Busy, Busy Baroness

Bonjour, mes amies!

Today - for me at least - is the exhausting aftermath of the dramedy known as the "von Bloggenschtern Family Birthday Party".

My actual birthday is today, but I am lucky enough to not have to wait until the end of the day for my gifts; I got my greedy little paws on them last night, so I can sit with them all day today, and dream up the many things that I'll use them for.

Thanks to the gift certificate-o-rama, I'll be reading, I'll be grooving, I'll be spa-ing. The planning of how to use these up is just as much a treat as the shopping will be! (ok - almost...)

I'll also be luxuriating in my (faux) leopard-skin gloves.

While keeping these priceless typing digits warm, I'll be perusing my new manuals, learning about conspiracy theories (other than my own) and about which 100 pieces Every Stylish Woman must own. It will be a busy time, but a productive time. I don't even know where to start. I'm so FREAKIN' excited!!

There is a tradition in the vonB clan that for each birthday (and there are many in the extended family), we try to outdo each other on cards. We, almost singlehandedly, keep an entire industry working extremely hard to bring their "A" game to the table.

For while we are not always highbrow - we are cut-throat competitive.

Exhibit A:
From the Sister-In-Law, Her Husband, and My Faboo Nieces
(*note that all the male dogs in the cards are wearing bandage bikini bottoms...)

Inside caption:
Cut loose and have a ball on your birthday

Exhibit B:
From Brother-In-Law Who is Full of Surprises

Inside Caption:
remember, God never gives us more shoes than we can handle.

And, as a lovely nod to my recent "Lessons from The Louvre" posts, I received my absolute favorite card of the evening.

Exhibit C:
From The Duke #2, The Original Prankster

"It really was quite tragic.
A sudden gust of wind carried
Infanta Margarita off.
She was last sighted floating aimlessly
over Madrid."

My dear Countess Sue has a personal rule that there is no such thing as a birthday - these are for suckahs. Her manifesto suggests that one's birthday should last a week.

I am so down with this. To me, it appears to be a ingenious plan. I should clarify that it's not cake and prezzies for 7 days straight.

It's just the essence, the sweet celebratory joyfulness of knowing that thanks to Mom and Dad getting together 47-ish years ago, I am able to reach this week of knowing who I know, loving who I love, having all I have. Going through this reverie alone should take the better part of a week. I will be one busy, busy Baroness.

Lucky lucky me.