(Undeserving) Birthday Treats ...

I am playing catch up today ...

I don't believe I ever got around to posting the beautiful "Floating Table" Gary made for me out of mahogany to match the two entry tables flanking the front door ... this is still part of the entry so it pulls everything together wonderfully!

Below is the close up of the open joint design he used.  This was the method described in the plans that he was using, but he had decided that he would be more comfortable using another joint that he had used in the past ...

One of the things I rather enjoy about Gary's wonderful hobby is that he lets me be a part of it by coming in at times and asking my advice on things.  I know he does not need to do this - his sense of style is marvelous and he knows much more about all this 'woody' stuff than I will ever hope to - yet, still - he comes in and asks my opinion.

I am generally very careful with my opinion, since if there is the TINIEST thing about one of his 'masterpieces' that bothers him - he finds a way of getting rid of it - or banishing it to some out of the way place where he will never have to see it.

Why?

If there is something about an item he made that bothers him ... just one teeny tiny little thing ... he finds a way of never having to look at it again!

He basically likes what he has made or despises it - there is no middle ground - no in between. I managed to salvage the beautiful Mission Desk he dislikes - he thinks it looks like an organ when it is shut ... what he has against organs is beyond me - so I have it set up OPENED! Got by with just the skin of my teeth on that one - he was ready to set it on the curb for the garbage truck!

Thus my need to make sure that I am not the reason an absolutely stunning, heirloom quality "Gary Masterpiece" is scrapped or banished to outer darkness.

But I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the open joint design and suggested he try it on a scrap piece, look at it and then make his decision.  He did, and as you can see here - he decided that he liked it!

I think the extended pieces of wood of the joints add to the overall beauty of the piece - and also love that the top seems to be 'floating' above the rest ... thus its name ...

A super wonderful treat this week was the visit from my parents!  Since I was a wee bit over enthusiastic the evening they got here - I sort of paid for it by being in bed most of the time they were here - which I regret enormously ...

Unlike myself ... Gary and Ryan were wonderful hosts!  In the photo below Gary had rounded up the troops for an assembly line effort to make his fabulous "Sweet and Sour Chicken" on Sunday after Church. Ale, Ryan's girlfriend, is always up for helping and loves to cook and my mother was interested in this new recipe. Fun was had by all and a wonderful meal made it especially nice!

Gary also took off Tuesday and after I begged off, played host to a sunrise visit to Brazo's Bend State Park.  

My mother, when this park is brought, up is rather bitter about the fact that after multiple visits throughout the years had NEVER seen one of their famed alligators, whereas every other family member that has visited the park has spotted quite a few!

This all changed Tuesday morning when about a dozen total were spotted with two things rather rare in all of our 'gator stalking' for photos: One) there were some gators very, very close - so WONDERFUL close up shots of some nasty looking dudes!  And Two) another rarity - some swimming around!  I have never seen them do anything but sit there in the water pretending to be floating pieces of wood!

Yes, I am rather jealous of the photos they got ...

Ryan played host and tour guide when I was too ill to 'play' with my parents on Wednesday and took them to Galveston for the day.  I heard that Moody Gardens, the Strand and other Galveston favorites were visited.

I am rather thankful to my two guys for filling in for me. Lately this has been the norm ... I will never be able to make it up to them. I truly am a lucky gal - my two guys are top notch - the best of the best - I could not ask any more from them - they give me everything and ask for nothing in return ...

And before they left this morning - they gave me the most beautiful flowers!  They know this is a favorite gift of mine and they made a marvelous choice! Aren't they fabulous?

I liked them sitting here in the nook in the bitty hall that leads into our bedroom:

But that meant moving one of my most favorite pieces I own:

Thus off to the kitchen table they went:

And then I received the most super, duper, wonderful, marvelous, fabulous birthday treat that I could have ever asked for!

If you have read my earlier post on my psychotic shopping spree for Nativities whilst in the throes of massive amounts of pain (that's my story and I am sticking to it ... especially, sadly, since it is very true) I showed some photos of a Nambé Nativity - but even in my 'altered state' decided it was too pricey to purchase ... but had the presence of mind to put it in the Amazon Wish List and brazenly hint to Gary in my post that it would make a FABULOUS Birthday gift!

I noticed a few days later - since I receive an e-mail from Amazon whenever anything is ordered - that somehow, someone had mysteriously ordered it!  Except for the angel since Amazon was not selling it.

Of course, I got right on the web and fixed that "No Angel" problem by finding and ordering it elsewhere - but noticed that it was sold out in many, many stores.  I did not realize that this Nativity was new this year and very popular.

Thus it did not surprise me that Amazon's status for my Nativity - all three sets - the Main set: Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the Wooden Creche, the Three Wise Men and the Shepherd with Animals were all delayed in being shipped. 

It was being sold via Amazon, but through a third party vendor. When sold this way - sometimes the tracking of the items is not available ... but seemed to be in this instance - stating that it would be shipped some time between May 24th and the 30th and arriving some time in the first week of June.  

Sadly, when purchasing through Amazon via a third party vendor, that two day free shipping is not available.  Really messes with that spoiled "I want it RIGHT NOW" part of my make up ...

So when the doorbell rang today, I was confused.

When I opened the door and saw a rather large box, I became more than a bit curious.

When I tried to pick it up and it weighed much, much more than that size of a box should have, I  was rather surprised, thinking "What the heck is in here?  Lead?"

When I spotted the return label all that confusion, curiosity and surprise spontaneously morphed into unmitigated joy!

It said:  Nambé!  

Nambé!  The stuff that ONLY THAT MORNING when I checked - it still said it was just in the process of being prepared for shipping ... what a wonderful, marvelous, fabulous surprise!

And ON MY BIRTHDAY too!  The timing could not have been better!

I joyously opened all three of the VERY heavy boxes.  If there had been any doubt of whether these pieces were solid, just lifting them from their boxes confirmed that they were.

I would say that I could not have been more thrilled since this Nativity was actually more beautiful in real life than in the photos ... but sadly, there was a hitch.  In the box labeled: "Nativity - with Wooden Creche" the Wooden Creche was nowhere to be found.

*sigh*

Oh, well!  I will enjoy my pieces as the mystery of the missing Wooden Creche is currently being solved. Soon the angel along with the missing Wooden Creche will show up and I will have the complete set!

Here is what I received today ... a fine start if I may say so myself:

Here is a web photo showing the missing Creche:

And here (albeit the crappiest photo ever) is a wooden storage box for the entire set that I stumbled upon while looking for a photo to share with y'all of the Creche ... 

Oh, yeah ... of course one of these puppies is now on its way to our house too (don't tell Gary) would you have expected anything less from me?

And while I was sleeping / vegging in bed this evening - having skipped going to the movies with Gary, Ryan and Ale EVEN THOUGH the ticket was bought and paid for (yes, I was feeling that crappy ... apparently my body and all its stupid illnesses does not take off for holidays and birthdays ...) with ear plugs in my ears - I missed several phone calls from my wonderful friend Bonne.  I also missed her opening the front door and setting the wonderful, cute little gift in the photo below on the floor.

I THEN missed the frantic phone call ... again from Bonne worried that Charlie would get into it ...

No, Bonne - Charlie was kind enough to leave it alone!

When I woke up and listened to the messages - I was a bit apprehensive ... but all is well!  And thank you!  

Since I was sequestered in bed with ear plugs in I rudely ignored all calls - my label of "Horrible Friend" is still securely intact!

All in all - even though I was in bed the entire day - it was a wonderful day - filled with breaks of intermittent surprises!  

I am indeed one lucky girl ... 

and as I lay here looking at the two informational DVDs I received at my Doctors appointment yesterday about Pain Pumps ... and although they are a surgically implanted device - and quite a commitment - if I ignore that creepy factor - everything that the doctors are saying about the quality of my life
improving by leaps and bounds with it make complete sense.

I just may be embarking on a new phase of my life where maybe things will start looking up!

Maybe this year will be MY YEAR ...

One can always hope ...