I Adore You

Last Monday was my birthday. I hope I remember all the details I had wanted to write!

Because it was Labor Day, USA Network ran a marathon of SVU. Yes!! I was able to watch tv for Rick worked overtime, and even read a bit of Beowulf. Then we went BOWLING. I dressed as pretty as I could - my white skirt (which I realized I wore two years ago for my birthday), and my pink scoop neck top with the sequins, my sand-dollar necklace, and I pulled my hair back with my Swarovski crystal comb. I found a lovely 8 lb. swirled pink bowling ball to complete my ensemble (and of course, the very sexy blue velcro bowling shoes). My first two games were pathetic (under 100), but so were Rick's. Then I changed up my form, and bowled so well (150, baby!), about 5 strikes (maybe more?) and at least two spares, that Rick thought I had "played" him. He actually thought that I had thrown the first two games to lull him into a false sense of security! I was amazed, because what would I gain by doing that?? Rick just gets all the more competitive, and all the more accurate, when he's threatened. So of course, he stepped up a notch and still beat me with a 177. My last game was around 125, but Rick snagged a blazing 200 and we decided it was time to leave the smoke-filled alleys and do our grocery shopping for the few items we had forgotten earlier in the weekend.

I snuggled up on the couch with more SVU, while Rick went all-out making enchiladas. My cake sat comically on the counter, a domed German chocolate concoction (baked at too high of a heat - our oven is psycho, we finally figured out that it runs about 90-95 degrees hot) that had two cans of icing sliding off of it. Every once in awhile, Rick would stop paying attention to the enchiladas so he could scrape icing up off the platter and deposit it on top of the cake, where it would begin its precarious descent all over again. It was still very festive and celebratory, though, sitting next to the vase (yes, we have to pronounce it with a short a since its my birthday, a very elegant affair) of lovely white roses, gorgeous pink gerbera daisies, and purple "fill-in" flowers that I couldn't identify (looked similar to a dried lavender). The daisies became a source of entertain because for three days, they couldn't decide if they wanted to droop or perk up. They finally decided on the latter (I'd lost hope - so was pleasantly surprised), but couldn't straighten their stems all the way at the top, so I had zig-zagged daisies that looked very avant-garde. Or just plain silly (how I usually equate the two, anyway).

I had talked to my parents on the phone who were at Aunt Chris's and Uncle John's for a picnic, which means I got to talk to everyone, including Cassidy and Katie (who was very excited that chocolate cake was being served at their picnic). After I talked to Bob and Beth on the phone, we got to PRESENTS. I had been wriggling with excitement for 3 days over the PRESENTS that were innocently sitting beneath our tv, driving me nuts. Rick gave me a snappy denim jumper that I had once tried on for him, and he matched up two shirts for underneath (he was very proud and proceeded to tell me EVERYTHING about that shopping trip - I had to stop him when he got to the part about one of the shirts being on clearance). Mom and Dad sent the never-ending box of fun that worked just like a magician's top hat. I kept pulling stuff out of it. I'd get to the bottom, and more stuff would appear. It was amazing. But Mom sent some jewelry of hers that no longer fit (turquoise), stamps (including Jimmy Stewart), a build-a-bear and panera gift certificate, dark chocolate, and other things that I can't conjure up, presently. In the end, the PRESENTS were better than I ever could have imagined.

Rick and I watched JAG, having to scratch our plans of My Fair Lady (3 freakin' hours long!). I'm hoping to watch MFL tonight. Then we went to bed. There was no birthday play, because, of course, I didn't feel like it. :-(

An ethical dilemma: I amassed $170 (not counting the money Mom gave me to buy loafers, something I had expressed an interest in). Do I put it towards a years supply of contacts, or do I go to Kohl's (using the $25 gift certificate the Wessell's gave me and the 15% off coupon Kohl's sent as an apology) and buy AN ICE CREAM MAKER (they have a Cuisinart that is very similar to the Krup's model that Alton Brown recommends). I don't know! I want to be fiscally sensible now that Rick and I are strapped for cash (and we had to shell out for plane tickets this month, AND I have an eye doctor appointment with a contact purchase coming up, AND a physical I need, AND the car needing new brakes), but on the other hand, it's my birthday money! Of which I will have plenty left to put towards all those expenses . . .

My favorite part of the day? While Rick was making dinner, he just stopped and looked at me, and simply said, "I adore you." I never got out of him what precipitated that. I adore you. It made me tingle to my toes. That was the ultimate part of Lindsay turning 26 - a man, while making her dinner, uses three words to mean more than he could know.