let the celebrations begin

Some of the birthday-eve curse of the 27th squirmed it’s way through on the 28th… Now, here’s the part where I bitch about the Department of Motor Vehicles. I know that I will most likely offend some of my readers…okay, one of my readers, but that is the price you pay when you blog about.

I worked 5 hours on my birthday so I could take off early, run a few errands and get a massage. Unfortunately, not only had I lost my ATM card, but my driver’s license as well. It expired anyway, but this just complicated some issues. I headed over to the DMV to stand in line to get a number to then stand in line….I kid you not. It is finally my turn and the counter staff person’s attitude immediately turns dour when I inform her that I don’t have my license because it was lost along with my ATM card. Many sighs and grunts ensue and she plods over to another person…I couldn’t make out what they were saying but it involved MANY hand gestures. She finally returns to the window and states that it will be $28.00 to renew/replace my license (inside I am screaming, “28 dollars!!!! Do they provide a stylist and wardrobe for that amount of money? This better be the best damn picture ever taken of me). However, I remain calm and ask her if they take Discover. She states that they do not take any credit, but they do take cash, ATM or a check. I tell her that I do not have my checkbook or enough cash on me. She directs me to the closest ATM. Apparently, my hardship story left little impression on her since I had already told her that I lost my ATM card. So, I ask her if I have to get back in line when I return with the necessary cash. She then informs me that she is off in 10 minutes, so it will not be possible to return to her window. Translation: “You are screwed and you will have to get back into the line to get back into the line. CRAP!

Well, I still had to stop by my dad’s so I decided to go to the bank over there and try another DMV office because everyone knows that THIS is the perfect way to spend your day. The stop at my dad’s was soooo worth it. He gave me the Vidalia Onion Chopper (that Tanya insists is better than eating chocolate WHILE having sex) the Vidalia Onion Slicer, the Pedegg and a barely used Sony 20 inch LCD TV. Some very good loot…

Once I got my cash and went to the other DMV and completed my license renewal, I had to scrap the massage plan and just go for a pedicure. Other than some loud-mouth so and so that continued to proclaim that SHE was having a bad day while she bitched through her entire service, the pedicure was wonderful.

Craig and the pups made dinner for me and we toasted with some wonderful bubbles. Since he went WAY overboard at Christmas this year, I told him to practice some restraint. He gave me one of the sweetest gifts; health insurance for my puppies. Great, isn’t it? I think so.

The next day, Tanya and I attended an Elk’s Lodge Installation for one of our co-workers.

Here is Kathleen being installed as Exhaulted Ruler...in the office I will now refer to her as "Oh Exhaulted One".

Next time I feel old or unattractive, I must remember this ceremony. Other than a few children, we were the youngest and hottest people in attendance.

The other "hot" ladies in attendance.

The newly "installed" Elks

And the food was completely retro; meatballs, chicken wings, cold cuts, deviled eggs and olives. Our chef reminded me of Bigfoot. And just like the mythical being…all my pictures of him were blurry.

The Mythical Chef Bigfoot

I don't even want to know...Chef BF now has a large bandage around his hand.

We actually had fun…although we did plan our escape because Tanya and I had important business to attend to at Sephora. Don’t hate us because we’re beautiful…just fawn at our feet. Anyway, the shopping made us parched so we went to California Café to have a little drink and found ourselves seated next to a possible stripper and her toupee’d and tanned mail escort. Bubbles seemed to have trouble remaining conscious and just at the edge of landing face first into her salad, she ordered another drink. Yeah, that seems like a reasonable choice.


On Sunday, my cousin picked me up and took me to Half Moon Bay to spend the night and celebrate my birthday with just us two. We had a great time….

The San Benito Inn...excellent Bloody Marys and the elderly gentlemen around the bar lead a rousing chorus to "Papa Loves Mambo"

The beautiful Pacific Ocean.

A beautiful church in Pescadaro

Princeton by the Sea, a lovely little lighthouse at a youth hostel

So ends my birthday weekend and now I must get to the business of aging…gracefully. Thanks to all of you for your birthday wishes.