Halfway to Santa Claus

My birthday is always filled with fun and good wishes, but this one was particularly excellent. Maybe that’s because it’s lasted a couple weeks so far, and it ain’t over yet.

First of all, my crabapple tree blossomed the first week of May, as it always does. I like to think of that as a birthday bouquet from my late Dad. That’s just the sort of thing he’d do.

Then, Mom was here the whole week before my birthday. Aside from her unfortunate run-in with gravity in my driveway, we had a fine time. We expanded our shopping horizons and ate at places we’d never visited before, including a new Chinese restaurant, a Jamaican food stand at the Global Market, and, um, Chuck E. Cheese’s. Well, we had to scout the place in case we want to take CNE there sometime, right? And I won enough tickets playing the video games to buy each of us a plastic bracelet and a Tootsie Roll, both of which could probably beat Chuck’s pizza in a taste test.

By the end of last week, birthday wishes had begun to arrive via mail and e-mail. Earlier this week, friends I hadn’t talked with in a while just happened to contact me, too. Nice surprises, guys. Thanks! Plus, I found a great deal on a video I wanted on Amazon.com, and it arrived on my birthday. So did a card from Mother Media.

A box from Sister-san showed up the day before b-day, so I saved it to open the next morning. And it contained CAKE! Well, not cake precisely, but a whole pan of homemade chocolate-caramel bars, uncut and sealed in plastic wrap. They are fantastic and only half gone so far. And as if that weren’t enough, the box also contained a novel, music, and a card handcrafted by CNE. BEST SISTER-SAN EVER!! THANK YOU!!

Continuing with the food theme, friends treated me to both tea & chocolate and lunch. I also received a book I had intended to buy for myself on the way home — I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris — using the 15% off coupon my good buddy Border’s Books had sent me. The recipes are good, the food photography is better, and the writing is priceless. I have to read it with a damp rag handy for when I snort ginger ale through my nose.

I e-mailed felicitations to the godfather of a cappella, with whom I share this auspicious birthday, and received greetings in return — the same four-word message as last year, in fact. Love ya, Sean.

Then today, large men tromped through my house delivering more gifts. First came the electrician, who installed two new outlets in my home office, one in the guest room, and one outside the back door. My laptop is currently plugged into that one. No more power strips! Huzzah!

After yet another lunch with a friend, I returned to greet the furniture guys, who brought me the new office setup Mother Media so graciously gave me. BEST MOM EVER!! THANK YOU!! The main piece is an armoire with a drop-leaf/pull-out desk inside, plus ample shelving. I can close the doors on the whole thing, and on the accompanying storage cabinet, when the office is being used as a bedroom for a visiting CNE.

To test the new setup, the office will indeed host CNE this weekend, and her parents will get to plug their alarm clock into the new outlet in the guest bedroom. I get to have them here for some post-birthday revels, and I’ll also be able to give Sister-san her Mother’s Day gift in person. Win-win-win.

Well, my guests will arrive any minute, so I’m off to make last-minute preparations and finally eat supper. Thank you to all!