yesterday

was lovely. Slept in a little, checked the mail (who's not excited about the mail on their birthday?!) and found a card from Aunt Cathy and Uncle Jimmy that made me laugh out loud, and a sweet donation with specific instructions that I do something fun with it. That made me feel like a kid, in such a good way. Birthday money always spends joyfully, and makes you think of the giver when you're treating yourself. (I'm proud to say I also put some of it in my savings. :)
Around 10 I went and had breakfast with Angie at my favorite local diner. Ward's in Saluda. It has just recently been restored and reopened and is being run again by the same family that has owned it since it was new. I had one of my most memorable kisses in the general store next door, in the middle of a snowstorm. The last owner was a dear friend (and not the kisser ;)and when he passed away, we all thought the old feeling of the place would be lost forever. There is certainly a Charlie-shaped hole there, but everyone's joy over it being reopened and having the same cooks, waitresses and regulars goes a long way toward reviving the spirit with which he imbued the place.

After breakfast, I picked up a few groceries and got back just in time to meet with my "mom-outlaw", as I call her. She took her lunch break to come see me and showed up looking pretty and sweet (and wearing a particularly dazzling pair of earrings i made for her :) and carrying a big red bag. She knows I love red and what else I love too... the bag was full of queenly goodies, a lot of little luxuries that I would absolutely choose for myself if I were totally splurging. A bottle of good sake, bag of Lindt dark chocolate*, a nice round of goat cheese and a pack of yummy sesame crackers (all the goodies gluten free. <3), a tin of ginger mints and a pretty little embroidered red-satin coin purse (just the right size for my burts' bees red lipstick, license and keys!) with a gift certificate to our favorite local sushi place. It feels so good to be so thought of and feel so cared for. The things, the gifts themselves are nice, true luxury items, but that feeling is the real treasure. Knowing that people see you and know you and want you to feel loved and honored. It's funny, all the ways that we show each other these things. Maybe that's one of the important functions of celebrating birthdays... After Peggy left, I putzed around the house a little, picking up, etc. Checked in with my peeps, worked out the plans for the evening. Went out to the river for a bit and watched (and counted - 7) crows playing in the backyard. Around teatime, I headed up the mountain and stopped in at the Heartwood Gallery for a Traci and Art fix. I looked at pretty much every item in the gallery, oohed and aahed and storytold with Traci and Olivia for a bit, and then continued on my way. Met Kendall at the parking lot, like magic we arrived at the same moment (this after coming around a stalled bus and running - almost literally - head first into my Hamilton, who was on his way to Montford to dress and warm up for the show!). Kendall and I trekked up and down downtown gathering picnic goodies (Lissy I finally used that last of your awesome Rosetta's gift certif! *mwah!*) and then met Jen and Sprout at the chocolate lounge for our pre-picnic dessert! Not only did I get a great frappucino and a bigfat coconut macaroon for later (they put a little candle in the box!!!), they gave me my canela picante truffle free as a birthday treat!
After the lounge we carpooled to Montford Park, found rock-star parking and seating and spread out our blankies. Lissy called while we were settling in, that was a nice treat too. The weather couldn't have been better. Surprisingly cool and clear, with even a little snap in the air. Starlings were crossing the sky, and here, 5 crows doing a little aerial show. We laid out our feast (I'd even brought 2 ice cold gf beers - woohoo!) and watched the evening and the drama unfold. Troilus and Cressida, the 3 quarter moon, moths dancing in spotlight with the tiny bats winging after, it was truly lovely. Traci's gift of VERY special wearable art (extremely finely made, complex, stunning silver and crystal earrings from the Heartwood Gallery made by NOLA artist Dominique Giordano, my long-time favorite!) was MUCH admired and appreciated. Then, YAY! Chris called just during intermission - perfect, so I walked and talked with him while the moon and stars rose. Sprout came up and got to say hi, but she had to hurry off, because the sword-fighting - her favorite - had begun. I told Chris goodnight and then hurried down to meet her. She waited and then we crept right to the front row. We wanted to be close for the action. While we sat and watched the war-torn, star-crossed love story unwind, I whispered to her what was going on. She is almost 7, but completely understood that Troilus loved Cressida and it hurt him to see her with Diamedes. She whispered to me about her own heartbreak over a boy from last year and told me that it still made her sad. I held her close. We were both happy when the fighting began again. I was proud of her for getting the story, knowing that Pandarus was the narrator (she knew the word!) and for being able to compare the art to her own life.
When the show was over, Hamilton came out and greeted us, and then we milled around with the other actors and crew a bit, sharing our compliments and accepting some too. When we got back to the top of the park, the other girls had packed us up. We said goodbye to Traci there, Jen drove us back to our cars, and OF COURSE Kendy convinced me to stay-ay-ay just a little bit longer. Our friends Josh & Stacey and a few other good folks we know were at an Irish Pub just around the corner. I had time on my meter still, and it's VERY hard to resist Kendall, so I went along for the company. Josh came out and paid my cover. I sat with them for another hour or so, catching up and laughing my butt off, sipping a coke, and then I slipped off and drove home under the midnight moon.

- To be continued...

*Since I was a kid, I would occasionally save money from babysitting or other work, once a month or so, and treat myself to tiny but ridiculously decadent splurges, things no one else I knew would ever want or even seemed to know about. I'd turn 5 hoarded dollars into: small packets of Twinings, a Godiva truffle, a mini loaf of good bread, a tiny jar of some exotic jam, a few slivers of lean beef and good cheese, and then I would wait until I was alone and make myself a little high tea, listen to music or read something special and dine in hidden splendor...