The ageing process

So, another year older, and not much wiser. You know you're getting old when:
- Your birthday is such a non-event that you receive a staggering two congratulatory e-mails, and one is from your parents (who incidentally, also give you a Valentines card every year because they know the chances of you getting a real one are very slim....).
- Buying yourself a cinnamon bun at the bakery is the equivalent of 'treating yourself'.
- When you look for a job you don't think about how much clothes shopping you can do with the salary, but how much of a mortgage you could get towards a house.
- Everyone driving cars and going to University looks about 14.
- Every time you pass a garage you moan about gas prices.
- Your most pressing concerns are that your car headlights aren't bright enough, and that racoons might get into your dustbins.
- You go down to the drugstore and despite having got money out just beforehand which is burning a hole in your wallet, you only come out with a pack of playing cards and some chewing gum.

Ho hum. The oldness of 26 was countered somewhat by Shaw sending me some rather funky tights to go with my 70s dress and boots - nice one! I am bringing them to England because I think they're so hilarious....

After a morning of boringness, involving some work, some photocopying of documents and some more work, I heard someone hammering on the front door upstairs to no avail. The house-sitter is working during the day, so I did a mad dash round the side of the house to intercept a delivery person, who luckily turned out to be delivering stuff for yours truly! A fantastic and very thoughtful young man (who now has a large number of brownie points) had sent me half a dozen red roses and a small bear, which is currently watching me as I type. Hoorah for genuinely nice people!!! This thoroughly improved my day, which until that point had been very routine and non-birthday like. I wish I had more time to enjoy the flowers before leaving tomorrow, but they will be here (although in a rather more withered form) to greet me when I get back. And the thought is very much appreciated.

This evening Denise and I drove for an hour to get to an Italian restaurant in Langley, called the Olive Garden. After having got lost for about 10 minutes because no-one in Langley signposts anything other than every 40th block (it seems), we finally found the place and proceeded to stuff ourselves with very nice pasta dishes. The plan was to have a dessert as well, but there was just no chance of that. We came away with leftovers which will do for a fab lunch tomorrow before getting on the plane. And Denise very kindly paid as my birthday treat :o) I have a good flatmate! We toyed with the idea of going to the cinema there as well, but having found it and looked at the options, couldn't agree on anything to see. So we drove home again, and sung to the I-Pod on the way. Now I am tired, but I have had a good birthday. Thankyou to everyone who sent me greetings and gifts - and I hope to see most of you very soon! xxx