Birthday Wishes
Well, today is my birthday. Thank you to everyone who wished me well. My first birthday message came from our friend Corey at 12:13 a.m. Uruguay time via WhatsApp. I’m not entirely sure what he was doing up at 11:13 Eastern Time, but I got the message!
As many of you may know, I typically don’t celebrate my birthday. I haven’t for several years. I don’t even read the birthday cards that are sent to me. Don’t worry—it’s more about me and my mental state than how I feel about any of you. But given that we’re in a new country, starting new lives, I figured I should do something to mark the day.
Our friend Blue (whom we met through other friends) has quickly become a close friend. He’s an incredibly sweet guy who moved here from the Chicago area in August, and Mikey and I spent the day with him.
The day started with Blue bringing over some amazing desserts from a bakery near his place. We each had a slice of lemon pie—DELICIOUS! Then it was off to the center of Montevideo. We went to a large feria and spent several hours wandering through all the booths. I picked up some fruits and vegetables (I must have been channeling Mom B): nectarines, peppers, cucumbers, limes, and even a rosemary plant—I’m officially starting an herb garden. All of that cost 500 Uruguayan pesos (about $12.30 USD). Go ahead, tell me inflation is global. I’ll wait.
After that, we found a nice bar, had some excellent food, and finished things off with a great espresso made from Uruguayan coffee. Mmm… try to imagine that smell.
Anytime we hang out with Blue, we have a great time. Today was not different. It feels like we’ve been friends for years. We’re even planning a trip to Buenos Aires in a few months.
When we got home, Tyson had a “present” waiting for me. He proudly offered up his partially digested breakfast. I can only assume that was his way of saying, “Don’t leave me again… or next time will be worse.”
Overall, it was a great day—from a midnight message to texts and phone calls from Sally and Dad. And now, I’m off to watch some TV. Fifty-five trips around the sun tend to make a person want to take it easy.
Thank you for sticking with me. As always: be kind to yourself, and be kind to one another.
