Thank you to everyone who sent me shout outs for my *not so* big day, you are all appreciated greatly.

The birthday that wasn’t exploded into my face toward the end of the evening. I had decided NOT to go to dinner. I was going to eat fish sticks and listen to JCS (Jesus Christ Superstar) with a bottle of apple vodka and cranberry juice instead.

And Erin was planning on coming over and joining my fun. As long as it wasn’t birthday related. I was saddened that my birthday felt like just another day and I wanted to do nothing special. (and there is MUCH more that leads into this feeling which I will not share.) So Erin comes in, offering tidings of great joy in a bag and another bag. The first bag is two packages of cat treats for Simba and Sasha. The other bag is sitting on my couch while Erin goes back out to her car. When she comes back in, I am engulfed by many, many, many (actually 30) balloons! (She knows me well… ; ) I did this last year for my roomie, when she turned 30, (who has since fallen off the face of the earth–these are the types of things that plagued my mind yesterday–why has so much changed? Is it everyone else? Or have I become this awful person that several people who used to be important fixtures in my life, chose to give up, forever?)

Alas. Or as my dear friend Carrie suggested…perhaps these people in the life formerly known as Jen, used to drink all the time, and then they gave it up and NOW they are miserable because of it? Think Fun Bobby from Friends….ANYHOW!

BALLOONS! YAY! I love balloons. I love even more that adopted family of N’s in Pa wanted to think of me on my Black Monday. Thank you Ma and Pa and Lil Brother Justin…and Erin of course. I did look up at the multitude of Balloons and freak out a little. I mean I have a tiny apartment, and they are overwhelming to look at, but realizing that each one is a year of my life…whew. A few moments of freaking out occurred. Then I noticed that one of the balloons was already deflated.Erin symbolized this as the reason why I will be “29 forever.” He he he he.

Now here is the thing about the balloons. I love them more than anything. Ok, Peach Roses are right up there as well, 30 of them would have been equally wonderful. : ) However, my CATS HATE THEM. I mean hate them. Terror Alert RED! If Simba and Sasha had the choice between a room full of helium balloons, and taking a long bath with 30 dogs in the room…they would choose the bath. I read before that *Cats like Balloons* *Balloons Make GREAT Cat Toys!*and this thought makes sense, they float with ribbons attached, what joy! What fun! Nope, not with mine. I do not recall any pre-adolescent traumatic balloon experience with the boys, oh well. LAST YEAR when Erin and I brought up 30 red balloons for Kim, (ex-friend mentioned previously above) my cats hid in comatose stupors for almost 2 days. Last night, they ran into my bedroom and hid. And hid, and hid and hid. When we went to check on them, Simba let out many pathetic meeeews. I picked him up to show him that no balloons were in my room, and he felt like a sandbag. Horrified. He dragged himself back under the table, as if he had no legs…MUST STAY AS CLOSE TO THE GROUND AS POSSIBLE! Erin even tried tying a fuzzy mouse to the end of the ribbon for Simba, to no avail. (Simba loves in this order 1. Food 2. Food 3. Fuzzy Mice 4. Random Attention at 3 am.) They are odd creatures. This morning when the hunger struck, Simba Cat creeped through the kitchen, saw a balloon by the Christmas Tree and made a strange hissing sound and again lost all control in his legs and dragged himself back into the comfort of my closet. I have since put all the balloons into the bathroom and brought out both cats, one by one in my arms, into the living room. They tensed up with sheer terror when approaching the living room. Looked all around. Saw NO balloons, but still hid immediately under the couch. Go figure. They are silly creatures. Would it be considered cruel and unusual punishment to continue my love of balloons? Hmmmm.

And the other big explosion of fun came from my sisters…a gift basket (of laundry sized proportion) filled with all things Smithj2  Ranch Dressing, Key Lime, Mountain Dew, Sixlets and Mini Twix’s, Doritos, Kitty Cats, Penguins Galore, Coffees and Cocoas, BAILEYS Irish Cream…a CD all about being old, nice stuff. Thanks. And Erin helped me acquire another set of pottery, the sugar and creamer bowl I have been eying for sometime. And lil brother and Dayna have commissioned a live penguin from the aquarium to create a piece of art for me. Yes, apparently they do this…my aren’t penguins smart! : ) Oh, and I had a fun pink birthday tiera. I was thinking I wanted to celebrate last night at 12 midnight that it was NOT my birthday anymore…but instead I went to bed. Erin and I rented oh 5 DVD’s thinking it could be a long night however we both felt like sleeping instead. Hey, they are good for 4 more days. And Italian For Beginners was much, much slower and Sundance-y then I thought it would be. Not to mention it was vexing that E and I could not, could not, figure out what language it was in…it quickly became tiresome.

SOOooooooooooooooo much more to write about, but E and I are off to run errands for a bit. Ta ta for now. Thanks to all of you who tolerate (no comma) and love me.

And now I am celebrating what is to be “The Rest of My Adult Life.”