It's my birthday!

Well, at least, it was my birthday.  I am now 39 years old.  Holy crap.

Seriously, I am still a goof.  I feel a lot like I did when I was 25, 30.  I don't know when I got this old.  It snuck up on me. 

I really don't hold alot of stock in age.  I am not at all depressed or worried or anything like that about the impending 40.  I have lots of friends that are over that hump, and lots of friends that are just rounding the curve towards it.  I am stuck in the middle, and I am a-ok with that. 

My birthday is not usually a big deal, which is perfectly fine for me.  I do always try and take it off work, since I believe no one should have to go to work on their birthday.  This year, because of the Cleveland trip and my birthday, I ended up with the whole week off.  I wasn't arguing!!

Geoff let me sleep in a bit in the morning and got up to let the dog out and get Sebastian ready for school.  Both Bastian and Sawyer tripped their way in, and with a little reminder, wished me a happy birthday. It was wonderful. 

I had my usual breakfast- 1 cup of Fibre One Cereal and 1/2 a cup of unsweetened almond milk.  Yummers.  LOL.  I was craving Cora's, but knew better.

My first birthday present to myself?  A 70 minute workout- Phase 3 strength pull and Phase 2 cardio.  Bah!!  First time I have had that long of a workout yet!!  But I did it, and started my birthday off right!  Felt good to get it out of the way, and do it right.

After that, Sawyer, Geoff and I wanted to get out of the house.  If I had stayed, I probably would have cleaned or something, and I don't want to do that on my birthday.  Instead, we headed out to Woodend and went for a hike.  It was beautiful weather and a great walk.  I showed Sawyer trilliums, and ant hills.  I showed her moss and fungus that grows on trees.  We saw butterflies and gnome holes.  We looked for snakes, but I think it might still be too early for them to be out.  Sawyer was a bit freaked at the thought that they would be there, so I stopped talking about it pretty quick.  Geoff took pictures of us the whole time.  I don't know how they turned out, since I haven't seen them yet, but I hope there are one or two good ones in there. 
At one point, Sawyer decided she was done hiking, and wanted to be carried.  Since we were, of course, at the bottom of the path and of the escarpment, and our van was at the top, this really wasn't an option.  Particularly when you consider the fact that every pocket in her pants and sweater were filled with rocks (mine were filled too).  She had a little meltdown, and we had to break for a bit.  Things got better when I found a magic elf spoon (yeah, literally, a silver spoon at the base of a tree.  Go figure.)  She got to dig in the dirt for a bit, which always makes life better. 
Geoff stuck to the path, but Sawyer and I hiked over land.  I was in completely inappropriate footwear (flip flops) but wasn't going to argue, since she was actually walking and not being carried.  I had to hold her hand the whole way, because she was afraid of slipping.  I also had the aforementioned rock-filled pockets, her Minnie Mouse juice cup, 2 Timmies cups we found on the trail and picked up to throw away and 2 sticks Sawyer found and wanted to bring home for Axle.  Sawyer carried her spoon.  We did eventually make it up the hill and gradually rejoined the actual path.  Sawyer decided that was an appropriate time to be carried.  This time, the spoon didn't work, but her "hammer" did.  When, in protest, she sat on the ground, refusing to budge, she found a thick, heavy piece of log, worn smooth with time.  She declared that is made the perfect hammer.  When I asked what she wanted to hammer, her response was to show me, rather than tell me.  Her object- my toes.  So, we skipped up the path, with her in constant pursuit of me, trying to smash my toes with her chunk of wood. This lasted most of the way to the top.  Finally, I did give in, and hoist her onto my hip.  I made it 3/4 of the way up the remaining hill with her.  Remember all the stuff I am carrying??  It's all still there.  We finally caught up to Geoff, and he took her the rest of the way, but only after handing me his pop, because, as he put it, "he can't carry everything and her too."  I just shot him a dirty look and kept walking.

After our big hike, we made our way to Boston Pizza for my birthday lunch.  Here, I gave myself my second birthday present- a glass of diet Pepsi.  I haven't had a full glass of pop in 2 and a half months.  It was much sweeter than I remember, but oh so good.  I stopped at one and stuck to water for the rest of the meal.  Pop is my gateway drug, so I have to know my limit.

After lunch, we headed home to meet Sebastian's bus.  I toyed with the idea of taking a nap, but fortune wasn't with me.  I don't remember why now. 
Geoff's mom stopped by with cards from her and Dawn, who was now in Las Vegas (yes, we had just come home from Cleveland the day before!  She is a travelling machine!) We had a nice visit and chat. My mom came by shortly after with a card and a cool hourglass with purple sand.  She stayed for a while too, chittychatting and catching up on things.  It was very nice for them both to visit and I truly, TRULY appreciated the gifts! 

After that, Geoff and the kids and the dog and I all headed out to the drive in for the first carload night of the season.  I had asked earlier in the day if we could do that, since it is one of my favorite things.  I splurged a bit more on my diet and had some popcorn, but still stuck to water.  The kids made themselves at home all over the van, with pillows and blankies.  Sawyer loves the thrill and ritual of it as much as I do, and kept remarking about how she wants to go out in her pjs all the time.  We watched Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts.  Both kids were out cold by mid way through, but Geoff and I both enjoyed it.  The second movie was the Hunger Games, which we had seen (and loved!! Thanks, Book Club!) so we headed home. 

everyone getting blankies and pillows ready

Bastian's favorite spot

all of us

On Friday, I went to lunch with my lovely friends from work- Teresa, Dawn, Nyree, Lynn and Barb.  We always do Cat's Caboose for birthdays, and since Barb and I had celebrated recently, it was our day.  I had my favorite, the buffalo chicken salad, and we had some nice conversation and catch up.  It is crazy that we all work at the same place, pretty much, but rarely see each other and talk at work at all.  They all chipped in and got me gift certificates to our golf course, so that I can join in with their league.  I had opted out this year, with finances being what they are.  The fact that they knew what I was sacrificing and chose to give me that experience was incredibly touching.  I appreciated it so very, very much.  I really choked me up, but I tried not to show it.  Barb gave me 2 rounds as well, which was very unexpected, but so very, very nice. 

Saturday, my mom made me my birthday dinner.  Every year, my mom either takes us out or makes us a dinner for our birthday.  I love it.  It is so nice!  She does it for me and Geoff and the kids.  Even when the kids were babies and didn't know any better, it was always an event, with everyone together for dinner.  And the fact that she does it for Geoff too, without a second thought, means so much to me, but I know it means alot of Geoff.  That he gets that special treatment for his birthday, that someone remembers and puts out the effort to plan something and either make or pay for dinner, I know it touches him. 
I look forward to it every year.  As always, I chose to eat in, and I wanted my turkey crepes.  They are my favorite thing in the world.  So, again, I bent my diet a bit and ate them, complete with cheese sauce.  Fantastic and so very worth it.  Thank you Mom!! 
Adam gave me a card, signed with his usual "To You, From Me".  It was lovely, and it always means alot that he remembers.

So, that was my birthday.  Pretty amazing.  Pretty awesome.  Here's to another year!

Rosie N. Grey
The N stands for " 'nother year older".