Happy Birthday!!!

Brian turned 45 today.  To celebrate, he stayed in bed, rather than going to water aerobics, chopped two pounds of steak to make chilli for his birthday dinner, had a very large beer at Rogue, helped me vacuum the living rooms, went grocery shopping, made chilli, hosted his own dinner, and ate WAY TOO MUCH. He is now moaning about how much he ate.  Sounds about perfect.

It was a pretty good day.  I went to water aerobics without him and it may have been the best class, yet.  Lisa was the instructor and she did some really fun moves.  Let's see if I can explain a couple.  One of the moves was jumping jacks in the deep end (no actual jumping involved). You move your arms and legs as if you are doing jumping jacks, but as you are doing them, you move from a vertical position to a horizontal position.  It takes 4 jacks to go from one position to the other.  This is a really good ab workout and is fun to do, too. We did frog kicks the same way. You could tell that it was a good workout because the ladies were all working, rather than chatting away in the pool.  I enjoy the chatting, but only do it when I am not challenged by the workout. 

The big event, other than Brian's birthday, was that I finished The Traitor's Kiss by Gerald Seymour. That guy can really write.  I've read several of his books and they are all good.  He is a British spy novelist, but of the school where if things can go wrong, they will.  Most of his books end with everyone dead except the bad guy or the mid-level administrator who made bad decisions that left everyone else dead.  Even if folks make it out alive, they are usually disillusioned or live out a sad little life of bitterness and disappointment.  I know, this does not sounds like the kind of book I'd like and certainly not like I'm recommending it... but I do strongly recommend this guy's stuff.  He can write suspense and action like nobody's business and you really get close to the characters.  Just know, that the books will always end badly for everyone involved.  Once you know that, you can enjoy the rest of the book. So, pick up one of his books and give it a try.

Dinner tonight was chili, cheddar-cuman scones, and baby greens salad with apple, cheddar and avocado. My brother Trade and his wife Sharon enjoyed Brian's birthday dinner with us.  Katy and Buckley watched in frustration as two more people didn't share their food with them.  Sigh, it is tough to be a dog in our house.  No one ever feeds them from the table.  No chocolate cake ever goes their way, either. Poor, abused and neglected beasts. (Note: Buckley had his head in my lap as I write this with the computer balanced precariously on one knee.) It was a very fun little birthday party with loads of laughing.

Today is not only Brian's birthday, but it is also the birthday of my good friends Toby and Bob, as well as the half birthday of my favorite cousin-in-law: Di Di.  Happy full and half birthdays to you all!

That is it for today. 

Be happy and healthy!