Sunday with Sheebie--Old Fart Edition

Friends and Kittehs!

Sheebie here, at last.

I took some time off blogging for my Half-Century Birthday, and a wonderful time was had by all--my parents, Scott, the cats, and most importantly, me!  Because it's all about me, really.  At least around my birthday.

I flew down to Tucson to visit my Mom and Dad and Shadow--who has turned out to be the most comically athletic cat--and got to be a kid again for four days.  It was totally relaxing.

Mom cooked some tasty seafood meals (and a bean soup that was a bum-burner, heh heh) and there was cake and coffee every afternoon.  Very civilized.  Of course there were desserts, too!  Dad and I did not officially compete in the Slowest Dessert Eating contest but secretly I was keeping score, and I won, every single time.  I admit, I may have had an edge because I asked for humongous servings.

Scott sent me a lovely floral arrangement.  I LOVE flowers!  Because of our elebenty-teen cats I can't have flowers at home so they were a real treat.  Shadow wasn't in the least bit interested (although the balloon intrigued her) so we didn't worry about the lilies. 

Mom baked me three TWO cakes!

One of them didn't bake right...for years Mom has used the same Angel food cake mix with nary a problem, but the past couple of cakes have poufed up uncontrollably, run over the pan and charred.  Ugly.  So...we decided to try the high altitude adjustment of adding cornstarch--they are at 3000 feet--which was an Epic FAIL.  As soon as she inverted the cake to cool it plopped out of the pan onto the counter, an unbaked mass of white goo.  Mom almost cried she was so mad!

Fortunately, I had the batter bowl as consolation.

While I pigged out, Dad and Mom convoed a back up plan, which was a second cake.  Yellow, with thick chocolate buttercream frosting. MMMMmmmmmmmm

My birthday was saved!

Of course, I was royally entertained as well as stuffed to the gills.  Mom took me shopping and I got a couple of pairs of pants at a boutique I like, some shirts at Kohls, and I went with both the Peeps to visit some friends of ours and see their new house, (which was gorgeous) and next-door neighbor Bill came over for dessert one evening and we had a lovely long visit.  We also hit a cool housewares store where Mom found a new cake pan, which led to--you guessed it--cake numero tres!  There was one Angel food cake mix left in the pantry and we decided to Take our Chances with one last try...

...which was a resounding success!

You should have seen us, sitting on the floor, peering through the oven window with a cookie sheet at the ready, waiting to catch any spillage.  It was hysterical.  

"Is it gonna go?"  

"I think it's OK"  

"Uh oh...the other side looks suspicious"  

"No, I think it's fine"

"Holy crap get the pan she's gonna blow!"

*scrambling*

The Inspector was, as usual, on duty.

When I got home I had a surprise waiting for me from Scott: 

He had pimped my ride made my car into a Hello Kitty edition!

I love it.

Mom and Dad gave me some money for achieving my advanced age (nice!) and I bought a KitchenAid mixer, which I have already used a bazillion times. 

OK, six times.

What is with my photographer?  Must he take such unflattering shots?  And what in the HELL was I doing?

Thank you!  I love my mixer.  

I also ordered some extra attachments, slicers and graters and such to support my mostly vegetarian lifestyle.

You-know-who got the box.

There's a TON of other stuff to tell y'all about related to this post, but I'll save some for next week.  Plus I have cool park photos; the lights are on!

Happy Sunday and have a Great Week!

XX  Sheebie  XX