December 13th — Day 7 of  the 12 Days of MY Birthday… Another day to play my game and relax. Since it is not my turn to do dishes… or cook… I could just read and play my game. And I did just that. I am now well into Westward IV: All Aboard. The mayor of Haverbrook is not entirely convinced I can run his trains properly so he is making me prove it. I took a break from this test of my endurance to post! My dearest friend made some homemade potato salad and surprised me with some new bookmarks! YAY! =) I love bookmarks. I really like the magnet clip kind and the spiral metal ones. She got me two different kinds of magnet clip bookmarks. Day 7    Magnetic Bookmarks AND residual game playing, tea drinking and cookies! As an avid reader I am almost always reading multiple books at once. It is nice to have enough bookmarks to keep my page in each. These little magnetic bookmarks are perfect. But I seem to lose them easier or I give them away…because people comment on them or what not. It is a relief to replenish my arsenal of bookmarks. Happy day 7 of the 12 days of my birthday… Thank you friend for knowing me so well—and knowing what I need. You are the...

December 12th — Day 6 of  the 12 Days of MY Birthday… I didn’t feel so well when I woke so I decided to take it easy. Someone gave me a credit at Big Fish Games dot com so I could get a game Westward IV: All Aboard!!! YAY for games and free credits to play them! =) I have played the three previous versions and loved them. They are trouble-escaping fun! And while I lost myself in my game, my friend decided she would do my housework today! No dishes for me! =) YAY for no cleaning and friends who love me! Day 6    Westward IV: All Aboard and a “Get-out-of-cleaning” free card! I was so not looking forward to doing the dishes, even if it was my turn, and so excited to find they had come out with a new Westward! So, all fun and games and no dishes makes me a happy birthday girl! Happy day 6 of the 12 days of my birthday… Thanks to both of you for allowing me to have a really relaxed, fun day...

December 9th — Day 3 of  the 12 Days of MY Birthday… Today, I decided to enjoy my tea, savor it–the warmth, the flavor, the way it comforts me when I am cold or do not feel well and incidentally, I do not. I have a sinus infection and needed some comforting. Tea, oatmeal, my thick quilt all warming me, comforting me. Happy birthday to me. My friend surprised me today with a new mug in a pretty little keepsake box from Starbucks. Both are red with a white tree and gold birds and I love them! =) Another cup to enjoy my tea in…a box to keep. I love boxes! YAY for friend! Day 3   Birdy Mug with matching keepsake box Happy day 3 of the 12 days of my birthday… Thanks AGAIN friend for celebrating with...

My birthday is exactly one week before Christmas. It often gets overlooked or lumped into the Christmas festivities–a Christmas/birthday gift, a card with a wish for both, a phone call to say hello for both, a mention about it on Christmas. My birthday is inconvenient during the busy giving season. I am aware of this and try not to take it personally. I encourage those who care about me not to worry about it and I am not worried. But I do want to celebrate my life… so, this year I’ve been reminding those around me to wrap my gift in birthday paper, even if that birthday paper is a simple paper bag recycled. =) On the 7th of December my friend made me a great dinner and a chocolate cake and I was excited. Being ironic I asked, “since my birthday always gets lumped in with Christmas, why can’t we celebrate the 12 days of my birthday—like the 12 days of Christmas—little gifts each day for 12 days ending on my actual birthday?” I decided I would start the tradition this year and find things that seemed celebratory, little gifts in my life. And I declared the delicious dinner and dessert my first gift… on the 12th day of my birthday. A fleeing fun thought…I was the only one on board for this little idea which was ok with me. I am grateful for the smallest of things, so it would be easy to pick out how the world celebrated me each day leading up to my birthday. Day 1 of the 12 days of my birthday celebration — Dinner and Dessert and the decision to celebrate...