Today is my birthday.  Notoriously the day before my birthday I do a ritual mini pity party, a kind of taking stock of where I stand an examination of my life previous birthday to present.  So even though I spent a great day with my best friend and her daughter I felt compelled to examine pounds lost or (mostly) gained.  Good deeds, downfalls, accomplishments, thank yous received and thank yous doled out.  Have I remembered to take care of me, do wonderful things for me, or have I gotten lost in the life gets in the way shuffle.  Is God mad at me or have I put another rung on the good-Karma ladder to heaven.

Mostly I am not a very good judge of these things, my view is somewhat myopic, and I can be hard on myself.  Aren’t most people?  The one thing I came away with is…God ain’t mad at me.  Other than that it’s still pretty much up in the air.  And then…

Today started with my Stowe Ln family when the Aunt Ms came bursting through the door around 8:30am.  How did they know I was awake?  It’s all about the blinds in my office.  If they are open, I’m up.  If they are closed I’m not.  If they are closed for too long, or never open they are coming in to search and rescue.  Love those little guardian angels.  So I was up and in they came with flowers, and wine (for later, don’t get smart) and cards and love and birthday greetings.  Commence with the coffee and the start of the official birthday.

Then on to my Mother’s for breakfast with her and my sister.  Eggs over easy, bacon, coffee (which I picked up for Terri and I),  and the best Italian club rolls in Bergen County (wait for it…which I picked up on my way in) and my favorite cake made with love by my Sister, Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  Terri, once burned twice shy, refuses to turn it upside down.  We did make progress today turning individual pieces as we went.  It’s a start.   A pop-in from my cousin Nancy who we get closer and closer to each year and this phase of the official birthday is complete.  How wonderful to have this ritual.

All along my phone is pinging with birthday messages from friends and colleagues and acquaintances all leaving wishes on Facebook.  One text after another from the dearest of the dear, my Summer Sister, my favorite two boys, a Zumba girl, the beloved black sheep Sistah and the Ladies Auxiliary.

The phone call I wait for each year from my oldest friend, Marcy and the added bonus of her Mother Norma in the car with her.

Back on Stowe Ln the Aunt Ms come back for the last round of the day bearing one more gift.  The now coveted Pistachio Cake.  It is so amazing I could eat it for breakfast, oh wait, I do eat it for breakfast.  So now to open the wine and truly catch up on all things Stowe Ln.

There is a running joke in my family that my name, Sandra, is somehow a derivative of George.  When people my age were being born it was practically mandatory to be named after a saint.  This is how my mother got around it.  Add to that the fact that my sister has been calling me George Bailey for a decade or so and it all seems to fit somehow.   I know like I know that no matter how I question my status in the universe the day before my birthday, any number of Clarences will come along to show me that I have not failed.  They all will get their wings and I am deeply grateful for each of them.