The Rest of the Week

Sorry... I feel like I've been gone for ages.

I didn't share this with all of you, but I actually was sick on my birthday. I woke up that morning, emailed my boss that I was staying home and did that post about the big snow. Then I went back to bed for another 6 hours. Pathetic, I know, but there is something to be said for being in your PJ's all day on your birthday.

Not sure where I caught it from, but by last Tuesday night, I was just wiped. The worst part was that Larry was getting antsy about my birthday. It was quite obvious that he had something planned. He'd told me to be ready at 5:30 after work and he would pick me. He even made arrangements to have our dogs let out and fed that night.

By Tuesday night, I hinted that I wasn't really feeling festive and perhaps we could alter plans or pick another night. "Nope, we can't pick another night," he said.

Mid-day on Wednesday, he called me at home to see how I feeling. "Lousy," I said. He just chuckled, "Well, be ready by 5:30."

You can only guess how un-birthday'd I was feeling. I surmised that he had bought theater tickets. My favorite musical, Into the Woods, is running at a local theater. Since he wasn't letting me get out of the evening, that must have been it. "Fine, but freaking let me out of dinner. I'm sick." I thought. He must be reasoned with.

I got out of bed at 5:00, showered and dressed for theater. Preparations began in the shower about how to cut out dinner and just save my energy for the play. I rehearsed the words over and over in my head.

At 5:30 on the nose, the door opens. Larry comes back into the kitchen and has this shit-eating grin on his face. "How's the birthday guy?"

"Umm, sick," I say as I wipe my drippy nose with a tissue.

"Are you excited about tonight," he asks and then walks out of the room back to the front door.

I begin my rehearsed speech. He comes back in, obviously not listening. A minute later he leaves again and I begin getting angry. He returns and says, "Are you ready for dinner?"

You know that look on your face when your spouse isn't paying any attention to what you are saying? That was pretty much happening in our kitchen, but with snot and a really red nose.

"I think we'll all have a good time," he says.

"Are you not hearing anything I am.... WE?"

And with that, my parents walked around the corner. My totally-not-paying-attention partner had flown them in to celebrate my birthday.

Thankfully, we had changed restaurants to something a little more suitable for an ailing son. My folks just smiled for most of the dinner, ecstactic to be a part of the night.

Luckily, they stayed for two nights. I was still not feeling good the next day, so between that and my folks being in town, it just made more sense for me to stay home and enjoy the visit.

They left on Friday morning. I went to work as well. That evening, Larry & I had dinner and just collapsed. It had been a great and exhausting week.

I looked over. "Thanks for everything you did this week. Please tell me we're done."

"We're done," he said. "Until you're 50."

God help me.