Happy Birthday to Me

My 31st birthday started out like any other day yesterday... baby wakes up, take care of baby, Jarrett goes to work, play with baby, baby sleeps barely an hour-and-a-half, do some housework while she sleeps, tend to baby. Actually, Elsa and I did end up going on a walk with Merckx in the afternoon, and it was nice to get out and get some exercise. In general, though, there was somewhat of a gray cloud hanging over the day. I was anticipating this, as I was kind of dreading turning 31. Unlike Jarrett and other friends I know, I had now problem with 30 -- 30 seemed to be the pinnacle of adulthood, sophisticated, responsible, smart. Thirty-one just seems like turning the corner to becoming old. And I am not calling all of you out there who are older than me old geezers. This is just a personal struggle I am dealing with. And, really, I think I have dealt with it. I am dealing with being 31 much better today than I was yesterday morning and the days leading up to it. Obviously I still have many years ahead of me, which I am greatly looking forward to. Hopefully I can just continue to ward off the gray hair and wrinkles. :)

Despite my attitude regarding the age change, I ended up having a fabulous birthday evening. After emerging from Elsa's room after putting her down for the night, I was met with Kate's smiling face in my kitchen. She had brought over a gift for me and was waiting for me to open it, as she said she needed to do some explaining once I saw what it was. I am so proud to say that she knitted for me the first adult-sized sweater she has ever attempted. And better yet? It's green. It is a bit snug, but Kate is going to try to reblock it after placing the buttons, and then I'll try it on again. I love it, so I hope we can make it work.


Jarrett also surprised me with a couple of gifts. First I opened a bag containing a replacement pair of amber earrings (I lost one of my others while out in Oregon in April, and was greatly disappointed, as they were my favorite pair) and a Pandora necklace, which I'd never seen before, but think is pretty darn cool. He got me a black leather cord and then picked out three beads to go on it. I can then tie the cord in several different ways, creating an entirely new look depending on how I choose to tie it. You can, of course, also change out/add/remove beads at will. He said he was somewhat talked into the red bead and had decided he did not really care for it that much and wished he had purchased two of the silver ones to flank each side of the other bluish bead. So I think I will go back to the store sometime soon and switch the red one out for another silver. He said that he knew I was having issues with turning 31 and thought this necklace looked young and hip on the mannequin in the store, and also said it reminded him of me in college.


Later in the evening, after our homemade and quite in-season dinner of charcoal-grilled pork loin, homemade polenta, sauteed summer squash, and tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad, Jarrett ran out to the car and brought in another gift. It is quite possibly the coolest composter a girl could ever desire. You can actually keep it inside the house and add scraps continuously, unlike a lot of other compost bins. It is electric, and thus keeps the compost at the correct temperature, and then rotates it at intervals automatically. Jarrett questioned the storekeeper about just how green an electric composter really is (I am so proud of him for that :) ), and they said that the manufacturer really looked into that when they created the product, and it actually takes less energy to run the composter than it likely would for you to drive your car to the nursery, pick up a bag of compost, and drive back home (not to mention factoring in the transportation involved in getting the compost to the store to begin with). That and it costs, on average, fifty cents a month to run the thing. I am pretty excited about it, and am looking forward to trying it out... as soon as we figure out where to place it in the house. Finding a spare outlet in an appropriate area is becoming somewhat of an issue. (And you must know... I have asked for both a compost bin and a rain barrel for years now, hence, the excitement.)


All in all, I had a lovely birthday. Thank you to all of my family and friends who sent me wonderful birthday wishes. You have definitely given me more stamina as I trudge up that hill toward 40. I am looking forward to the hike to the top!