'Ello, 'Ello, 'Ello

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am back.  Things at work have (slightly) calmed down, the barrage of visitors have left (momentarily), and we aren't traveling (well, until the end of the July). Have you missed me? I have missed you.

Seriously, since February,  it has been jam-packed busy full of stuff, events, people, and more stuff.  We had more snows in early March.  Stirling and Biscuit loved it of course. 

 

A Danish friend was in town and celebrated his 40th birthday with us...

 

 ...and then made us dinner, including an amazing lemony-light dessert, complete with flag.

A Belgian friend who moved to Seattle, then moved to L.A., and then went to Belgium, came for a visit and brought me this ambrosia spread. 

 We then went to China (again), only this time, I had Flat Stanley to accompany me on the trip.

We were in Xi'an, where the terra cotta warriors are, and they are AMAZING. 

 Seriously, amazing.  But Xi'an is otherwise pretty terrible.

We then went to Hong Kong, where I still got to watch my Wildcats defeat their rivals, the Louisville Cards, in the March Madness Tournament.  I was also able to call and leave harassing, sore winner messages on my father's cell phone.  

We spent a few rainy but fun-filled days in Hong Kong, traveling to the Peak to see the pillar-like tall buildings raising above the clouds. 

We even managed to make to Macao, and really, there isn't much there other than this church front and lots and lots of casinos, which are oddly quiet.  The Chinese like their gamble, with no sides of entertainment or drinks. 

In April, we went home to Louisville for Easter and to see my sister and her family who had come into town.

and I finally got to meet my newest niece, Vivi.

My sisters even managed to throw together a semi-surprised shindig for my 40th birthday, that included a dropped bottle of bourbon, a fabulous sash, and an encounter with the police. 

 While there, we walked across the new foot bridge over the Ohio River...

...and had an Easter Egg Hunt at Aunt Matie's, where Chloe got to chillax on the blanket with her cousins around.

We returned to DC to then host another birthday party that was overwhelming for me, as 75+ people singing "Happy Birthday" to you only could be. I took solace in the 200 oysters we had shucked for the event.

Followed by, what else: German Chocolate cupcakes and a reunion of almost all of the Tilden Folks. 

My birthday party weekend included a snuggle with Luna, only Will did most of that.

Then, in May, came cousins, in-laws, brother, nieces, and parents; Will's were here for nearly three weeks.  We went on boat rides, saw the pandas, had a scavenger hunt in Old Town, remade curtains, glued soles back on shoes, and had many fabulous cook-outs underneath the canopy of lights in our back yard.

So you can see, I haven't been idle.  I just haven't been able to sit down and tell you all that has happened.  Though, now, I believe I can.  Just after I finish this most delicious vodka, cuz after all of that, I need a drink!