Good morning, friends, and welcome to the …I wonder what this weekend will bring?  I imagine the crowds will be much thinner in restaurants, malls and the like.  Whatever you do, wherever you go, take your little bottle of hand sanitizer with you and keep safe.

I got my own Friday Surprise yesterday afternoon!  My friend Anne Lawson of Anne Lawson’s Art  had emailed me a couple of weeks ago and generously asked if I would like a piece or two of her art.  Well, of course I would … she does beautiful work!  I tried to offer to at least pay for the postage, for having shipped packages to the UK, I know that it can be quite expensive, but she wouldn’t hear of it.  So, yesterday afternoon when I was diligently mopping the kitchen floor, Miss Goose came in from taking out the trash and checking the mail, and announced that I had a package from Australia, so I knew immediately what it was!

Aren’t these just beautiful!!!  Miss Goose took the photos for me, but left them in the plastic sleeves Anne sent them in, hence the reflection.  I’ll post another after I frame them and hang them.  Thank you so much, Anne … you have brought a huge smile to my face!  I already have the perfect frames for them and the perfect spot to hang them this weekend!

I would like to introduce you to a critter that crossed my radar last night.  Meet Xherdan …Xherdan is a six-year-old Canadian Sphynx who lives with his owner in Rüti, Switzerland.  Xherdan is covered in wrinkles from head to toe which has earned him comparisons to aliens, brains and dumplings.Though he often sports an angry-looking frown, his owner says he’s “cheerful” but also “cheeky”.Here’s what Xherdan has to say about himself…

“My skin is light pink, soft and warm – everyone always wants to touch and pet me. I love it! If you hold us in your arms, you’ll never want to let us go. Did I say I love it?”

“At home, my people love me, and I am allowed to cuddle soooo much with them. I love to play and jump around the apartment. Sometimes they’ll laugh at me because I’m obviously very clumsy. That makes me happy. Laughter is the language of the soul, and I am grateful for the gift of making people laugh.”

“I also like to purr, trill and prowl curiously. But I prefer to dream and be lazy. I curl myself up into arms, on legs or bellies, and nestle my pink, wrinkled body against my human family.”

Xherdan even has his own YouTube video … take a look!

And, since I seem to be on a critter theme today (surprised, aren’t you?), here’s another.  Bats get a bad rap … I think it’s because when they are flying toward your head, wings flapping loudly and screeching at a high pitch, they are a bit off-putting.  However, up close and personal, they are really quite adorable … even if they do sleep upside down in musty old caves.

This little guy is a fruit bat and seeing him eat this banana is just too darn cute!  Take a look …

Just a bit more humour before you go …

Okay, friends … go forth and have a fun weekend.  Please take extra precautions and keep safe.