Progressive birthday

My birthday was Friday, and by that point I was so shot that I only wanted to go home and die, which I pretty much did in a stupor on the couch all evening, wrapped in a blanket and with Hunter curled up with me. So it was just as well that my little birthday blessings came in smaller pieces. Went for a late-night nosh with Michele on Thursday night. Nancy sent me these lovely flowers at work on Friday, such a day-brightener. Deeta's got my number with those Barnes & Noble gift cards - I had only just had fun spending the last one she gave me so now I've got a backup. On Saturday, Keith called - JD is up from Cordova and was in a cooking mood and TC and the boys were over, so I spent the evening there as the token female, drinking TC's margaritas and doing my share of eating. They'd made beer-can chicken with Alabama barbecue (mayonnaise/vinegar/cayenne drench) , wilted spinach with bacon dressing, blue cheese potato salad (Oh. My.) and peanut butter pie. My arteries are another year older and another millimeter clogged after that. Worth it for sure. They sent me home with a card and a grocery sack containing DIY gin and tonics. On Sunday it was over to Dirk & Kari's for soul-soothing chicken and dumplings and a surprise birthday bouquet and ice cream cake. Kari gave me a lovely card about friendship and family, and inside there was a gift certificate for a massage which is scheduled this evening. After these weeks of physical pain, I am really looking forward to that. On Monday, George & Becky stopped in with a bag full of birthday surprises, and Marjorie left a gift certificate in my mailbox at FOP and a voicemail that said "Don't spend time thanking me, just go take a nap."

So it was a leisurely birthday trickle, just about the speed this old girl can manage anymore. I'm so grateful to have good people who love me.