My mother's birthday check to me came back into my account today (it was written on foreign funds), so while the bulk of it will be going into our savings, I get to play a little, and in doing so, recommend to all of you the fabulous things I have been finding.
But first, I need to recommend a CD Bob got me for Christmas - Sara Maclachlan's Wintersong. It is simply gorgeous, and chock full of some really interesting interpretations of holiday songs. Her version of What Child is This is masterly, The First Noel gave me goosebumps, there's a remastered version of Song for a Winter's Night that is much better, and her self-penned title track makes me cry every. single. time. Go get it. You won't regret it.
I also spent some of my ill-gotten gains at Isabella, and I can really recommend the Mood Mist; I've been spraying it on my pillow at night, and feeling very relaxed, which is great for this chronic insomniac. The Isabella catalog is the yummiest, if you're into that sort of thing, and they are just super nice people. I use their organic rose hip oil on my skin every day, and as a rosacea sufferer, I can recommend it wholeheartedly - my skin has never been so soft.
Finally, I've been shoe shopping. I got the Newport News catalog recently, and while I don't usually buy stuff from them, there was this pair of shoes that gently whispered my name, so I got a pair in black, and they arrived yesterday. Despite the high heel, they are very comfortable, and extremely elegant. They were so wonderful that when they gently suggested that maybe I wanted a threesome, I agreed and ordered another pair in green. My shoes and I will be very happy together, and we're not ashamed of our love.
The rest of my money will probably be spent on more prosaic house stuff, but it's really nice to be able to buy the things I like without feeling guilty. Since I'm usually super-thrifty (read: so cheap pennies squeak in pain when I squeeze them), my money should go a fair way.
But I can't wait to set up my new kitchen.