With Age, Laugh Crinkles--and Wisdom

The older I get, the more I appreciate the BIG little things on my birthday.

I once received--and sent--a lot of birthday cards. I lined them up on my kitchen counter in Ocean Grove.

Now I get only a handful.

I have some laugh crinkles around my eyes and two deep furrows, worry lines, between my knitted brows, from years of serious pondering and concentrating. But gifts--I have such gifts.

I am so grateful for Moey's texts and for talking to her today. For Sis, her card, seeing her yesterday and taking a short, brisk walk at Greenwich Point with our little dogs and Punch AND for the lunch she and her friend treated me to in NYC today. For the sweet card from co-workers. For what Dan just carried in...I haven't peeked yet, but it looks like pretty things with green stems. For Elaine bringing a tray of homemade manicotti and a fresh loaf of Italian bread to the door.

For the striking sunset I saw from the 5 pm #66 bus heading home, black and white reruns of "The Andy Griffith Show" and a family coming together as best it can to sing "Happy Birthday" to me over berries and whipped cream. For the single pink taper in an angel candle holder...

I may need a dab more eye cream.....and a lot more hair color....but I still feel young.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. Salon blowout at 9 am.
2. Important work interview today. I visualized walking in with so many people behind me to cheer me on--Dad, my grandmothers, Sis, Punch, Fig, Dan, Moey, Patsy, my friend Sarah. I also had the tiny silver rosary beads in my handbag--the ones my grandma Rosie brought back from Rome, and a crystal from the CALM collection Patsy sent.
3. Nice hot shower.
4. Good coffee, brewed by Dan.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET MONDAY & TUESDAY

• MetroCard refill, $6.
• Cookbook at Felidia, the restaurant where we lunched on E. 58th Street. It's the beloved flagship restaurant opened decades ago by Chef Lidia Bastianich. The 2019 cookbook, called Felidia, was at the front. I arrived first and well, the rest is history. I plan to make recipes from it. With tax, $38.11.
• Duane Reade, peppermint Tic Tacs, $2.17.
• Staples, made fresh copies of updated resume and crisp, colorful ones of some magazine clips, $17.28.
• Staples, white squishy clay for Punch, $3.72.
• Sunny Daes, Stamford, ice cream in waffle cone for Punch plus $1 tip, $7.25. Wow, that's $$.
• Milk, $5.
• Salon blowout for interview, plus tip, $45.
• Salon, purse-size tube of hand cream, $2.40.

total spend for Monday and Tuesday: $126.93.

ongoing monthly spend as of Jan. 21: $2,525.69.

avg daily spend: $120.27.