In which Ma turns 52

There was a stilled hush in the air as the sun rose. Birds ushered in the dawn with careful, reverent cheeps. Thin clouds lent a mottled, yet inspiring appearance to the sky.

Morning, again, in Ma-ville.

What to do on this day of days, this anniversary of 52 years?

All the usual stuff, apparently.

Got up.

Walked 2 miles.

Ate breakfast, including not two, but three eggs!

Why the egg exuberance, one may ask?

It's quite simple, really.

Because I can.
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It's been a good day, overall.

First off, I got on the scale and had a happy result! Now, if tomorrow doesn't stay the same or go lower, I'm sticking with today's weigh-in and changing the report day to Wednesdays.

Why? (one may ask)

Because I can.

School went well, and I even scraped together enough victuals for lunch, it being grocery shopping day.

And this brings up an amusing little occurrence.

We all have to deal with the fake "How are you?" queries from grocery personnel. I wouldn't mind one upon entering the store, such as the Wal*Mart greeter, but when every stock boy tries the ol' PR approach, it can get a little old.

Carolyn and I had just traversed the dangers of the produce section, where I personally spotted mold on a package of grapes, when I was accosted by a cheery lad stocking cans in aisle one:

"How's your day goin'?"

"Good," I mumbled, trying to get past him as quickly as possible.

I reached the aisle's end and the lunch meat counter, where I had to make an agonizing decision concerning Ethan's noon-meal-of-choice. More specifically, daring to buy an alternate brand to "King Bologna's" cherished favorite.

For most shopping trips, that experience in itself would be enough to cause mental anguish.

HOWEVER, proceeding down the second aisle, Ma chanced upon the same stock boy, shelving new items, but greeting me with the same, tired banality, "How's your day goin'?"

I did manage to suppress my outrage giggles, and continued on with purchasing life and sustenance for the fam.

As Carolyn and I entered a third aisle, whom did we see but what appeared to be the same fellow, ordering packages on yet a new shelf.

I had my reply all ready. If he dared to toss me his pretend sociability one more time, I was gonna let him have it with,

"DUDE! This is the third time. Give it a rest !"

Sadly, it was another fellow, leaving me somewhat disappointed, and the original young man free to live another day.
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As a slight birthday present to myself, I bought a clearance necklace for 3 bucks, and a neck scarf--also clearance--for three more dollars.

I'm planning to assemble a new outfit for the Shakespeare weekend, solely around that scarf :-)

Those purchases, couple with my 79 cent Planet of the Apes discovery (shrink-wrapped!) at Goodwill, made for a pretty thrilling birthday, let me tell you.

Tomorrow Loren and I will go out for dinner and a movie, and Friday will be my birthday meal with the family.

I figured we may as well draw this out as long a possible. At fifty-two, you never know how long you have left...
 

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