So, yes, Tuesday was my birthday.  I’m 40 now, can you believe it?  I can’t.

My day was less than stellar.  Not because I turned 40, but just a variety of things failed to be.  It was a mildly difficult day, but since it was my one day to be completely self involved (well, not really), it was not so good.

For one, I had to make dinner.  Boo had to fill a Cub Scout requirement that night, so we couldn’t go out.  I slaved over my favorite dinner - Chicken Pot Pie and felt very sorry for myself.

Some good things did happen - one of which was a phone call from one of my 8 Friends Named Jen.  She left me a message in which she sang “Happy Birthday” and wished me well and then at the very end remembered to tell me who she was.  Made me smile.

And my grandparents sent me flowers!  The whole concept of someone ringing the doorbell and handing over flowers was baffling to the children.  “How did ‘they’ know it was your birthday?” Boo asked.  “The flowers are from Grandma Honey and Papa T.  They were there when I was born,” I explained.  I think Boo is still trying to figure out how the flowers got from California to here.

Here’s the flowers -

Aren’t they pretty?  There are irises, one of my favorite flowers!

My day recovered after a call from my friend Tami, followed by chocolate cake, cards from the children and presents.

This is from my parents:

Can you believe I’ve gone forty years without a proper cake plate? But wait, it gets better…

Turn both the base and the lid over and it becomes a punch bowl!

Remove the lid/bowl and it’s a chip and dip/veggie and dip server!

Put the lid back on to keep your veggies fresh.

Sadly, it does not make julienne fries, but it is very cool nonetheless.

From Philip and the children:

This wonderful Polish pottery bowl in Stars and Stripes.  I’m not really into Polish Pottery, but I love this bowl!  Check out the inside…

We did go out to dinner on Wednesday, so that was good.  I’ve been trying to convince Philip that it’s not so much a birth day as 40 Days of Celebrations, but he’s not buying it.

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I seemed to have forgotten all about my blog last week.  Actually, it was there at the back of mind, nagging me.  Poor, neglected blog.  Alas, Philip was gone last week, leaving me with all the burden of being Solely Responsible.  Plus, anything that was truly blog-worthy had to do with him being absent, a fact I did not want to share at the time.

And so here I am.  And why does my blog still have its Christmas theme going on?

So while Philip was off doing whatever it is that he gets paid the big bucks to do, I practiced great feats of strength known as single parenthood.

That Monday was, of course, the one day out of the month when ballet and scouts collide.  I dropped Pumpkin Girl off at ballet, then returned home to feed the boys.  Forty minutes later I dropped off Boo at his scout meeting, then headed back to the dance studio for Pumpkin.  Back home to feed her, then back out to pick up Boo.  All the while eyeing (eying?) the gas gauge and wondering why Philip had left me with only a 1/4 tank of gas.

‘Cause you know, far be it from me to actually pump my own gas.

Wednesday afternoon was a gift, with all three children off at Religious Education classes.  I had precisely 1 hour and 5 minutes of quiet.  Bliss, I tell you!

By the end of the week, one toilet was clogged, the house key no longer worked on one of the doors, I ran out of decaf coffee and for some reason, my coffee cups no longer found their way to the dishwasher like usual, but instead remained next to the  computer.  Puzzling.

I did manage to color my hair, rearrange my bedroom closet, find a table cloth at Goodwill for $2 and get most of the Christmas decorations put away.

(Did you notice I have completely avoided mention of the Impending Doom of My Advancing Age? I’m in denial)

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Well, I guess it’s time.  Time to change my picture that appears in my sidebar.  Afterall, the old picture is 5 years old and I’m approaching a Major Milestone Birthday this month.

I like the old picture.  You can read the story behind it here: The Haircut. But I guess it’s time to let it go.

So I had a little photo session with myself in the bathroom mirror and behold…the me that is me today.

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Pumpkin Girl finally started piano lessons again.  After searching long and hard (or really just avoiding the issue), I found a very nice homeschool graduate working his way through college. Unfortunately, our music room now looks like this:

We had our very last household goods shipment arrive last week and we’re slowly working our way through it.

I was in the shower when the household goods arrived and saw them for the first time as I came downstairs.  I was happily distracted by all our long awaited storage stuff and, well…I stepped into air.  I did something to my ankle, not a sprain and probably not broken since I could walk on it, but it was definitely painful.  I had to stop wearing my favorite Dansko shoes and be extra careful picking my way through all the snow, lest I reinjure myself.  My ankle hurt for so long that I was starting to wonder if I should go have it x-rayed in my spare time (ha!), and then  I caught a cold.

Not just any cold, but a breathe-through-your-mouth, cough-up-phlegm, and update-your-will, kind of cold.  At the end of the last two days I was completely. wiped. out.  I went to bed hours early.  And lo and behold, I woke up this morning with my ankle feeling almost completely better.  Full range of motion, no more stabbing pains.  I guess it just needed a rest.

So feeling able to walk again, we went to the mall and I got my hair cut.  I came home and immediately had Philip take a picture.   It doesn’t really show off the cut, but pretend it does and tell me it’s cute.

In review:

Music room full of boxes
I fell down the stairs
I caught the mother of all colds and took to my bed
Rest made my ankle feel better
Better ankle meant a trip to the mall
I got a haircut
Comments are required requested optional but encouraged on how cute I look.
Thus, my story of seemingly unrelated events comes to an end.

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When I was in grade school, we learned a Christmas song that I absolutely loved. Sadly, time and distance has stolen most of the lyrics out of my memory and I can only remember snippets of it. I tried Google, but alas, the words were so common that none of the search results were even close. So I’m asking for help - I learned this song in Catholic school in the late 70’s or early 80’s and part of it went like this:

“…shepherds were tending,
tending their woolly sheep all the night long.

Out from the dark sky angels came singing,
angels from heaven and sang us their song:

Jesus is born!
Jesus is born!”

Trying to remember the whole song is driving me crazy! If you know the title or the rest of the lyrics, PLEASE let me know!!

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The storm that brought down this tree at the White House last week:

Did this to our neighbors’ flag pole:

Notice how the flag pole is mounted below the gutter and is bent backwards over the roof.

Spring storms - not my favorite things.

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Today is my birthday and in honor of the occassion, I declare a national holiday.  Go ahead, take today off!  And if you live in DC, take tomorrow off, too.

It’s ok, you can thank me later.

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Here’s a funny story for you, just because.

About 15 years ago, there was a commercial for Jello No Bake Cheesecake.  A youngish woman was busy getting ready for some sort of informal get together at her house and thankfully, with all she had to do, spending time making a delicious cheesecake was not one of them. Thanks to Jello, of course.  Her friends are complimenting her on the cheesecake and asking her where she bought it and she says she made it herself.  One friend says, “You made it yourself?! No wonder you didn’t have time to do your hair!”  At which they all laugh and the hostess throws her napkin at her friend.  The ad ends with the line, “Jello No Bake Cheesecake - you’ll even have time to do your hair.”

Cute ad, right?

At the time, Philip was attending an Army school and the wives would often have coffees - it’s actually a Social Function, not just a couple of friends over for a cuppa.  A Coffee involves more extensive cleaning of your home, a couple of different tasty treats and nicer clothes.  Still informal, but a Function, nonetheless.  We sit around talking and socializing and if there is any information that needs to be broadcast, this is the place to do it.  Don’t get it mixed up with lunch at the club or a Family Support Group meeting (or whatever we’re calling them these days) or a Welcome or Farewell Tea.  Anyhoo…we had coffees about once a month at different people’s homes.

So we’re having a coffee and all is well and we’re talking and having a good time.  Someone compliments the hostess on her cheesecake and she says, “Oh it’s a Jello No Bake Cheesecake.”

Oh yes I did.

And oh no, they did not.

That is, they did not laugh when I promptly blurted out, “No wonder you didn’t have time to do your hair.”  One of the girls- I call us girls because we were all in our early 20s - even glared at me.  I was aghast when I realized that they had no idea what I was referencing.  Apparently I was the only person who had seen the commericial. I explained myself and got some laughter, and thankfully the hostess was gracious and understanding.  The one who glared at me never saw the humor, but she was sort of snooty anyway.

I’m not sure there is a moral to this story.  Just something funny to warm your probably freezing day.

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Isn’t it odd when those online quizzes get you almost exactly right?

Female Icon Quiz …

You Are a Marilyn!

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OK, so I am practically alone with my unmatched scarf, hat and coat combo.  Do I get any credit for at least having a somewhat neutral blue winter coat? At least no one called Stacy and Clinton over my pink clogs.  That would make me cry.

So my theory on this whole matchy-matchy scarf-coat thing was that if you grew up someplace where a coat and scarf was a matter of daily survival, then you were more likly to match them.  If you’re going to have to wear a coat and a scarf every single day, then you’ve got to look good doing it.

On the other hand, I theorized, if you grew up where a jean jacket was all you needed all winter, then a scarf was a superfluous accessory.  You might choose any ol’ scarf that struck your fancy, since you weren’t actually going to wear it with a coat or anything.  Ah, the days of the turtleneck layered with a sweatshirt, cute scarf around the neck!  And that was because my high school had no interior hallways.  All classrooms opened up to the outdoors, where one might freeze walking to and from classes on a 60 degree January day without that scarf.

What I hadn’t counted on was the Southerners weighing in on my highly scientific study.  Of course those now living in colder climates would match their scarves and coat.  Being well coordinated is bred into Southerners.  Just don’t tell them about the white sandals I was wearing during last week’s Indian Summer.

So I guess I’m going to have to get more coats, like my friend Shanti, who grew up in California like me, but who can now be spotted on The Hill with a matching scarf and coat.  Yes, I think that’s my answer.  More winter coats for me!  Must do my part to stimulate the economy.

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