A Perfect Day/A Dream Day

Happy Birthday to me!  So I turned a year older yesterday.  Woke up happy.  Kids dressed, fed (technically) and drove them to school.  Kisses, kisses!  A little down on the way to work, saved by AC/DC "Shook Me All Night Long".  Good times, good times.

Work, work, work.  Calls from my hubby (love you/miss you).  Read funny messages on Facebook from my friends.  Downloaded some Simon & Garfunkle and Lady GaGa.  Flowers from my sister...a phone call full of laughter, same sis.  Went across the street and bought myself two books: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and Flirt by Laurell Hamilton. 

Meetings, fun, frivolity. Tiny chocolate cupcakes that I DON'T EAT (Nutrisystem....argh).  And then home.  Taken out to dinner by kids and Dad.  Good food, fun and outrageous desert that I DON'T EAT (see above, argh).  Fun and cooky presents from kids.  Nice watch from parents.  Lovely art from Hubby.  Kids devolve into general crazyness.  Daughter pretends to be "Francoise the Frenchman" on the phone with her Dad, hands phone to me with an introduction of "...and here is my hefty assistant.".  Son gasps and says, "...you can't call Mom that, don't you know hefty is a garbage bag!".  I'm feeling the love here folks.   Everybody laughs hysterically.

Put kids to bed, daughter, after channeling an old tent revivalist for a bit, climbs into bed with me. Conversation about her taste buds (with visuals).  Read a book, long-distance crossword with hubby.  Sleep.

Now that's a pretty perfect birthday in real life. 

HOWEVER, in my dream life I would wake to kisses from same hubby and kids.  They would be out the door, the house would be perfectly pristine and smelling wonderful.  I would lounge on a perfectly proportional super-comfy chaise lounge in cashmere lounge clothes and then I would have a day of books and movies (Dirty Dozen, Love Actually, Brothers Bloom, Once) a few of my favorite foods (mashed potatoes with gravy and a pear, walnut, blue cheese salad with a blueberry vinigarette and a GIANT, really cold perfect diet pepsi.  For dessert, a perfect slice of Chocolate Mousse pie with raspberry creme and GIANT really cold perfect glass of milk.

Gorgeous hunky men would come in, give me some wine and cheese,  a 90-min hot stone massage, a mani/pedi (no color, but a nice buffed shine).  Hubby would come home (kids over at friends) a date night of movie and book store--with comfy couches where'd we'd sit, drink coffe (mine a decaf, venti, non-fat, with whip Mocha).  Home, candles, music, a crossword or two done together, a Neruda poem (Ah Vastness of Pines) and then ......(see fireworks in background, oh la la).

There is much to be said for both, but thankfully the reality was so much fun, I'm not missing the 'dream' birthday much.  On second thought, I might switch my little homegrown Francoise for the gorgeous hunks and massage.  Oh well, what is it that my kids teachers say?   "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit".  I'm good with that.

And to my husband, who I miss terribly and will continue to miss until you get home tomorrow....a little Leonard Cohen...

"...And sometimes when the night is slow,
The wretched and the meek,
We gather up our hearts and go,
A Thousand Kisses Deep."