So…last week was my birthday. It was “a big one”. I adore celebrating my birthday, and Jack humors me about it, although he feels that one should give that up around age 12. I was feeling a bit melancholy in the week before my birthday. I couldn’t figure out why. I really was not concerned about attaining another decade – the numbers are not a big deal to me. So why the funk?
Then I figured it out. Usually, there is a build-up before my birthday. Cards and packages begin arriving at the house. Anticipation builds. I get very excited and giddy about the whole thing – yes…it IS all about me around my birthday! This year, living in Cairo, there wasn’t the mounting excitement. There was a party being planned for me and another friend (birthday on Sunday), but somehow it wasn’t the same. It was gearing up to be just another Saturday.
Then, an incredible thing happened. I was in my office, prepping for my class when a package arrived from CANADA!! No kidding. This was the first (non-work-related) package that I’d received since arriving last August! I was ecstatic! A small package with some beloved chololates from a good friend, and suddenly it was my birthday!
The birthday weekend turned out to be FANTASTIC! Lovely steak dinner with my honey on Thursday night, incredible party until 3am with loads of friends, food and wine on Friday night, and a mellow, relaxed birthday day on Saturday – complete with e-cards and ANOTHER package delivery!
Life is soo good.
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We’ve all travelled. We’ve all experienced travel-related gastro-intestinal distress. What do you do when it afflicts you at home (yes, home is Cairo) for weeks at a time? I’ve been trying to eat “well” – bland(ish) breads and cereals, simple fruits and veggies (washed), loads of juices and water. And still my gut is in rebellion. Jack suggests seeing a physician, I prefer to attempt to wait it out. Either way, for someone who has always maintained a “cast iron stomach” this really sucks!
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Yes, I’ve been quite neglectful of this site. It is the end of the semester. TMSAISTI.
I have Jordan pictures to post, more unacceptable behavior at work (that I did NOT get sucked into – thank you Flash and others for your advice and long-distance support), and other miscelleny. I give my finals next week, and then am looking forward to some time to relax and bother all the Cairo Chronicles readers with posts. Thanks for understanding.