Good Evening Friends,
Busy weekend!   Yesterday I had such a fun day.  My friend, Joan and I shared our fourth annual day of togetherness.  We share the same birthday and instead of purchasing gifts for each other, we spend quality time (and quantity time) with each other at the same time every year.  We had so much fun.  We start out with breakfast at 'Good Eats' a great diner in Doylestown.  It is always packed, but this time we ate at the counter and were seated immediately!  Breakfast was out of this world.  I had a spinach, feta and goat cheese omelet and Joan had eggs benedict.  We shared a corn meal pancake which I highly recommend.  My mouth is watering as I write this!   Soooo good.

Then we headed up to Chestnut Hill for a day of walking and  talking and shopping.  It was a gorgeous day, the weather was perfect.  Although we did not discuss this, I think our favorite store in Chestnut Hill is the Hill Company.  Beautiful things for your home and garden.  They were decorating for Christmas and just like last year, I felt like I was in Santa's workshop.  Linda, the owner was in the throws of decorating a tree and Kim her right hand woman was so helpful to Joan and me.  We made our purchases and headed off to the other Hill and Company Store in Worcester.  Linda decorated that store already and it was magnificent.  She has the magic touch for decorating.  Joan and I also went to Home Goods where we found items that we could use to decorate at a more cost effective price point.  We had so much fun sharing, laughing and learning.  Later we met our husbands for dinner at the Publick House in Wycombe, PA.   We all enjoyed our meals and thought the service was excellent.   It was such a great day!  So for Joan and I it was a 9AM to 9PM day of bliss.  I don't know how I got so lucky as to have Joan as my dear and treasured friend.  I am very blessed.

When I think about all my friends.....  I am truly humbled that I get to be among such wonderful, caring, talented....truly magnificent people.  I know I am blessed.  Thank you, God, for the gift of my friends and family.

On another quick note, I don't think we will be getting Riley.  One of the girls in the family that owns her does not want to part with this little darling.  I don't think that she will be coming to visit us this Thanksgiving.  Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned in this experience, somewhere.  I will have to  pray about it.

And so, my wish for you today, is that you think about your dear friends and make a date to share time together.  Those friends are the jewels in your life.  You deserve to shine brightly among them.


En`Joy,

Marialyce