artykins

So I said I'd add a note about how my birthday went, and here I am to do just that.

Birthday celebrations started early.  I was able to sleep in until about 9ish when Matt kissed me good morning and wished me a happy birthday.  After that it was a shower and preparations for breakfast.  My dad had plans to come over.  He had early morning plans to get Jeff's car smogged and then meet up with us at the apartment for breakfast.  He also stopped by Arizmendi's and picked up three sweet sallies, which I wrapped up in tin foil and stuck in the oven to warm up.

I made juevos rancheros.  I had leftovers from Friday nights' dinner of taco salad, so I just added some fried eggs to the mix and was pretty much good to go.  I also made a homemade tomatillo salsa/sauce for Friday night that I pulled out again Saturday morning.  Between the juevos rancheros and the sweet sallies, I was one very happy and well-fed girl.

After a quick clean of the kitchen, we grabbed a few things (kites, wine, blankets, etc.) before heading out the door with my dad.  We went to NAPA Auto Parts and purchased a new window motor for my front passenger side door.  It's the third or fourth time we've replaced the sucker, and what can I say, but this: I drive a piece of crap American car.  People always say I should support my own country by buying 'homemade' cars and such.  Well, once America produces a car that doesn't break down or need fixing more often than not, I'll listen.  Until then, sit down and shut up.  I'm going to drive this current car as much as I can and then buy a foreign car.

So after the auto parts store, which Matt had fun wandering around, it was off to the house where my dad and I set to work fixing the window motor.  Forty-five minutes later I had a greasy window, but one that would close all the way.  During that time I may or may not have had a good time with some pruned Birds of Paradise.  I was also kept laughing because Jeff was weeding the rose beds and was saying 'ouch' every five seconds as a new thorn bit him.

After car fixing and wound tending it was off to Bay Street for some shopping some lunch.  For me it was Chinese chicken salad and iced tea.  Matt's gift to me was a new wallet, so we wandered into the Fossil shop and I found one that I liked.  It's worn, green leather with blue card holders and eggplant purple stitching.

Then we were off to fly kites.  The green one worked just fine until Jeff crashed it into the ground and snapped the middle support rendering it un-flyable.  Matters weren't helped that Matt and I forgot to pack ALL the supports needed for my little stunt kite, so we were out our kites.  I don't mind telling you that I spent some time pouting, but after that we spent a pretty enjoyable half hour just lying in the sun (we being Jeff, Uncle Benny, Matt and myself).

After sun soaking for a while we wandered over to Trader Vic's and we got our drink on.  Uncle Benny and I started out with something called Menehune Juice.  He had just the one drink, but I moved on to something called a Potted Parrot.  Both were seriously delicious.  Matt was faithful to the standard Mai Tai, which was created and first sold at Trader Vic's.  It's pretty remarkable that the Mai Tai has gone around the world from someplace so local.

Jeff, not being of age yet, was the designated driver.  He had a 'No-Tai-Mai-Tai' and a 'Coral Reef,' which were both actually really good.  He was just really angry with the world for not being able to have the real thing.  So he spent the time being amusingly disgruntled.

There might have been some calamari and wasabi sauce involved with drinks as well.

So after drinks, we all piled into the car to come home.  I was feeling slightly buzzed because I had nothing on my stomach and two rum-based drinks in me.  I actually am learning to like the feeling I get when buzzed.  I feel all tingly and it's actually quite enjoyable.

But I digress.

We got home and Uncle Arnie and Doug were here.  Mom and grandma were in the kitchen finishing off dinner, which surprisingly I didn't get to pick this year.  I've always been able to pick my birthday dinner, but my mother denied me that this year.  Instead I'm getting what I wanted today.  Last night's dinner was a Mrs. Knott's chicken dinner.  And it was nothing short of amazing.

Well, after so much good food there wasn't room for pie right away, so we all sat around and talked until it got late.  I packed some pie in a tupperware container and took it home to eat later.  Matt had his this morning for breakfast with some ice cream.  It's a rare treat in our house that I indulge him in once in a while.  

After a quick tidy of the apartment Matt and I sank into bed and fell asleep.

All in all, not a bad day of revelry.  Not a bad one at all.

- Arty