martinimade

Thanks to all for the birthday greetings. It was a good day. And, really, 40 isn't all that different from 39, except tomorrow I get to go have a baseline mammogram. Hooray?*

I'm going to do something that I almost never do in public, which is brag on my husband, who is affectionately referred to as the Featureless Saint.** This weekend was the culmination of two months worth of planning. On Saturday, he threw a surprise party for me.***

It was great fun. There were margaritas. There were noodles and fresh bread and fruit. There was more barbecued meat that is seemly. Since the weather was clement, there was a bonfire. 

But best of all were the folks who showed up. Some I see all of the time and yet they managed to keep the secret. A few I hadn't laid eyes on in forever.**** And one of the guests, frequent commenter matthew, I've known for over 20 years but hadn't seen for a few. He and his new bride drove up all special like. 

We stayed up far too late and had a pretty good time. On Sunday, the husband made a big batch of eggs benedict for brunch and we drank mimosas. Life, as the t-shirts say, is good.

This wasn't even my birthday gift, just a birthday party, because he knows I wouldn't have done it for myself. The gift is something that I've wanted to do for a long time - a full Brazilian wax.*****

No, not really. 

I was handed a red box. Inside was a tennis ball. Also inside was a promissory note for tickets to the U.S. Open. I've long mentioned that one of my bucket list items is to see all four Grand Slams; this is the start. 

He's a good guy, the FS, and I love him even more than I would have thought possible when we got married nearly 17 years ago. And not just because he gives me tennis balls but because he gets why I would want one.

In six months, he'll turn 40, which means that I have six months to plan. Any suggestions? And, no, Tiger Woods doesn't do birthday parties. I checked.

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* Yes, I know that the general health maintenance tests get much more invasive as the years roll on. This is just the first of what I hope will be many. So, you know, upside is that I'm alive to get the tests. Downside are the tests themselves. 

** He is neither - but it is a nickname born from a negative review my first book received. 

*** It wasn't a total surprise, because five-year olds are untrustworthy. That is a story to be told later.

**** Emily is alive! 

***** This is a joke. Really.