Three Weeks, Starting Now

Happy Birthday To Me!

My birthday is in 2 days. A dear friend's birthday was four days ago. So we celebrate together on the the 15th.  We even have a Designated Driver...heaven forbid that two old ladies get out on the road after a couple of gin and tonics!

A woman who also shares January as a birth month shared a little known fact with me about birthdays and 'women of a certain age'!  When you get to be our age, birthdays last for three weeks!

Yesterday was the first day of my three weeks. The Guy's family had a birthday party a week ago for all of us January birthdays. It was really nice, the cake was delicious and company very agreeable. I'm not counting that as part of my three weeks (call me selfish if you want but, too bad,  I can't hear you).

What are your plans, you might ask?

1.  Happy hour with dear friend at Shameless O'Leery's. Excellent Time. Most delicious food, good drinks and stimulating conversation. Follow-up at my house for an hour or two.

2. Mani-Pedi...just because!

3. Lunch with my mountain friend at the Dunsmuir Brewery Works. Can't wait!

4. Dinner with friends on Sunday and then off to see Decades; music from Big Band sound of the '40's, old Standards then up through the decades to present tunes! Really looking forward to it. I've heard the music is superb.

5. Looking for a couple of pieces of furniture (large picture frames, tables, chests and benches to refinish with milk paint for resale) I'm headed for a little shopping trip to Chico. Going to check out Tuesday Morning, Home Goods and maybe TJ Maxx, and, of course, lunch at Italian Cottage. Can't be that close and not get a hot pastrami sandwich!

6. Painting and rearranging my bedroom (not work to me, I love painting and change).

7.Thought one morning I might head over to Barnes & Noble, grab a good book, a great coffee and do a little reading and people watching. I like to watch people and make up stories about their lives, jot down some notes and write a story or two.  Plus, there is something special about sitting alone, smelling coffee and new books while listening the the hum of conversations. Then there is the quiet whisper of all those books: "Pick me! Pick me!"

8. Driving to Jackson to deliver 50+ year old encyclopedia set to the man whose mother sold them to my mother.  His mother is passed and he is so excited to be getting the books. He was my first boyfriend during the Jurassic period. I was 14 and he was 16. I really loved him but he often told me he was going to be a priest when he grew up. We are still best buds. He never did become a priest. Joined the army during the Vietnam War and decided there was no God. Very nice man.

9. Leaving options open... for the other days! Definitely will include a new pair of Lapis earrings, so will be dropping in at the Beadman. Might as well pick up some sage, and a bottle of Sandlewood essential oil.

I know, you are probably all wondering, what about your parents! I will be in and out of parents home. There will be grocery shopping, hanging out, etc. But I am seriously taking time to release the pressure by taking care of me this month.

There is always next month to go back to being a stress-case!

Okay, got to pack up the books in the bookcase in bedroom. It is ridiculous how many books we have in this house. I should open up my own coffee shop and let people browse the books. The cost of a cup of coffee? You must take two books home with you when you leave (and promise to be very, very good to each volume).