MY DEAR PENELOPE,

Happy Birthday My Good Friend,
Perhaps the end of 31 is filled with more slings and arrows than future 32? Either way I'm glad to be here for the tightrope walk between. Sometimes you need to have someone as a nonverbal, possibly cheeky anchor with you 24/7 all week to manufacture fun beach memories and steal your husband away to the shooting range. Either way, its pretty fabulous you were born.

Today despite the non-yoga that started the morning, it's probably good i didn't sleep in till 10, and I got a shower. And the beach! Frolicking in the atlantics and the carolina blue sky!

And now the day awaits-- shopping, pedicures?, good food stuff? spring garden purchases... anything and whatever because you are you, and you are FABULOUS.

let’s shop!

In celebration of m’s b-day TOMORROW, I want to hold a shopping contest!

The quest: a birthday present for mendacious

The prize: m’s delight

The forum: ETSY

I’m keeping it to Etsy just to give us some parameters. We’ll be supporting an artist, just like m, who should also really sell her stuff on there, too, but I digress. There are so many fabulous little rabbit holes to fall down into on this site while searching jewelry, clothing, art, etc, and it will be a lot of fun to window-shop with our friend and hero in mind.

You have one week to post your ideas in comments. I suspect m may be brutally honest in her responses, and as she is the Birthday Girl, and m, she is allowed. But, I make the final call on selection, since I’m paying. Speaking of which, price limit is “within reason.” I’m not a rich girl, because obviously if I were, I’d be paying m a visit in person on her b-day, rather than mailing a gift! We would play the Wii and everything. I dream, I dream…

Now: shop! Go go go! It’s time to celebrate m!

Happy Birthday Penelope, by M

To My Darling Penelope,

Happy Birthday. This is how I see you- full of mischief and good will and your spirit rising out of some mythical place to set the balance of the world right. Your Latin phrase is a homage from the gilmoregirls "In Omnia Paratus: Ready for anything." Because you and I are part of a society of friends that only we belong. And it is something in the adventure of our lives I hope we both have occasion to rise to. There's another secret phrase in the box for you to discover.

I hope this year for you burns bright and is rich with friends, adventure and an inner flourish and nourishing of your soul and spirit. And may we continue to discover all the good things about one another- weird things, funny things... things that make us real and not imaginary, and that 31 is welcome and treats you right.

With all my love,
Mendacious.

(Having only visited Pen's house after I made the box, I realized it was a little wild and youthful for her decor, a little chaotic, busy and bright- but to me its more of her interior world and behind it is her soothing exterior of calm and order- woods, muted tones, wine corks and clean parameters. I hope she likes it.)

HAPPY BIrthDAY!

dear penolin, happy birthday. we here at misadventures are so glad you are alive and in our lives. we could not do without you. we hope 30 is a spectacular technicolored ride.