*happy sigh*

Don't you just adore being in love?
*dreamy happy sigh*
These last few days for my birthday have been so thoroughly enjoyable, contented and blissfully fun. This morning I've gotten up early with Skoot as he headed off to work, in preparatoin for my return to work and normal sleeping patterns tomorrow - and it's beautiful. The morning feels so crisp and cool - it's rained overnight and everything feels calm and slow, sort of settled by the nocturnal shower. It's relatively quiet, with the occasional "drip drip" from tree branch or a "ting" as water drips from the gutter onto the tin. Very peaceful :)
Lovely fluffy muffin Chill is still staying with us, so I think I'll take her for a walk shortly. I can imagine her delight at her paws brushing through the damp, chilly grass and all the myriad of sniffs tinkling about in the air for her to savour after the rain.

I feel so relaxed and content lately, and so overjoyed with life and the fun, exciting, rewarding things and people in my life - I'm feeling very grateful and satisfied. It helps, of course, that I've been on holidays for 3 and a half weeks, and have celebrated Chrissie, New Year and most recently my birthday over the course of the holidays! Add to that the scrumptious bum has been on holidays too, and it's easy to see why I'm feeling so happy :)

On Monday skoota took me out to Treetops Colour Harmonies and absolutely SPOILT me rotten for my birthday! I've been wanting to check out Nancy's fabulous hand-dyes and fibre selection for aages (see post back in November) but with Christmas, and being on holidays etc.. couldn't justify spending money on such a luxury - would have been very naughty and un-'responsible adult'-ish! So to be taken there for my birthday and set loose in her studio was a fantastical dreamy ecstatic moment!! Skoot had said he wanted ot get me "fluff" for my birthday - and he sure did!! We came away with arms FULL of delicious merino and SILK even! *faints away with dreamliness* In the photo below you can see the acquisitions all restricted and compressed up in their plasticky confines..

Once released from their squishy packs, they blossomed into fabulous fibery MOUNTAINS!! I could barely fit it all on the table!

The booty consists of...

1kg (ONE KILOGRAM!) of undyed merino *drools slightly out of corner of mouth* I cannot believe she managed to cram an entire KILO into that plastic wrap! It was fit to burst on the drive home and now barely fits into one of my tall baskets! It looks just like soft serve vanilla icecream... mmmmm...

A sampler pack of rainbow colours, machine-dyed merino *dabs at drool with tissue*

200g each of hand-dyed merino in the sea lavender and chilli&pepper colourways - I had said to skrummy skoot that this is his gift to me, so I wanted him to choose some of the fibre, not just let me run wild in the studio, so he picked the Chilli&Pepper :) He favours the natural colourways, and I adore that he gives me a new perspective cratively, highlighting colours I would not normally consider. The Chilli&Pepper evokes images and emotions of the aussie bush for me, with the red dirt, the light latte coloured pale brown of eucalypt bark... very lovely indeed :)

Nancy also stocks silks, so as a super very absolutely special treat we took home two selections of silk for me to try. The Throwsters waste silk, all curly - handy-dyed in the Sea Lavender colourway

and some tussah silk tops, divine and smooth like faery-tale unicorn tail - an unbelievable light caramel cream colour :)

And I'm absolutely champing at the bit to try the silks in with the merino for texture and shine! Nancy showed me some of her swatches, the silk plied with the merino knitted up to a shimmery delight! The cream will tone brilliantly in with the Chilli&Pepper, and the sea lavenders together will be so fun!

So all in all I was completely showered with fibery love for my birthday from ma darling *massive grin* We were both pretty overwhelmed standing there surrounded by such colour and texture - dreamy really :) I'm hopinh to find some time today to maybe spin up a little...? ut I have much party crafting and decorating to do.. so maybe not.. but I'll try *grin*

Yesterday skoot and I went to the zoo and spent the day trolling about through the laberynthine pathways together, getting some perspective on life by seeing the giant lionesses, family-oriented painted dogs, and frisky otters - it was super fun :) Although it's still school holiday time we didn't have to fight through too many hordes of kids and were able to get about pretty easily - it was such a stunning day!

We saw lots of critters, my faves being the otters, meerkats and african painted dogs.

I also spied a scrumptius bumius along one of the pathways... *puts on David Attenborough accent* A rare creature, inclined to generous birthday treats and reknown for his larconic song and excellent nature, indeed named for his very scrumptiousness.

In the reptile house we saw an awesome (literally) articulated python cruise around his 'tank' and through his pond to cleanse himself of the ants irritating his back, and skoot decided that the Fijian Iguana is destined to be our next exotic pet :)

I personally couldn't stop "oooh"in and"aaaah"ing over the teeeensy tiny little bubba tortoises! Lookie how tiny they are!!

I know there's no point of reference in the photos, so lemme explain... they are about 3cm (an inch) tall, and 4cm or so long... TINY!! I had to use the macro setting on my camera! These are the same little dude that grow into those GINORMOUS tortoises that live to over 100! They take 10 years to get to full size - how incredible!

After the zoo we headed over the my paternal grandies place to catch up with them. My Pa is back home since yesterday from eing in hospital with some troubles, so it magic to see him back home safe and sound with Gran :) They gifted me some gorgeous green bags - one in particular with a bamboo handle is destined to become a knitting bag I'm sure *grin*

Then on to birthday dinner with my lovely Dad in town! We ate at a vegetarian restaurant which is always a treat because I can pick from the ENTIRE menu not just one little section! Very tasty meal, very yummy champers, and very good company :)

What more could a girl wish for? My two favourite blokes at dinner with me :) Dad very generously gifted me some tickets to go and see Circus Oz! I'm so SO excited!! I get up to the somewhat circussy hobby of firetwirling (will post pics later) and have always been intrigued by fire breathers/eaters, went to circus school as a youngster etc.. yet it's been years since I've been to a circus! I'm absolutely thrilled ot bits and can't wait! Dad is coming along too, and gave me two tickets, so of course I will take the scrumptious :) I didn't want to spoil the surprise by looking on the net too much, but found this pic as a teaster/taster!

Now off to crafting with me!!