Happy Birthday to Me

Sunday — April 11

Sightseeing and dinner in Baltimore — that was the plan for my birthday celebration. However, when 15-hour days at the office this week left precious little time for taking care of personal errands (including getting ready for my trip to Turkey next week), we shelved those plans. Instead, mom and Mui agreed to stay home, giving me the best possible gift — personal time.

After breakfast, we all went our separate ways — mom read on the back deck (it was a beautiful spring day with plenty of sunshine and blue skies); Mui went to get the car washed (so he told me, but he was apparently up to some mischief as well — read on); I concentrated on the day-to-day chores that had been piling up.

Around 11:00a, mom suggested I take a break and have a cup of tea with her. It was a ruse. Instead of a cup of tea, I found a surprise birthday celebration waiting for me — complete with a birthday cake, flowers, and a gift. I’m usually pretty good about sniffing out surprises, but this one caught me completely unawares, and was, therefore, all the more appreciated — THANK YOU!

Mom inspects the birthday surprise before I come down.

My pleasure at the surprise is evident from the look on my face.

Needless to say, I’m a bit younger in this photograph!!!
(mom says I’m about five months old in the picture)

Checking out Paul Nicklen’s Polar Obsession.

Nicklen’s book is filled with fantastic images — like this one of a leopard seal in Antarctic waters.

Mom and I discuss the importance of Arctic ice to the survival of polar bears.

Time to cut the cake!

The rest of the day went by in a blur of activity. I accomplished a lot, but got nowhere near the suitcase to pack for my trip. Before I knew it, the clock was showing 5:30p; time for dinner at Bazin’s on Church, a wine bar in Vienna.

Our selections from the Bazins menu.

Good food; good wine; and best of all, good company.

I had a birthday to remember.