Wednesday, January 12, 2022

61

I was born in 1961 -- and my 61st birthday is today. (Shouldn't I get some kind of award or special present for that??)  

I ventured out of the house/condo unit this morning for the first time since we returned from Christmas vacation on Jan. 3rd, for the best of reasons -- to go see Little Great-Nephew at his grandmother's house/SIL's!  There is no one else I'd rather share my birthday with. SIL told us she still isn't feeling 100%, although she's better than she has been. I thought she'd fully recovered and I wish I'd known that before we went into the house. Oh well, what's done is done. She tested negative, but that was just one rapid test, taken a week ago Monday. It's possible she might have tested positive if she'd done another test a day or two later. She reeled off a long list of family members (hers & BIL/dh's) who tested positive/were sick over the holidays, between Christmas & New Year's. It might be easier listing who *didn't* get sick (and I suspect more people may have been sick but just aren't talking/posting on social media about it). Yikes!! 

As for LGN, he still has the odd cough (his doctor told his parents that if they both had covid and he wasn't well, he probably had it too), but he is back to his old self and was delighted to see us, which was a huge ego boost for us, of course! I even got to take a few selfies with him, as he mugged for the camera. I texted a few to his mom and said, "You've taught him well!"  lol  

This is my second pandemic birthday. In normal/"before" times, a birthday would probably entail, at minimum, a visit to the bookstore and dinner out (often at the Keg, a local steakhouse chain). In my dreams, I'm on a tropical beach somewhere, instead of chilly, grey southern Ontario.  

Instead, I'm downloading a couple of new titles to my Kobo e-reader (including Carl Bernstein's new memoir). Dh picked up a couple of cupcakes for dessert, on our way back from SIL's, and we're ordering our favourite takeout pizza for dinner. We got several bottles of wine as Christmas gifts and may pop one of those open too ;)  I'm still trying to watch what I eat (because gallstones), but I used the "all things in moderation" approach while we were visiting my parents, and for the most part, that worked.  

As we've been doing for almost two full years now (hey, as we've been doing for 20+ years now, since loss, infertility and permanent childlessness entered our lives...!), we're just muddling along and trying to make the best of things. And as my grandma used to say about aging (and as I've written here before) -- it sure beats the alternative.  ;)  

13 comments:

  1. It sure does beat the alternative! Happy birthday! (Though I've said it elsewhere, it's worth saying it again. lol)

    Fingers crossed for you that SIL was no longer infectious. And lovely that you had an outing, and have a nice dinner planned. I'm sorry you're having these birthdays in the pandemic. I envisage (one day) a birthday for you in summer in NZ!

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    1. Thanks! Hmmm, I always said I wanted to spend my birthday on a beach... I was thinking Hawaii or the Caribbean, but NZ would be great too! ;)

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  2. Happy Birthday! My Dad was excited about turning 42 since he was born in 1942. Still remember that from when I was young, and it also feels weird to be in older than 42 myself now.

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    1. I hear you! I recently posted a photo of my grandmother from 1975 on FB & then it hit me that she was almost 61 in it -- the exact same age I am now. Yikes!

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  3. Happy birthday! Your celebration sounds lovely. I love that... Born '61 and 61 today! Mine will be 76. Seems so far but I'm more than halfway there, ha! I hope you enjoy your everything in moderation with no ill effects, and I hope this is the last pandemic birthday.

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  4. Dear Loribeth,
    happy birthday!!!
    Sending lots of love and good wishes from sLOVEnia,
    Klara

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  5. Happy birthday to you, thank you for all the wonderful post you share. l have enjoyed reading your blog as a younger mum with 3 kids , l come here for the book recommendations and you are truly doing an awesome job. Thank you, just wanted to wish you happy birthday because you truly are one of my favorite blogs to read as a young busy mum .

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    1. Well, thank you, Anonymous, you made my day with your comment! :)

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  6. Happy Birthday!!! I'm glad you got cupcakes!

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  7. Imagining sharing a virtual cupcake with you. Happy birthday, Lori!

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