July 06th, 2018

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It was around this time last year, as I recall, and come to think of it the year before that (you see a pattern emerging) that I took a week off.  Well, I'm doing it again!  You see, it's Birthday Time!  My birthday is on the 9th and Tim's is on the 11th so we celebrate twice in one week!

Originally actually Tim and I celebrated our birthdays together on the 10th.  It seemed efficient and fairly humble. Just something small and very family oriented. Dinner with us and the kids, a special treat for dessert, a few simple gifts and cards and it was very sweet.  But the kids grew up and started lives of their own and moved away, then we moved, then we moved again. It's getting to be a habit!  So now it's just us. And we decided a few years back, in fact, before we moved to Florida, that since we couldn't be with our families on birthdays we needed to do something to make our birthdays  extra special.  We began making a vacation out of our birthdays.

Often it was actually more of a staycation with lots of relaxing and day trips which suits me right down to the my toes.  But other times it was a bigger trip, further away and even more exciting and that is just fine with me too.  And I never know what it's going to be.

You see, Tim likes to surprise me. I like to be surprised.  Isn't it nice how that worked out? So while we both have next week off, only one of us knows how and where that week is being spent.  It could be at home with daily excursions which sounds very fun.  It could be a matter of jumping on a plane or a bus or a train or a boat or a space ship for all I know, and that sounds very fun too!  But I have no idea. None. And what's more, I like it that way! I love the surprise!  But I'm also the person who doesn't want to know how the magician pulled the rabbit out of his hat too. So you are warned, if you happen to know, do NOT tell me!

Tim is thoughtful about this surprise, he  will give me a hint or two about how to pack, if packing is needed but that's about it. And my anticipation grows ;)  I have had a GREAT time on every vacation we have ever had so I know whatever it turns out to be, it will be the best time ever ;)

So, in short, I will not be here next week but I have no idea where I will be!  How exciting is that??!!  Meanwhile, just because I liked it so much the first time I wrote it (which sounds very much like bragging doesn't it? I apologize) I am going to repost my Birthday Rules which still apply, regardless of where we are or what we are doing.

                                                         BIRTHDAY RULES

1. Number one and most important on this hit parade:  It's all about the birthday person.  It really is.  No exceptions. If it's your birthday, everything that day is about you. Period.

2. Of course, to be absolutely fair, I am not a person who really likes being the center of a big crowd of people. But a small, comfortable, familiar crowd is fine. In fact it's awesome.  A small group of people that I really care about it absolutely perfect.  If that group consists of me and one other person, sometimes that is the best group of all.

3. And there should be at least one treat that a person rarely has, like cake. Or ice cream.  Or cake AND ice cream.  And for heaven's sakes, if a person is going to indulge, it should be the good stuff. The real deal. No fake, crappy substitutes.  And speaking as a person with Lactose Intolerance, if I'm going to suffer later, I want the suffering to be worthwhile, which means the ice cream must be primo.

4. There should be a few cards, some of them should have sparkles, some flowers, some funny, some touching or maybe thought provoking. I like cards.  I set them up on top of the big display cabinet in the living room and admire them for far to long afterwards.

5. There should be some sort of contact from people far away, whether it's phone calls or emails or texts or facebook posts or telepathic thoughts, heaps of good wishes from folks far away makes a birthday extra special.  To think that all of those people bothered to take the time to acknowledge your existence on your birthday shows that you matter in this life.  That's important.

6. There should be no chores on your birthday.  Not one single solitary gotta-do should be done by the birthday celebrant.  Those things can either wait a day to be done, or someone else needs to do them.  I'm immovable on this fact.

7. The birthday person gets to choose what or where to eat for dinner.  And no matter what they choose, that's what dinner is.  Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.  It is the ONE day of the entire year where nobody else's likes/dislikes/or personal opinion should take precedence regarding food.

8. It should be a happy day.  Only positive comments and thoughts please.  It should be a day of smiles and laughter. If there is something negative or sad that needs to be said, keep it to yourself for one more day.  Not even boredom is allowed.

In the meantime, everyone please have a great week!  I look forward to hearing about how much fun all of you had while I was birthday-ing. You already know that you will hear about my week once I return!
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Hugs all 'round