When I was a kid, my mom always set up a "birthday table" for me to wake up to in the morning, a tradition I have upheld for Alex and Simon's birthday(s). There was home made cake (Dr Oetker's Apfelkuchen sehr fein), a nice birthday card and a few well-thought-out, personalised presents. I always looked forward to my birthday when I was younger.
After my mother died, March 30 became a little more emotionally complicated, and I struggled with trying to make my wants known to myself and others, and attempting at various points to avoid my birthday altogether.
Don't get me wrong, I've celebrated some great birthdays in the past 20 years, but I can honestly say I am glad I'm out of the country and somewhat incognito this year!!
If I had any friends or family, and money were no object, here's what I'd wish for:
- pacsafe venture safe GII backpack in navy blue or sunset red
- a new vest, super warm and extremely lightweight
- a delicious birthday cake, WITHOUT DULCE DE LECHE!!!
- wooden chopping boards for 807
- a deck for the music cabin in PEI
- $ for flying (I haven't really flown an airplane since I finally got my pilot license last fall!)
- a weighted keyboard with graded action (Yamaha??!!) for 807 -- I am SOOOOO missing my amazing Kawai upright piano, which I sold when we moved from a house to an apartment, and would love to get back into music, and even teach the boys a little more...
- a visit to the glacier here in Argentina, at the southern tip
- gift cards for Cora, Over Easy, Everest Indian Cuisine or Spoon and Fork
- gift cards for Lush, Tilley or Body Shop
As it stands, I'll probably have to make do with a couple of home-made cards and dinner out, which is not such a bad deal, when one considers that I will be enjoying said dinner out in a light-weight jacket and pants, surrounded by the excitement of the Porteno culture, while my friends back home in Canada are still freezing in the snow of a colder March than usual!