36

Happy Birthday, no, Super Bowl, no, Birthday to ME! Yes, I got to turn 36 (otherwise known as entering my upper 30s) right along-side the Super Bowl today. Not my choice for a celebration, but I can't complain too much as I've had two birthday parties already ... intentionally planned for non-football days. Today I had a spread of good food to eat from. There were scrumptious brownies for dessert. Ailey has been yelling "Happy Birthday, Mom!" at me all day - gotta love that! Bruce Springsteen serenaded me for 12 minutes. There was almost constant cheering in the background for a few hours, for me no doubt (I ignored the booing and referee heckling).

Before the football started, Andy had a gift and a mocha waiting for me when Ailey and I got home from church. Does anyone else remember the 1938 Micky Mouse cartoon called "Mickey's Trailer"? I don't know if I saw it just once or a bunch of times, but it stuck in my memory as a good one and I've had a watch out for it for a long time. That's what Andy got me, a set of 27 original Mickey Mouse cartoons - classic Disney. I am going to enjoy watching them many times over.

So it's been a good birthday all around. The football team I was supposed to be rooting for lost - I think they were the ones wearing red? - but that obviously doesn't matter. Here's to another good year of family, friends, fun times ... and the beginning of football next fall leading to yet another Super Bowl, er, birthday next February!