A Very Happy UN-Birthday Year!!!

photo © 2006 Edward Russell | more info (via: Wylio)

'It's a cravat, child, and a beautiful one, as you say. It's a present from the White King and Queen. There now!'

'Is it really?' said Alice, quite pleased to find that she had chosen a good subject after all.

'They gave it me,' Humpty Dumpty continued thoughtfully as he crossed one knee over the other and clasped his hands round it, 'they gave it me — for an un-birthday present.'

'I beg your pardon?' Alice said with a puzzled air.

'I'm not offended,' said Humpty Dumpty.

'I mean, what is an un-birthday present?'

'A present given when it isn't your birthday, of course.'

Alice considered a little. 'I like birthday presents best,' she said at last.

'You don't know what you're talking about!' cried Humpty Dumpty. 'How many days are there in a year?'

'Three hundred and sixty-five,' said Alice.

'And how many birthdays have you?'

'One.'

'And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five what remains?'

'Three hundred and sixty-four, of course.'

Humpty Dumpty looked doubtful. 'I'd rather see that done on paper,' he said.

Alice couldn't help smiling as she took out her memorandum book, and worked the sum for him:

365
    1
----
364
----

Humpty Dumpty took the book and looked at it carefully. 'That seems to be done right —' he began.

'You're holding it upside down!' Alice interrupted.

'To be sure I was!' Humpty Dumpty said gaily as she turned it round for him. 'I thought it looked a little queer. As I was saying, that seems to be done right — though I haven't time to look it over thoroughly just now — and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents —'

'Certainly,' said Alice.

'And only one for birthday presents, you know...'

From Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll.

I love birthday celebrations as much as I did when I was a kid! Last Friday, I looked forward to celebrating my 45th birthday with close friends, good food, and an amazingly stupendous birthday cake. Sadly, my husband -- who never gets sick -- got strep throat and came home from work at 9:15 a.m. There went the party. After all, who'd want to eat a strep infected cake? No matter how delicious it might be. Certainly strep is not a good party favor! My friends understood and sent me texts, emails and FB messages to make up for it. My sweet kids -- and miserably ill hubby -- apologized and gave me "happy birthday anyway, mom" wishes. 

But it doesn't change the fact that I love a birthday party!!! Much like dear Alice above. 

This year, though, I think I will look forward to celebrating like Humpty Dumpty, all the un-birthdays I can... 364 would be awesome... Of course, I don't want to be as round as he is, and there is some danger of that if I celebrate with too many of Rob's delicious cakes. But I think, just maybe, a happy un-birthday each day, with a gift thrown in for good measure, just might make me forget that I never got my happy BIRTHDAY party!!! Maybe.

Feel free to share this post with my husband -- he may choose to pretend he didn't see it :)

Embracing 45, the good, the bad and the in-between,

Love,

Karen