well my niece's wedding weekend is upon us. i am writing this entry at 1:23 am because today is going to be a busy day. i have my hair appointment (and another one tomorrow) at 10:30 am, followed by manicure and pedicure at 12:00 pm. then i have to do a little grocery shopping (i know i should have done that today) and pick up a few things at the cleaners. my dress for the wedding for one thing and a special gift which i will tell you about shortly. hopefully i will be home by 3:30 pm just enough time to shower and change and get to the city for the rehearsal dinner at 6:00 pm.

about that special gift; i took my mother's wedding dress to the cleaners and asked the tailor to cut a piece from the train to make a hankerchief for my niece to carry on saturday. the dress was never preserved and has been stored in my mom's hope chest for the past 60 years. sunny (my tailor) promised she would clean the silk and make the best possible hankerchief she could. she always does a beautiful job so i can't wait to see it. i thought it would be a great way to create a family heirloom and allow my niece to carry a piece of her grandparents love with her on her wedding day. I'll tuck a photo of my parents on their wedding day in with the hankerchief. i plan on giving it to her tonight at the rehearsal dinner. eventually, i will have hankerchiefs made for my other nieces to use on their wedding days someday and for my nephews' wives to pass on to their children one day. i know, i am a sentimental fool. but someone has to be. i wish i had thought of it sooner because i would have had it embroidered with her first initial as well. i will do that after the wedding.

i bought a lovely suit to wear to the wedding. it is a pale blue with gold thread running through. it has a 3/4 sleeve that is ruffled from the elbow down. i didn't realize how on trend i was until i noticed several people on recent talk shows wearing the same cut jacket. who knew? hopefully i will have photos to post.

it has been an exceptional week for me. on monday i started a 10,000 step challenge for myself. i am pleased that i was able to reach 10,000 steps every day. it was harder than i thought it would be, not because of physical exertion, but because i don't have many places to be during the week. since i am not working and looking for a job requires a lot of time in front of the computer and on the phone, i don't do a lot of extra walking these days other than when i actually work-out. that means i had to make an extra effort to get those 10,000 steps in every day. i am glad i was able to do it so far this week, but i highly doubt i will be able to reach that level today or tomorrow. i don't see a lot of time for walking -- especially once those heels get on my feet tonight and then again tomorrow. i'll make up for it with dancing at the wedding though.

well i am tired now and need my beauty sleep, i really do. i wish you all a very lovely weekend. each of you deserve nothing less.