Happy Valentines Day!

A few years ago, I realized that even though I was married, Valentine's Day didn't automatically mean flowers, candy, candlelight dinner and whatever diamond pendant Zale's Jewelers was hawking that year. Some years the hubby really knocks it out of the park with a fabulous gift like last year when he got the entire family tickets to see Wicked. Another year, it was an afterthought when he said we were going to dinner, only he hadn't planned where and every decent place was booked up because, of course, reservations had been made well in advance, so we ended up coming back home after some 'intense fellowship' (codeword for argument). Whatever this year brings, I hope that everyone gives themselves a little love even if that means buying that amazing vintage sweater set that's at the little vintage clothing boutique downtown who thinks that vintage is really another word for haute couture and charges as though it were. Hmm, wonder what I might be getting this year....

I did get fabulously spoiled by my swap partner for the Vintage Heart Swap,Valita. That box was filled with all sorts of lovelies like a vintage apron, a swath of old lace, trims, jewelry findings, buttons, old Valentines, candy which was immediately decimated, a floofy bubble pen, fun heart soap and more. The most fabulous goodies though were this frothy confection of a pin and her handcrafted tussie mussie. She tells me it was her first foray into them, but I think Valita is trying to be modest. Don't girlfriend! My daughters were super jealous of me and that is high praise! See the loveliness?

Over the weekend, I was able to take in an auction that was held at the teensiest little row house I've ever seen in downtown Frederick. It had snowed in the morning, so I hoped that turnout would be low, but apparently at least 100 people had the same hopes because that's how many of us were squished into what was maybe a 20 foot wide yard that held the entire contents of the house. It was damp and cold and too crowded to even get a good look at most of the items. I did come away with a hobnail pedestal cake stand, a Depression glass cake plate and a box full of old linens. Here's a little photo of the fun stuff I got before my frozen toes which kept getting stepped on had quite enough and marched me to my car.
I think these are my favorite out of the box in linens.
On Tuesday, we had our Primaries. Rock the vote! Only I didn't rock it the way my 12 year old wanted me to, so she fussed at me while I let that child accompany me to the voting booth. I guess everyone in that school cafeteria knows who I didn't vote for now, eh?

But on Wednesday, we had some ice storm fun to wake up to. School was canceled and we stayed in our jammies for as long as possible. It was lovely to look at and a minefield to walk over. My behind must have a huge bruise because I really planted it on my way to the car. If someone had a camera on me, we could be $10,000 richer if we sent it to America's Funniest Home Videos. Not only did I fall, but my enormous backside then acted as a sled and sent me flying several feet before I landed in a slushie pothole. You know, if ever in the morning, even your espresso can't wake you, there's nothing like a refreshing dip in a sub-zero pool of ice to shock you into full awareness. It was pretty to look at all the ice though while I hobbled back into the house to change clothes. My dormant lavender looked like a frosty ice princess.