It is a Rule written in the book of Stephanie that I do not work on my Birthday. Thusly, today is a day off
that will look like this.
Last year on my Birthday Ken guest blogged. This year, my mother emailed me the following, which makes her this years guest blogger. (If you are an Andersen reading this, then you can save your breath. I know doing something twice makes it a tradition.)
Hello Dear:
I thought you might like a top ten list that you didn’t write, so people
could get the real skinny on ya!
1. She is a kind, loyal, generous and giving person, even when she’s not Harloting, or knitting. (I think these are different, at least some of the time, aren’t they?).
2. She is a wonderful mother, daughter, aunt, niece, sister, partner and friend. AND she’s easy to please, which may be her greatest gift.
3. Damn, she’s funny. And that wicked genetic mouth!
4. I have never seen the Harlot panic. Well, okay, almost never. Rarely, then. Absolutely almost never twice in the same day. Totally never twice in the same day about the same thing. Except if there is a knitting deadline, like Christmas Eve, or a birthday, or something cataclysmic like that. Or a writing deadline. Or spiders. Or when those girls of hers drive her to it. The point is, she is in no way a drama queen. (see previous exceptions)
5. She has a most sunny and optimistic nature (see exception above), never holds a grudge, and returns to her sunny self faster than a speeding bullet, even whilst the on-lookers still have their hair straight-on-end from the blast.
5. She makes her family and friends the most wonderful gifts…beautiful, thoughtful, intricate gifts, that are always worth the wait for the second half, or the initial delivery.
6. She has big, gorgeous, curly hair, just like absolutely nobody else in the family. We love it. Even when it’s muggy and bigger than a VW.
7. She is a multi-talented and competent woman, and we are proud of her. As a writer, advocate, knitter, spinner, cook, gardener, seamstress, handy-person, appliance-fixer, carpenter, gingerbread maker. You name it, she can do it, or she will get a book from the library and you’ll never find out she didn’t know how.
8. She is a sorcerer, who can very nearly make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. She can make a dollar scream for mercy, and turn a very few dollars into an exquisite present, an unbelievable kid’s birthday party, the best costume ever, a garden, a piece of furniture, a funky room…whatever. And all the while, she’ll never even once think to wish she had more money to make things easier.
9. She will find the good in almost anything or anyone and she works like a Trojan. We’re not crazy about slackers around here, and Stephanie leads the way.
10.She can talk the ear off anyone, and has had that capability since the age of 18 months. And very nearly all of it makes sense, at least at the time.
Happy birthday, Stephanie. Harlot on!!!!!!
Love, Mum