Fifty-One

I just love birthdays! This was a very good birthday. So many people were so wonderful. I got lots of cards in the mail. Since I have been developing some self control I actually saved them to open on my birthday. I got off work at 2, came home and sat on a lounge chair in the sun to open my cards.

I work with the best volunteers! They are wonderful people all year round, but they were especially nice to help me celebrate my birthday. They brought flowers, cards, candy and balloons. Gladys baked my very favorite red velvet cake and it was yummy! I got lots of hugs and birthday wishes reminding me of how fortunate I am to work with such wonderful people.

Dale did a beautiful job of helping me celebrate my birthday. He took me to my favorite spot for artichoke dip and Merlot. He even told me about it a couple of days ahead so that I could look forward to it and answer my friends when they asked what we were doing. We took a sunset stroll at Gray's Lake after our dinner which was wonderful! He brought me flowers and wrapped presents too. I have to admit that I told him after the first couple of years that the birthday dinner didn't count as a gift. I guess that's part of my history with birthdays. I love the celebration and I think I have passed that on to my children. They probably have higher birthday expectations too. . . thanks to me! (Sorry about that, Travis and Briana! But it is fun, isn't it?)

Dale suggested that it be a birth-weekend rather than just one day and I thought that sounded like a wonderful idea! When he asked what I wanted to do on Saturday the answer was easy. I wanted to go hiking in the woods, preferably at Ahquabi Lake near Indianola. It was a gorgeous day near seventy degrees and perfect for hiking. Tiny flowers were blooming on the floor of the woods and the trees were budding beautifully. It felt so good to be in the woods and near the lake. The trails up and down hills were also a great workout after the birthday cake and wine!