The Good Ship Mary

In other good news today comes a streak from my dear friend Mary Robinette Kowal. In the last week:

* Mary turned 40. She dressed like Cinderella for the formal dinner held in her honor.

* She won against me in Iron Chef Pear Battle (But only by the skin of her teeth. And I did have one arm effectively tied behind my back).
* Her infamous grandmother turned 104. (The almond-flavored birthday cake was divine.)
* She accepted a 2-book deal from Liz Gorinsky at Tor books for her "Jane Austen with Magic" series, the first of which is entitled Shades of Milk and Honey.
* Today is her mother’s birthday.

If you haven’t stopped by her website to wish her felicitations on one, or all, of these events, I encourage you to do so. As an added incentive, I offer you this special treat that Mary’s father performed for us after dinner.

Cheers to you, Mary. May your lucky dirigible keep sailing the skies!!!