Okay, aside from extremely asstastic and nightmarish family-health related matters that are happening on all sides this weekend, I think it’s important to focus on the positive aspects.

I did have a good time at ‘s hat-mandatory birthday party on Friday night. Haven’t been out for a while to such a big social engagement, and it was a nice change. Apple-blackberry pie was a great and tasty success (photo forthcoming). Also borrowed much-desired Lord Peter Wimsey short story collection from , which will be read forthwith.

Volunteered all Saturday morning as the third-floor exhibit guide and Etobicoke Quilters Guild representative for the ‘Quilt for the Cure’ breast cancer auction at Casa Loma, which was really fun and fulfilling. I got to have a little return-to-retail nostalgia, I saw a major Toronto landmark for the first time (the castle is beautiful inside, fyi), and I did a good deed for my community, since I sold several tickets to the auction and explained what the difference was between piecing and applique and the labour-time required by machine versus hand quilting to a lot of curious onlookers.

Watched ‘Spellbound’, which was a really captivating and inspirational documentary on child-spellers at the USA National Spelling Bee. Those newly-immigrated, twelve-year-old, ESL kids whupped my twenty-seven-year-old, Masters-degree-in-English-holding ass. As Justin so charmingly informed me post-movie, I wouldn’t have made it to the regionals.

Saw episode 5 of ‘Rome’, which continues to be excellent. I won’t do spoilers, since I know not everybody has HBO, but goddamn, there was some nasty cursing in this episode! “May she be raped by dogs” is possibly the worst thing I’ve ever heard.

Got lovely vine plants from Mum; two variegated euonymous, and two honeysuckles. They should adorn the front of the house nicely. Like the way she has rearranged the furniture in her condo. Made her a delicious hot lunch sandwich of mango chutney, salsa, jalapeno havarti, rosemary ham, and salted fresh tomato. Passed on the knowledge gained from of how to make fast ‘n easy quesadillas.

So, not ALL bad.