No revolution in Belgium

Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes--y'all may have actually willed my birthday to be pleasant. I got up and made blueberry muffins, and then Sister Girl, who can be quite thoughtful on occasion, called from work and asked if I wanted to get some ice cream after lunch. We came back from that and found my mother struggling with a dozen balloons in the driveway. I spent the afternoon reading some old Louisa May Alcott books, and then my grandmother came over for dinner and gave me a beautiful turquoise bracelet. I also got ratmmjess's Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana (Black Ribbon research!) and the extended Narnia and Kingdom of Heaven DVDs. I think everyone had noticed how stressed and depressed I'd been lately and went out of their way to do what they could, which in and of itself was a lovely gift. I still felt sad a few times, but I could tell it was my own depression and not anything that had happened to me. And I missed Lucky, because I'm eternally lame like that.

( Fantastic posters, Golden Compass stills, Eragon-bashing, and a man with a mechanical heart )