People,
Over the last 24 hours folks wished me “Happy Birthday” and I responded with a polite happy ‘thank you”. It was amazing to hear from so many. Even from reunited 20 years ago high school friends. Then they ask:
“So what’s special today”
“How are the celebrations going along?”
“What gifts did you get?”
“What treat?”
“How did the birthday go?”
“So wheres’ the party?”
..and so on.
I reply with a completely baffled expression: “Yea, it’s good. I mean, really, it’s just another day right?”
They “look” at me like I just told them am a mutated specie from Saturn, or worse, that I am a pre-historic dodo. We shall not get into any more details for now.
So since I was just asked again and I repeated myself for the umpteenth time, and got sick of it, I decided I’d just as well post it and save everyone the hassle. Then again, considering how I am right and you are wrong, it shall serve all of you right for asking me! *wicked laugh*
What? Nope, you don’t escape siree!
Woke up, got dressed, woke daughter up, she groans out “happy birthday mommy” and I melt. Then go down pack lunches, yell and scream for the other two to wake up. Sister-in-law from India calls me, and after a few giggles and thankyou’s I hang up as it was already pushing 7 am. Son wonders if school’s on, and clicks the TV on. Groundhog day special! Oh yaa, mom,it’s your birthday, happy birthday! Husband walks up, overhears conversation and hugs me a happy birthday! Yay. Munchkin follows suit.
Get to work. PYT colleague gets me Rafaello coconut chocolates. (I’d originally got hooked to it in Brussels and used to pay 235 BEF for a 15 or so little pack. Yum stuff!) Another friend walks in with the flowers that I proudly displayed in my previous post. She’s a darling and had rounded up a few of us and took us to Uno’s for lunch. Was a good lunch. Relaxing, fun and no stress. Just like old times. Come back and the inbox has my really adorable PYT manager send me a ‘happy birthday’ in the largest letters that Outlook can handle. O yay!
Facebook, twitter, orkut, inbox keep bringing in more ‘you have new mail’ icons. I reply diligently, with a smile.
Work.
More work.
Through all of that there’s a background itchy bug droning on in my head. Couldn’t get rid of it. Enough work piled. Tried working more. Stayed late.
Got on chat with a new “girlfriend-shrink” and of course felt a bit better.
Came home, munchkin wanted a cake, so husband got one. She insisted I stick in 37 candles, and then was gently asked to count the number in the pack. She said 12 triumphantly. So I told her we’d just stick 3, one for each decade. Complete be-sur happy birthday songs ensued. Like a trooper I cut, forked and fed everyone. Got fed too. Well, it was black forest, who’d resist that. Had take out desi dinner.
While husband cleaned up and loaded the dishwasher, I got back to writing an article I accepted to do. Old lost friend decides to show up and be nice to the birthday girl.
Felt good. Smiled. Laughed. (yea, I did laugh)
Finished the article. Went to bed exhausted.
Slept.
End of the day.
Oh right, the day before, Sunday at dance class, the whole 50 or so kids of all ages sang for me, while I shriveled and shut my face in embarrassment. Never tell anyone below the age of 8 it is your birthday. They will hound you to death till you give them a number. I chose 21. They stared at me for a huge long moment, while I continued to smugly smile. I won.
The daughter shouts from the back “Mom, I am 13 here!”
I say: “yeah, so?”
She: “I give up!”
End of my story. Now you tell me.
What do you do on your birthday anyway?! No really, tell me. Singles and love birds, please may I request you to shut up. Okay, on second thoughts, be gentle and try not to rub it in? 🙁
Looks like I missed the previous post – happy birthday! 😀
Glad it ended in a laugh 🙂 Here’s to many more…laughs, that is.
-g
gauri: Yu so did didn’t ya! You so totally missed my day :p
I hope so too. Felt good laughing 🙂
I did nothing also ya! For all the newly married hype 🙂
The only thing I received on my bday was 2 things from Bath and Body works with strict instructions and reasons why they were bought 😀 Orange-ginger body wash is supposed to relieve me of tension, SO he bought it. While the Kaolin-Rosemary scrub is natural and he doesn’t want me to ‘paint’ my face, so he asked me to try to look pretty wiht that.
Painting face includes moisturiser to prevent my face from looking like am on other side of 60 and kajal is coz I’ve worn kajal all my life and lip balm. This is paint. Sigh.
Long comment no? Sorry 😀
Many Happy returns of the day !!
Missed the post I said 😛 Nice flowers btw, those 🙂
g
Argh! I knew I should not have asked..coz I absolutely hate it when I’m supposed to give an answer :-D. It is definitely just another day for me..so am hard-pressed to match the enthusiasm of the question posers!
Well, at least you got a post out of it 😉
Happy belated bday Rads!
@–\– That’s a flower for u
I had a party for my b’day only some 3 years back for the very first time!
I stopped feeling like it was a special day soon after school cos I stopped distributing chocolates after that:)
A year already? wow! Hope it was happy, and nice to know you got flowers and chocolates 🙂 Let’s see what happens on mine, on the 1st of March (I’m going to be – *gasp* – 40…
wait now, am I the only who who didn’t say sweet things?
and all that amounts to just another day!! Oh My, my life is pathetic……
i am glad did not ask you that Question….If i was not neck deep buried in work, you would have definetly gotten that question from me…
Well i am a sucker of Its_my_sepcial_day_make_me_feel_special kinds….and husband is like you..I want to dress up good, get gifts, go out and celebrate..husband feels whats to celebrate when one is getting old 🙁
Husband wakes me up with kisses and cuddles. He looks deep into my eyes, says “I love you” and kisses me all over my body – one for each year. He usually takes the day off from work. We drive to the mountains, ride horses, and the day ends with soft music, candlelight and wine, on a blanket spread in front of the fireplace. Bouquets of red roses and diamonds are always part of the celebrations.
Do you need more details?
i thnk it shd b a ‘break’ frm nrml life … u had spl things on, but it was ‘combined’ w/ routine stff too so u did’nt feel it as much .. u shd proably take the day off frm hubby & kids (if u luv hubby a lot, u can include him in yr fun;-)) .. and do what u enjoy doin … jst fr tt day .. it SHD NT hv anythin tt u do as a routine ..
i thnk tt’s what i want …
:–) U have had a much better budday than the one I had last year. All alone in Israel, with very few people wishing me in person. DH decided to give my gift after I returned, so I didnt get any gifts too :–S
Damn, I cant even comment !!!
SK: ah but see, last year was HORRID. in very many ways. After that experience, anything would be good 🙂
In person aa? er, I can count 5 maybe?
Gifts? What gifts?
mlc: Yeah, it should rt? I agree. I have always foudn birthdays to be special. I make sure everyone around me feel that way.
Cynicm catches up with you after awhile I guess.
lol@if u luv hubby a lot, u can include him in yr fun;-))
Good point!
terri: Whoa!
Right, let’s spare the others, this much detail and they already must be extremely jealous of you 😛
Jaya: You got me wrong. I have no issues with age, in fact one should really go celebrate the day. In as grand way as possible. Just that one should be fortunate to have that happen too 🙂
So I’d say am more like you than your husband.
Priya: heh, if I can’t strum up such a post whats the point doing it for this long eh? 😀
Max: yes, max. You were the last to wish me and you didn’t say anything sweet at all. :p
I know you meant it, so yea, you’re excused. 🙂
shyam: I knoww! It’s a year since we’ve been reading each other. Time does fly eh!? 🙂
Ah please 30, 40, 50 – who cares for the physical age right?
Gayatri: hehe, nice logic. You know how in India teh birthday girl is asked to buy lunch for all, here, its the other way around. It’s quite nice actually. Makes one feel important. 🙂
La Vida: Thank you 🙂
CW: Totally! 😀
I have 14 drafts baking in the oven, but the ones that make it are the ones I scribble quick. Like this one, under 15 minutes, just coz I felt I ought write, to push the earlier post down! 😀
gauri: heh, I couldn’t let that line go 😛
Yep, still fresh today too 🙂
Cuckoo: Thank youuuu! 🙂
Nandini: no no, I LOVE long comments. I make them too.
BBW’s products are nice, though I must ask now: Does husband like orange and/or ginger? 😀
Hey you did more than what ppl usually do!
I spent my last birthday at work. The birthday before that was on a Monday and I was in school, so I forced people to go drinking with me – so the week had a jolly good start 😀
and what about 2010? 🙂