Another birthday

My cousin~ Big Al~ Putting the  "Happy" in Birthday!

It's not my birthday.

Don't panic. You didn't forget.

It's my Granny's birthday. I can't tell you how old she is. It's not a secret. I just quit counting at 60! She probably did too. When you get to be a certain age you just don't keep track.....well, at least I don't. I stopped counting my own years at 29. That was a few years ago.......or so. I think when you become as socially inactive as I am, you stop keeping track because you don't really go out and celebrate it anymore.You're not presented with a cake and a million candles to remind you of your age.  When is the last time you blew out a candle on your own birthday cake?

The last time I had my very own birthday cake is probably one of my fondest memories of my ex husband. I don't mean any disrespect to my husband now. But, It's true. There's this local bakery that makes a delicious cake. My ex knew how much I loved their cake. So he ordered a cake for my birthday. It was beautifully decorated with the prettiest icing flowers and swirly vines. It had my name on it. It meant a lot to me. It tasted as good as it looked. I think I might've gained a few pounds that year. Anyway, I think as parents we tend to overlook our own birthdays and hope that someone else will take the initiative to plan a celebration. The kids usually don't take it upon themselves to plan a party. Or maybe you're not the celebrating type. I for one, do not like to go to a resteraunt and have the waiters show up and sing happy birthday to me. I try to pretend that they are singing to someone else at the table. I find nothing wrong with a tastey birthday cake shared with family at home. NO candles. Let's just cut the darn thing and eat it! I don't need you to sing to me! Just a high five will do! Maybe a "Congrats on making it another year".

I guess when you get to be my Grannys age and you've outlived some of your kids, it might be hard to celebrate. But, let's try to celebrate the good times and our many accomplishments. Carry those with us. Let the bad things stay where they are. Close that book, learn that lesson and just keep trucking. So, to my Granny, Happy Birthday young lady! I love you so very much! Thank you for teaching me the right way to vaccum and do dishes, even though I still do it my way! I know we don't always agree but we can at least agree on that! If I was there I would plan a party for you and the toddler would sing happy birthday. She's practicing! Although, I think she has come up with a mix of Happy Birthday and Jingle Bells.......but it works! And here's a little advice. If you're faced with a cake full of birthday candles this year and can't muster the wind to blow them out, excuse yourself, grab the blow dryer, plug it in and blow those suckers out before they drip all over the cake! :)