What a day, my darlings, what a day! Mrs. Dalloway here (doesn't that novel start like that?). But it couldn't be lovelier. Brilliant sun, mild temperatures, it's near 60 or in the sixties. I look out the window of the pellet-stoved solarium which affords a view of the porch. The barrels are resplendently green with decorative cabbages and succulent jades that I found for 25 cents apiece a couple of weeks ago. And it looks like a million dollars in the sense that - when I look out now, it reminds me of California, all lush, green, blooming. Anything, anything, to shorten winter.

I am having a very decadent afternoon. I broke out the rosé way early. I got my haircut this morning. I really am very, very tongue-tied, what is wrong with me? I could hardly spit out actual sentences. I just got a little trim, and my hair looks nice, still long, still falling in soft waves at my shoulder. Then I went into town to the most wonderful housewares/tabletop sample sale ever. I adore going there. And for some reason the proprietor of the business, a lovely, very attractive, slim, sexily dressed woman (fantastic jeans, boots) - really likes me. Did we know each other in a previous life? She lit up when she saw me (as did I when I saw her), kissed me, said she'd been waiting for me, lamented that we see each other only once a year. It's pretty wild! Perhaps we were angels together in a previous life, only she remembers, and I just in extremely flustered tongue-tied fashion respond.

Oh I do love her sample sales though. I came away with two individual sets of the most exquisite Victorian style china, a full service each, one in silvery-ecru, the other in red, both in the same pattern though. Every place setting imaginable, from a large serving platter each, to various size plates and saucers, bowls little and small, even - for each service - a tiny teacup and saucer, and even tinier demitasse cup and saucer, along with creamer and sugar pot.

Also I bought a crystal plate and a cake dome. Now the little of what's left of the banana-bread-that-keeps-on-giving is displayed in style (not just on a foil-topped plate) on the sideboard in the dining room. Also, she had beautiful little silvery coasters, upon which my ice filled rosé glass now sits.

I have been playing house all afternoon. Truly feeling - in a nice way, I mean - like a girl with her new tea set. I sorted through some spent chipped and cracked old china in the open kitchen cupboard wall to make way for my new beautiful fantasia service (so many romantic/erotic thoughts effulge...).

I was by myself in the kitchen with KZE going on, song after wonderful song, the sun pouring in, the most beautiful new wares to wash by hand and put away, reorganize some other things, and all the while - well, let's say the whole time if you could have been standing behind me doing you know what to me as I moaned and sighed standing at the sink wanting you know what so bad I could hardly stand it - well then it would have been the most perfect day. Which it was, my darling, my darling.

What a day!