It IS my birthday!

I did shed some tears but they were the happy kind of tears.

I did not have the kind of sorrow over Bob and all of last year’s events that I anticipated. I am thankful that mostly I am able to remember the “big orange sun” of Bob’s love and companionship and maybe because this summer is so different than last…there is no morbidness in this August – a good thing!

The wee hours of my birthday started with thunderstorms and rain.

…but, in a good way as the thunder was of the rumbly kind vs the sky splitting kind.

And the rain is very welcome.

Auggie moved from his fleece to my shoulder and both he and Bear allowed me to sleep well past my normal 5-5:30 wake up until shortly after 6:00 a.m.! I thanked them both for the birthday sleep-in.

I had hot coffee for the first time in many mornings. And my good dog at my feet. Auggie was on the kitchen chair. It was a perfect morning.

I thought to document the day with photos of my here and there….BUT there was so much traffic, even at 8:30 on the way to farmer’s market…everything took longer than anticipated so I did not stop for photos…

The day’s haul will be evidence of where Bear and I travelled.

Farmer’s Market: The wood owl is a new nightlight, chard, cucumber, lemon-cucumber, summer squash and tomatoes.

Grocery: cabbage, lemons, limes, MT Wheat flour, lotion, cilantro and Dixon, MT cantaloupes!! The cantaloupes are my birthday dessert. Dixon, MT cantaloupes are eagerly awaited here. I have been enjoying Washington State cantaloupes but was so hoping the Dixon’s would be here for my birthday and I was NOT disappointed.

A stop at Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply for some new collars for Auggie, an Auggie toy, a pig’s ear for Mr. Bear (not pictured as he had half in the Jeep and the other half when we got home!) and for me!!! – Apple licorice and Cinnamon licorice. There is actually no real licorice in either and mostly sugar and corn syrup and even HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! But it is MY birthday and I love this stuff so… Happy Birthday to me!

Bear after enjoying his home half pig’s ear.

By the time I unloaded and put all away…

… with the traffic and everything taking longer than expected…

it was after noon.

And it was my birthday…

So I opened the birthday wine.

While I was pouring, Bear came in shaking his head.

But today, I was able to extract the foxtail myself.

Hoo-rah.

It might not look like much, but in one’s ear…OWW!

So.

Today. August 16, 2014. The 59th anniversary of the day I was born.

My mother emailed me her memory of the day.

I’ve heard my birth story before, but I never tire of hearing it again.

I was born in Toledo, OH – Midwest in the United States. Typically HOT and HUMID in mid-August and 59 years ago no air conditioning in most homes and hospitals.

Family brought a fan to my mother’s room. My mother relates that the nurses attended closely to cool in the breeze from that fan.

My father was present for my birth but right after had to leave for National Guard duty: band camp as he was part of the National Guard Band.

He sent a letter to me.

Actually, it was a love letter to my mother.

The letter is written in pencil and it has faded and looking at it today, I realized I needed to preserve it so I’ve entered it and saved it.

It is a beautiful letter and the words, the subsequent actions of both my father and my mother…I was and am a dearly loved child. No one could ask for more. Reading the letter, and another from my mother to me when I was an adult and reflecting on all of my years and the love of my father (he died almost 33 years ago) , my mother, my two step-fathers (my first step-dad died in 1996)…

It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to – it has been a wonderful day.