Birthday gifts

Today is my birthday, but we celebrated it last night when Ray took our family out to dinner. We went to a nice restaurant and had wonderful food. Sofia sat in a high chair and ate a banana and puffed rice and smiled and flirted with everyone who walked past her. What a social little person she has become. As we were leaving I overheard people at the table behind us. "Ohhhh, look at that little girl. Isn't she daaaaaaarling?" Yes, she was. She has had a tough, grumpy week with new teeth coming in, but she was in fine form last night. I considered it my birthday gift from my granddaughter.

I got other gifts too. Emily gave me a gift certificate for a special "spa pedicure". I can hardly wait, but think I'll hold off until closer to sandal-wearing season. Ray had to order my gift from him and it hasn't arrived. I know what it is (since I hinted so strongly at what I wanted). It is an immersion blender, so I don't have to put my cruddy old blender in my lovely new kitchen. I know some folks consider kitchen appliances and gadgets unromantic as birthday gifts, but I consider it very romantic to get something I really want. My sweet son-in-law also gave me something I really wanted. He painted these little paintings for my new kitchen.

He had painted some similar paintings for Emily and I told him how much I liked them. They are fruits of Ecuador—papayas, mangoes and tree tomatoes. I don't know how many places tree tomatoes grow. They are virtually unknown in the United States. They are not really tomatoes at all, but are the same color and are beautiful oval fruits with smooth, shiny skin. In Ecuador they are the basis for the hot sauce called aji that is so popular. They are also used for juice, which is very delicious and the most beautiful color.

The first time we visited Emily in Ecuador we arrived in Quito late at night and Emily, who was coming to Quito from Cuenca the next morning, arranged for us to be met at the airport and taken to a small family run hotel in Quito. The next morning we found the charming dining room of the hotel and were served glasses of fresh, rosy-hued tree tomato juice. It was literally our first taste of Ecuador and we have loved it ever since. So I especially love the tree tomato painting.

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This is my kitchen cart. It started as the IKEA BEKVÄM cart. I stained it, added a handle and towel bar and used some of my extra Talavera tiles on the top.