Hmm … there’s nothing special about turning thirty-one,
correct? Think I’m just one year closer to reaching senility. XD
Anyhow, I quite like birthdays; for me, it’s an opportunity
to try catching up with friends I’m more or less only in contact with through
Facebook over a meal. However, this year mother was a complete party pooper who
forbade me from contacting anyone! >< Methinks she does that so she can
jeer at me that I’ve got zero social interaction with my peers … *sigh* Wish
she’d remember when she jeers that @ me that it’s HER doing! ><
Like last year, my birthday celebrations began on the second
Thursday of the month, when I attended book club at the Logan North library.
Unlike last year, obviously the ladies weren’t gonna throw me another surprise
party (because like I’ve already said, there’s nothing special about turning
thirty-one) but I still felt very loved when I received a couple of handmade birthday
cards~
This year, my birthday fell on a Tuesday. That’s cool; I
have the ‘good’ physio every Tuesday. Once I’ve entered the physio gym and
taken a seat, the teacher saw me, came over and sang me the Happy Birthday
song! My arms conducted along and I did the hip hips afterwards for her hoorays.
XD
Seeing that my birthday was like six months ago, I’ve
obviously forgotten who my physio student was (a new one appears every five
weeks; it takes me four weeks to remember the student’s name and after one more
week they’ve gone, I get a new student and must learn another name XD) and what
I did that session but since I keep an Excel spreadsheet on what I did for each
and every session I endure over the year, I can share that for my birthday
session of physio, I did barefoot Elf, weight bearing for her and Ela, reaching
for Era, sixty sit-to-stands and leaning forward. I’m seriously not a fan of
leaning forward because I’m rather frightened I’ll just lose my balance, pitch
forward and face plant. But hey, I survive. Besides, I have awesome physio
students who promise they’ll help me up off the floor before laughing their
heads off at me. XD But once it’s over, mother and I head across the road and
up to Genies, where I’m meeting my high school Japanese teacher for my birthday
lunch! We stayed in e-mail contact after I graduated from high school in 2004;
after the cruel and unfaithful God so wantonly smote me down with the disabling
brain tumour three years later, mother rang the school to let them know what
had befallen me, and of all the teachers who came to visit me while I was
hospitalised, Mr. Jennings came the most.
After we cross the road, catch the lift up and walk along
the pathway to Genies, Mr. Jennings sees us approaching and stands up, calling,
“Look at you!” Yes, I will admit that my initial sarcastic thought reaction
was, “Look at you – so disabled!” >< XD But hugs all around, and we all
take a seat outside, coz the weather’s lovely that day and there’s no need to
hide indoors.
Sadly, neither set lunch menu is to my liking; instead I
choose some burger with chips! Since I eat so slowly, mother had initially
gotten a takeaway box and stored away at least half my chips, but I’d wailed at
her that surely on my BIRTHDAY, I could eat one whole lunch?? I’d taken the
chips back out of the takeaway container and restored them to my plate;
thankfully mother let me be. XD We all just drank water; I would’ve loved a
shake, but couldn’t be bothered trying my luck.
After lunch, mother tootled me off to see Aunty Ann for my
weekly massage! See, the massage practice started several years ago; one night
my carer was taking me out for my fortnightly shopping trip and I’d had to buy
mother some present (although I’ve forgotten for what occasion). My carer/life
coach/support worker/whatever they’re called now XD suggests, why not buy her a
voucher for a massage? Mother ended up liking her massage so much; she booked
me in to see the same guy for a massage! See, I tend to get really stiff, what
with being so bloody disabled and mother thought me having massages would relax
my body some. I never ended up writing a special blog post about my masseuse
from back then (maybe some day!) but nowadays I see Aunty Ann for a weekly
massage. She and her hubby Uncle Tai live literally at the end of the road
where Aunty A lives!
I thoroughly enjoy her firm ministrations; mother thoroughly
enjoys getting to yap unceasingly at Aunty Ann for one hour. XD After my
massage, I always use the bathroom once then sit down and drink a cup of water
and that day I feel particularly loved because after I sit down, Aunty Ann
presents me with a birthday card (signed by both her and Uncle Tai) and a
birthday present, a ten dollar voucher for the Coffee Club!
Back home, Tina’s the carer/life coach/support
worker/whatever they’re called now XD who’s minding me from 4:30pm till 6:30pm .
When I shower, I also softly, slowly but most hatefully sing 22% of my shorter
second-favourite song out aloud, opening both eyes for all the important
numbers.
I was born at 6:22pm
and was hoping that mother would come downstairs and celebrate my birthday with
me, but after I’d taken a shower and come back outside to the dining room for
arvo tea, mother had already vanished upstairs for her afternoon nap! I was
gonna yell up the stairs and ask her could she please come downstairs to
celebrate my actual birthday with me, else I would haul myself upstairs and
hopefully be in her presence @ 6:22pm, but Tina said not to disturb her and
that she was very happy to spend my birthday with me. Indeed, she set two
alarms on her mobile, one @ 6:20pm
and then one more @ 6:22pm , my actual
birth time!
Arvo tea was some yummy dragon fruit and one mug of green
tea; happiness was getting to read for thirty minutes before we watched
twenty-five minutes of Seven’s news together. The most interesting surname I
found was ‘Gambaro’. Tina’s first alarm goes off @ 6:20pm ; two minutes later, I’m officially one year older!
“Hey, I’m
thirty-one!” I say, and Tina immediately bursts into a rendition of the Happy
Birthday song for me. She’s brought my beloved Bear Bear to cushion Ela’s arm
while she gave her a massage that arvo; I picked him up and did the hip hips to
Tina’s hooray!
Not long afterwards, I use the loo once more then sign Tina
off with my thanks and byes, thanking her especially for spending my birthday
with me. Obviously, I’d have much preferred to spend it with mother, but she
couldn’t be bothered coming downstairs coz she was too comfortable upstairs
having her afternoon snooze. *sigh*
Earlier this year, another small group member (Matt) had his
birthday on Tuesday and had asked our small group could we all please go have
dinner together to celebrate his birthday; seeing my birthday was also on
Tuesday, I also asked the same thing!
My birthday dinner with my small group was at Garbo’s
Pancake Manor. I’d picked that restaurant because earlier this year, our small
group had celebrated Pancake Tuesday at Dr. Lee’s place by having pancakes but
I wasn’t able to attend coz on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
of the month, I’m attending Toastmasters! Since I’m a ‘meen fun tul’ (say
‘flour head’ in Canto) I’d hoped to have pancakes for dinner with my small
group!
Ten minutes after Tina left, I
use the bathroom once more then wait for Josh and Clara to pick me up!
Mother suddenly appears when they arrive; I couldn’t be
bothered snarking at her why she hadn’t appeared for my birthday and just get
into Josh’s car. Luckily there’s parking on arrival; also huge thanks to Clara
who lets me hold her hand gently when we catch the lift up and walk to the
Pancake Manor.
We three were the first to
arrive, followed quickly by Matt, Ben then Alex! I was particularly grateful to
Alex for coming coz hadn’t he just come back from interstate? Yes, he’d
literally ducked back home from the airport to get sth then driven straight to
Garbo for my birthday dinner! Ray and Lana arrive too; I’d asked them to come
along because originally I’d clean forgotten Clara was part of our small group
and since neither Sarah nor Hairy could make it, when Dr. Lee told me I was
free to invite anyone else, I’d invited Ray and Lana coz I wanted some female
company! Over dinner, I remembered to thank Lana sincerely for the minion
cupcakes she’d baked for me back on Sunday; where had she bought the edible
minion stickers from? Apparently, there’s a cake decorating shop somewhere
along Logan Road Logan Rd.
I had my favourite eggs Benedict
pancake with lotsa hollandaise sauce, Dr. Lee had sth chocolatey, Ray and Lana
shared, Alex got a crepe and I’ve forgotten what Matt and Ben had. Clara also
ordered a bowl of wedges to share; I munched one~
During dinner, Dr. Lee helped me
signup to become a San Churros member; after dinner, I went to get my free
birthday churros!
There’s a little confusion whether
I’m really a member or not and I stand there for awhile typing my password to
try and sign into my account proving that I’m honestly a member and deserve my
free churros but finally I’m proven to be one and I gratefully take a seat
while Dr. Lee kindly waits to collect my free churros for me. When he returns
with them, I immediately offer to share them with everyone who’s still here but
Dr. Lee says nah it’s late and time to go home; you can have them with your
parents.
Thanks to Josh and Clara who
dropped me back home; after using the loo once more I sat down @ the gobbling
:P table and shared my churros with the parents! I’m particularly impressed
that it came with not one but TWO mini little tubs of dipping chocolate; I’d
chosen milk chocolate and white chocolate. Actually, can anyone please teach me
what ‘churros’ are called in Canto?
Like last year, my birthday celebrations conclude with
dinner out at the Glen Hotel
And thus ends the saga of my birthday celebrations for 2018!
Another year older, prolly not another year wiser, but hey. XD
Next post here … probably sth about what a dental DISASTER I
happen to be. XD Stay tuned; until then!
Cheers,
Em. ^^
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