and think they should be celebrated as much as possible. Great photos!

Karen said...

Happy Birthday! Family ~ Cake ~ Flowers ~ Food & Friends! You are blessed :)
Enjoy the week ahead

The French Hutch said...

Rick was so sweet setting a pretty table and grilling steaks for your dinner. The meal sounds delicious but the best part I'm sure is seeing that sweet little grand! He's at such a cute age now, I love those little bare feet and the gorgeous hair. He looks a lot like Rick don't you think? Hey, better late than never getting to celebrate your birthday with a dear friend. Pretty flowers, card and cake. Glad your water heater is now installed so you'll have hot water! Hope you are enjoying being back in the city, a break from the lake......

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

Happy belated birthday, Jeanie. Your dinner sounds absolutely grand and the cake is lovely. I know it was scrumptious too. Your little guy is so handsome and I imagine a happy handful also.

Happy day to you and a wonderful year ahead.

thepaintedapron.com said...

Happy Birthday Jeanie! How delightful that Rick not only cooked for you but set such a lovely table! And then surprise visitors that must have sent your heart over the moon! Your safe friends birthday celebration looked perfect {those cakes, swoon!} I am having friends over Saturday for a safe distant happy hour, can't wait!
Jenna

gigi-hawaii said...

Happy birthday, Jeanie! Aloha from Hawaii.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

Happy Birthday sweet lady! Love your fab flowers and cake - hydrangeas and a homemade cake are perfect to celebrate. Wishing you many more happy healthy years!

Rita C at Panoply said...

Happiest of birthdays to you, Jeanie! It looked very close to normal! So glad you could celebrate with your baby grand and Kate! Love her card. Here's to making many more trips around the sun, no RONA welcome!

Friko said...

Very happy belated birthday greetings and may you have many more of them. It looks like you had a wonderful day and celebrated in style.
Young and old to delight the heart, god food and no doubt, wine, people one loves, what could be better.

Victoria Zigler said...

Happy birthday! I'm glad you had such a wonderful one, with the people you love able to be a part of it. Congratulations on making it another year.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Happy, happy birthday, Jeanie, and may you have many, many more, always with Rick. Despite the gloomy news all about us, life is good and worth living to the fullest. We are staying with my daughter in Ottawa right now, and I was telling her of Rick's earlier plans to ride through here. She says that should it ever happen to be sure reserve an evening for dinner with her. And she is a great cook too.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Happy belated birthday, dear Jeanie. I am so sorry I missed it. If you let me know what day it is, I'll put it on my calendar so I don't forget it in the future.

That was an expensive birthday gift. I know because I bought a new one a year ago. I got one with a 20 year warranty. I figure it will last as long as I will stay in my house, at least.

Looks like you had two fun birthday celebrations. Lucky you!

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Jeanie, your Rick is one in a million! Everything sounds so good. That little grand is the best pick up on any day. It is very good to have birthdays, and Happy Day to you and your friend..Stay well..xxoJudy

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Happy Birthday. Such a wonderful celebration. Such a cutie the little is. Have a good week.
xo

Linda dev said...

To my sweet, kind friend, happy happy day. What a treat.

Carola Bartz said...

Happy birthday, Jeanie! You made the most of your day in these weird times. All the best to you.

Evi Erlinda said...

Happy Birthday, Jeanie!
Everything looks so great!

ashok said...

Happy birthday...lovely post

Gayla said...

Birthday blessings! I loved seeing all the photos of your lovely family! It looked so fun.

BeachGypsy said...

The flowers, the settings, the gorgeous blue table cloth...........what a pretty and summery table, love it!! And on to the second celebration in the garage, I "recognized" your friend from seeing on other previous pictures, fun! That cake there is GORGEOUS....so so pretty. I could never make a cake frost that pretty. Mine are messy, but they taste good, LOL!! Love the picture of the little one and his chalk masterpiece, so cute!

Sandra Cox said...

That closeup of the lily is just beautiful.
YOU have a great one.

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

I’m glad you had such a special birthday celebration!! That cake looks divine and the card Kate made is so adorable!! That’s one to hold onto and consider framing! It’s so adorable and whimsical! And your steak dinner sounded delicious! There’s nothing like a perfectly cooked steak on the grill! And yay for seeing Molly and one of the grands. Good tip about smaller chalk being better about those small hands. I hadn’t thought about that! I should get some normal chalk for Paul!

R's Rue said...

Have a beautiful day.

Sami said...

Happy belated birthday Jeanie. The table set by Rick is beautiful, plus you had a wonderful surprise visit and lots of beautiful flowers and a delicious cake. Have a wonderful year :)

Stevenson Q said...

I would love to greet one of the sweetest friends I have in all of blogging world, HAPPY BIRTHDAY dearest Jeanie! I am very blessed to have known such a wonderful person, so genuine and so kind! I only wish you the very best and happiness for your family and loved once! Sending you hugs!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Happy Birthday sweet friend! I'm so glad you got some special treatment and fun visits. We need to celebrate every year and look forward to another great year ahead. Rick's hair looks a little like my hubby's....starting to get a nice flip! heehee! Sweet birthday hugs coming your way, Diane

Karen said...

Happy Birthday Jeannie!

I've figured out how to whip that darn blogger into shape. Darn complicated bit of business for us older folks.

Kirsten Steen said...

Oy! We just had to have a new water heater put in as well. And you are not kidding. It's astounding what they cost. What a beautiful grand! And happy birthday to you! Glad you were able to celebrate. Friends make all the difference. Xoxo

fredamans said...

Happy birthday!!!

Jenny Woolf said...

What a gorgeous birthday, full of love and people doing nice things for you! You must indeed feel blessed. I think little guy looks incredibly like Rick, somehow, I wonder if RIck has any pictures of himself at that age!
Looks like he is left handed the way he is handling that chalk. DOesn't he look fascinated by the images he is making!

Lowcarb team member said...

Fabulous post, full of good things and happy pictures.
Many Happy Birthday Wishes.

All the best Jan

Anca said...

Aww, I missed this post. Belated happy birthday!

Also, congratulations for paying off your house, that's such a great achievement.

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