On Birthdays and Backs by Rochelle

It was recently both mine and my husband's birthday. It was also the day before we went back to work after a week of vacation at the beach. Oh, and my back problem, which was supposedly "fixed," is worse than ever. So one could say I was a bit depressed for this birthday.

Anyway, it's funny that at this age not only do you not particularly look forward to another birthday, you actually go through the day and completely forget that it is YOUR DAY. When you're younger you find a way to get it into every conversation.

"Oh, sorry I ran over your cat. Today is my birthday."

"Oh, you just got back from Iraq? Well, today is my birthday."

"Sorry your husband left you. Hey, today is my birthday."

Not like that when you turn 53. BUT it was also my dear (younger) husband's birthday. That's always what gets the attention, and it's also kind of annoying. Used to be kind of 'cute' when we met but now not so much.

(Umm, I'm a twin. - Angela)

When we met in college I thought he was trying to pick me up when he told me his birthday was August 3rd. How lame could he be?

I made him show me his driver's license before I believed him. Come to think of it, my back hurt that day too ... but that was from sky diving lessons. Perhaps that's when it all started to go bad for me and my back.

Wow! My brother just called from Pennsylvania to wish me a happy birthday. Now I'm kind of feeling better. Plus I talked to my niece Anna, who makes me laugh. She is 15 and the last time we talked she told me a story about a bunch of kids who were getting rousted by the police because of some street fight or something. For some reason, I thought she was saying that the FBI was there (at the street fight) so when she told me some strange cars showed up I asked if they were black. She is like, "What difference does that make, Aunt Rochelle?" Apparently she thought I was referring to the people causing the trouble, when in fact I meant the cars. Black cars are usually FBI.

(I like how Mom talks so casually about law enforcement. "Yeah, black cars are usually the feds, so be careful -- but if he's a local pig, shoot him." - Alicia)

Yeah well, it was funny at the time.