Birthday

By the numbers

First text: Dad, at 5:56 A.M.
Last text: Ateca, at 4:14 P.M.
Texts, total: 7

Birthday cards: 2, from Alana and Mrs. Dicy

Reasons I don't have more
Siblings: I'll see you this weekend and give it to you with your present
Mom: You're going to love your cute card as soon as I find it
Cody: I don't know why cards are such a big deal

Other good mail
Christmas cards: from Travis and Alana, Erin, Stanley and Juanita
Magazines: some music magazine for the people who used to live in our house with Monsters of Folk on the cover, and Martha Stewart Living--it's like a birthday present from Martha herself every month, but still!

Presents!
Cody: Monsters of Folk's album and Jim James's tribute album to George Harrison. Ignore what I said the other day.


Mom: lunch, and an ornament (see superawesome picture! It makes the sound when you turn the rotary and everything!!!), an instruction manual for a camera I don't have, but may someday, and trail mix.

Mrs. Dicy: a wallet and Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

Other fun birthday things:
I cashed a check at a bank where I don't have an account, and the woman who looked at my ID was really enthusiastic when she wished me a happy birthday.

Casey, Lainey, and a waitress I never remember the name for wished me a happy birthday. And Casey gave me my food in a to-go box and wrote on top of it.

Cody made a three-layer Italian cream cake and saved a piece for me.

I don't have to tell you what comes next, do I?

I enjoyed some Dunkin' Donuts coffee with my birthday cake this morning and I'll have some Chex mix for a snack.

Good birthday. Good day after the birthday.

Thanks for the nice comments and texts and lovely wishes.

And, in case you're wondering, yes.

I do feel different.

It feels good.