55 Squared

“Last week the candle factory burned down. Everyone just stood around and sang Happy Birthday.” - Stephen Wright

I will mark my lucky birthday on Friday - 55 years old, born in 1955. I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend at Cath's lake house and celebrating the day with Cath and Stan, Merv and Jacob and Marg and Bob. Merv and Jacob have to work on Friday so they will be joining us in Havelock late in the afternoon. Nan has decided she doesn't want to leave my mom for the weekend. Though I will miss seeing her, we had a sisters' evening tonight as an early birthday celebration.

I also took a couple of hours today to spend some time with my mom. Normally, I visit my mom on my birthday but as I will be out of town this year, I decided we would celebrate today. I picked up a luscious lemon-raspberry torte from Dufflet and took it to the nursing home to share with Mom. She was pretty out of it today so she wasn't able to engage in the joy of the festivities but Nan and I sang "Happy Birthday" (okay, I admit Happy Birthday to Me is a little weird) and I talked to her about the day she gave birth to me. I hoped somewhere in her memory she would be able to find a small connection but it didn't happen. She simply couldn't relate to me. She couldn't even find a link to Nan today so there was no chance she could find a connection to me. She did like the cake though so I still found some measure of satisfaction. Beginning from the time I was a teenager, I tried to make it a point to give my mom a small gift on my birthday - not a big thing but something to say thanks for bringing me into the world like a pair of earrings or some flowers. While I don't have those options anymore, there is still cake. At least there is that.

My birthday also marks one year of this blog as I started writing it on my birthday last year. Life Savours has often acted as an outlet for my feelings and has served as a connection to family and friends who I don't have an opportunity to speak with often. I'm always a little surprised when after months of not speaking with someone, they are so up-to-date with what is going on in my life. I didn't realize so many people actually read this blog. So to those of you who take time to stop by and catch up, whether often or just once in a while, thank you. I appreciate your time and your interest. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.