Empire Red

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Looky at what Mom & Dad gave me for my birthday! I'm so happy!! I had that thing mixing up sugar cookies by 9:00 this morning. Works like a dream! Mixes like buttah, I tell ya.

We went out to dinner last night - Bocaccini's in Fairport. We would be: Mom, Dad, Gretchen, Paul, Simon, Steve and me. Gretchen gave me a card with nice mushy stuff written in it and a very generous gift certificate to a local spa run by two sisters to use for whatever services I'd like. Yep, I burst into tears right there at the table. She and I don't usually exchange gifts but we both think turning 50 is a pretty big (very good) deal. So now I have three years to think up something nice to do for her.

Dinner was scrumptious. I was glad I'd forced myself to stop eating before I finished my dinner, because we went to Mom & Dad's house for dessert. Gretchen bought 7 slices of all varieties of chocolate cakes, pies and tarts from The Little Bakery. We literally sat around the dining room table, forks in hand, passing the plates around the table so we could all try everything. It was all very delicious!

My Marine nephew, Nick, called me from Camp LeJeune, NC, to wish me happy birthday - what a nice surprise that was!

Simon gave me the Oprah 20th Anniversary DVD collection. I didn't even know I wanted it until I saw it playing on the TVs at BJ's Wholesale Club last week. I thought it was just a compilation of a bunch of shows, most of which I've seen over the years or in various other retrospectives. But when it was playing on the TVs, I saw it also included Oprah introducing each clip, talking about the interviews she's done. It also includes a personal tour of Oprah's home (which one??) and a Day in the Life of the Oprah Winfrey Show. I can't wait to watch it - 17 hours on 6 discs!

Steve said he could not think of a thing to give me or an activity I'd want to do for my birthday - until he thought of something that he said guiltily, was partly for him. He wants us to fly somewhere in April for a long weekend - just the two of us. He says we both really need a break from our lives. He needs it especially - he's got work stress on top of family stress, poor guy. And yes, his suggestion made me cry! I'm the one who is always making the plans and wants to go away. He's always game but it's not usually on his "radar screen", as he says. So this was a pretty big deal for him to think of this. He said we could research together where to go.

My first thought was concern for Simon - because I'd told him I was not leaving the house overnight until he doesn't live here anymore. I'm afraid of Simon having a party that gets out of control, even through no fault of his own. I know how things are with teenagers when they learn parents aren't home. It scares me; I've heard stories. So I talked to Simon who immediately volunteered that he would not have any parties while we were gone. I thought for sure he'd lobby to have a small party - but maybe that's coming yet. He has yet to do anything to cause me not to trust him. His actions and words always match. So I'm going to trust him. And call him frequently. And have Gretchen check in on him. Actually, now Simon is saying he can't wait until we go away so when we come home and find nothing bad has happened and he's kept his word, he can rub it in my face. He was saying it good naturedly, cracking me up.

So I'm very excited about the upcoming trip. I'm open to suggestions! Gretchen suggested Savannah, GA or Baltimore. I've emailed my friend Kathy, who spent time in Charleston last year - I think that's where it was. We don't want anything very touristy. Some place where there's stuff to do - not shopping, not amusement parks - things to see - an aquarium, a zoo, interesting art. We typically like to do stuff in the morning and maybe veg in the room in the afternoon and go out to dinner. We're kind of homebodies, I guess, even on vacation - with a little action thrown in. Anyway. Ideas?

Okay, now I'm done. You don't have to hear me yak on about my birthday any more. It was a raging success. And now I'm 50.

Oh! Speaking of 50, I read in the paper this morning that James Taylor turns 58 this year. I laughed out loud and told Steve that I read that and thought, "Wow, he's young, not even 60 yet." A couple of days ago I would have read that and said, "Wow, he's old - pushing 60!" Perspective is everything.

Make sure you go read the very nice entry Gretchen wrote about me in her blog, The Year in Red. Long-time readers may remember that piece from years ago - and she threatens there's a Part Two coming. Yes, it made me cry again. (Anyone seeing a pattern here, with the crying??)