Another Revolution Around the Sun

My 47th birthday was yesterday and it was pretty darn nice.  My parents always told me that the older you get, the less you really care about celebrating your birthday.  Personally, I have always loved celebrating my birthday.  My Mom would normally plan a party, or as I got older let me plan my birthday party.   My Dad would indulge me with some awesome present that would piss my Mom off.   No matter how much my Dad drove my Mom nuts, though, birthdays were always celebrated in some manner.  

If we were with our family in Chicago, we would have a piñata for everyone to break open and we would usually celebrate several relatives birthdays at once.  The Greek and Panamanian side of our family always has big celebrations, any excuse to get together.  It's something I particularly miss living in Florida and we can feel quite isolated a lot of the time.  Not to worry, though! We are slowly building up our community of friends down here and we have had quite a few shindigs ourselves here at the Resting Bitch Place. 

My Dad's celebrations were definitely less boisterous.  Usually, birthdays involved going to the lake with a bucket of fried chicken, going out on his boat, sailing and swimming all day.  They were very chill and relaxing.   My birthday this year was fairly similar.  We went to one of my favorite places locally on the river, I had some bang bang shrimp and tacos, came home swam in the pool, Kacy grilled up some steaks, made some potatoes and we bought a key lime pie because I wanted a key lime pie as my birthday desert.  After the tacos and steak, though, I was pretty stuffed so the key lime pie is still sitting in the fridge.  While I hate the fact that Publix prices have gone up, I cannot argue that they do not have one of the best key lime pie's I've ever eaten, so yeah... Key Lime Pie for the WIN! 

It was a really lovely and low key day.  The best part?  The kids came along!  Our friend Greg met up with us, too, which was just awesome (I really love Greg and his hubby John!), but getting the kids out of the house was the best part.  With Ace being in their 20s and the other two monkeys being in their teens, they really don't like hanging out with their parents much.  Don't get me wrong - they absolutely love us but they're teenagers and what teenager wants to do stuff with their parents when they could be doing stuff with their friends?  I may be old, but I still remember what it was like to hang out with friends during summer break.  

This weekend we're having the first shindig with the new patio.  At some point this morning we're going to hit a few thrift stores and see if we can't find some pool loungers and an outdoor table.  We have our patio furniture but I have this overwhelming want to play games outside and a dining table is much more convenient than a fire table.  We have plenty of room on the newly enclosed casita carport to fit both the patio furniture and a table.  I also have designs of getting a couple more hammocks to set out on the patio for lounging.  

I am really glad that my Dad got to enjoy hanging out on the enclosed patio by the pool, but I really missed him today and I know that while he probably wouldn't have been in any shape to go swimming, he would have loved sitting outside and chatting with us and watching the kids swim.  This birthday was definitely bittersweet, especially knowing how much he wanted to be here and enjoying it.  He was looking forward to the Fourth of July this year especially, having designs in his head of outdoor dance parties.  He loved sitting outside listening to music as much as I do.  I made myself a promise yesterday to spend more time outside.  I have to do what I can to get out of the funk that I've been for months and start being a productive member of society again.  

My therapist is thrilled that I'm actually acknowledging that I need to relax and recover and not push myself, but the ADHD brain is sitting there saying "I'm bored. I need to do something."  So, I think it's time to start getting back to work.  I need to re-find the joy and excitement that I once had.  I know I'll get there and I know it will probably take time.  I just have to be patient and that will be the challenge.  Because I know that just because I want to go fast doesn't mean that is a good idea... So we take it slow.  Baby steps.  This summer I will stop and smell the roses as it were.  I think it will be good for not just me but for the whole family.