Weekly Rundown: The Post-Birthday Post

I had a pretty wonderful birthday. I mentioned our trip to Oban last week which was the start of my birthday weekend. In our house you don't just get a birthday, you get a whole week (at least) of being spoiled, culminating in your big day when you get presents. It's an arrangement which works well for us.

I received quite a few cards, including my personal favourite, a 9th birthday card from my Mum. Why? Because despite turning twenty-nine, one of my requests was far more in keeping with a nine-year-old's birthday gifts:

Yup, I asked for, and received, a couple of colouring books. I've been getting on very well with them as well, as you can see. Last night I sat down with the intention of making a start on the Gardens one as well, but we'd had a busy day yesterday so I ended up feeling way too tired to concentrate on any serious colouring in. Maybe tonight.

I did also receive a slightly more grown up gift as well. A beautiful bag with the quote You can't buy happiness but you can buy books and that's kind of the same thing. Very true words!

I love that the lining has this helpful alphabet print on it. Perfect for those moments in bookshops or libraries where you suddenly forget whether S is before or after R, so you can double check!

This photo shows most of my other presents, thereby proving just what a spoilt brat I've been this year. The beautiful leather-bound notebook is a reproduction of Bilbo's book in The Hobbit (complete with the film sketch of Martin Freeman as Bilbo inside), it came with my box set of The Hobbit films which you can see up on the right.

It's not really so visible in this picture, but the green backdrop I've used it actually a really pretty scarf from my Nan. The other things were from Mr Click; the box set of MASH is something I've been asking for since about three years ago, and a lovely little special edition Moleskine notebook with Tolkien's own illustrations from The Hobbit inside.

My problem with both of my two new notebooks is that they're both so pretty that I don't know just what to use them for. Whatever it is, they need to be something special. The reproduction of Bilbo's book I suspect will have to be used as a travel journal of some kind; the Moleskine Hobbit book, I have no idea about.

This was my other gift from Mr Click; a three-piece jewellery set of bracelet, necklace and earrings. I don't often wear earrings so this is kind of weird because they're quite heavy and when I turn my head my earlobes wobble. I've taken to wearing the bracelet most of the time and the necklace every couple of days. They're rose quartz for fertility (hey, it might help!) and also represent love and happiness.

My colleagues gave me a £15 voucher as a contribution towards the Canon lens I've been lusting after for some time. I've been dying for a 50mm lens virtually since I got my DSLR and kept on putting off getting it. I finally ordered it yesterday and it's due to arrive at some point from the end of next week. Expect to see lots of photos as I learn to use it.

You can probably guess that I had a great day and I'm really enjoying all of my gifts. I'm also starting to get the hang of the photo editing software that I picked up in a charity shop in Oban. I can't wait to get my new lens and start playing with that as well.