Back Home, Back at Work

We had a great trip. We took tons of pictures. I wish I could get some of them online. I'll look into that.

Fred and I landed in Asmterdam Saturday 10 June at 6:45 am. I absolutely expected to get some sleep on the plane, which would have made the transition much easier. In fact, I slept for a few minutes and then lay in that limbo state for hours in the plane. This made Saturday like unto being a complete zombie. It was sort of a painful day.

Yesterday, Sunday, was much better. We slept until noon, did a few things around the house (mostly laundry) and then went to the park. It was a beautiful day. I really love Amsterdam.

Today is my first day back at work. It's also my birthday. I'm 41 today, sort of a nothing birthday. To make matters a little worse (in the way of making it a nothing day), I decided that I would go to my writer's group tonight instead of missing it and having dinner with Fred. I had to miss last time and I feel like I need to be there. Sort of unfortunate that it's my birthday.

My plan is to not tell anyone that it's my birthday. I did that when I was 26. I was working an absolute crap job (on a tourist boat restaurant going around Manhattan) where I didn't really like anyone and I was scheduled to work a double. I decided that I would go the whole day without anyone telling me happy birthday. I didn't even listen to my messages until I got home after midnight. (This was before cell phones came into my life.) It was an interesting day.

Another time, my entire family forgot my birthday. None of them called. My siblings, my father and even my mother. I could forgive my sibs and my father. But my mother? It just seemed really crazy. She felt bad - probably so bad that she doesn't remember it.

Now I have Fred. Having him is enough. He was really great on the trip. I'm just crazy about him.

It's not the number that bothers me. It's any kind of fuss at work that I don't like. Feel free to with me a Happy Birthday. Just don't announce it at work. I considered wearing a tie today, but I think I'll pass.

So I'm back. It's great to be home. I keep waking up trying to remember where I am. It was 21 days of doing that. So I guess it got to be a habit.