December 1, 2016

Best birthday gift I could have asked for

I don't have anything I want for my birthday...well, other than the classic NES reboot, but I don't want it so much that I want the better half to drop $200 on it.  We'll wait until February and pick it up for a song.

The truth is, I haven't really thought about what I'd like for my birthday because this year, I hadn't really thought of it as something to celebrate this year.  Next year, yes...and I realized that in all seriousness, that's as long as my dad would want us to mope his death.  And to be honest, a year would be pushing it in his books.   He was never one for prolonged mourning, drama or sob-fests.  He'd take a little time to reconcile his loss, then put on 'Allo 'Allo, Benny Hill, or whatever British comedy was on the nearest videotape, and make a sandwich.

"Get over it, Moose," he'd tell me.  "And bring me a donut!"

Got to love Dad.

Realizing that has helped me feel much better.  Things still hurt and I have ups and downs, but I know that debilitating misery is not what my father would have wanted for me, for any of us.

So I get to feel depressed and craptastic this year.  Next year, party in the mountains! 

Anyhow, my mother is planning to fly out West to surprise me on my birthday.   I'm glad that she is given that I was really worried about her spending this day alone.  The plan is my sister has booked a reservation for both of our families at an early time and a kid-friendly restaurant, because my nephews are very excited for this.  I'm guessing that at one point, my mother will appear.

I know this because the better half told me so I would not change my mind and end up going into work that night.   He knows that I'm struggling this year and that, given I'm not drinking alcohol, I would seriously consider drowning my sorrows in psychiatric patients on that night.  So he wanted to insure my attendance.

My sister mentioned the dinner to me already, so that's part is no secret.  

So my mother calls last night to see how I am doing.  She goes on about coming out to visit right before Christmas (I try not to laugh).  Then she mentioned my birthday and what I was planning to do.

"Oh, I don't know," I reply.  "I was thinking that the better half and I take a little trip, maybe an overnight somewhere.  Just to get away since I have two nights off."
   
She gets flustered and says "I think you sister had made dinner plans for you that day, with the kids."

"Yeah, I thought she mentioned that.  I'm thinking maybe Vegas."

So it goes on for 10 minutes:  she keeps telling me I should talk to my sister and she what she has planned, and my noncommittal replies and musing about where to road trip to...as I laugh hysterically into my pillow.  Eventually, the call ends.  You know she dialed my sister the minute she disconnected to find out what was going on.

And you know my sister is waiting for me to call or text today.  Except I think I'll call tomorrow.  Maybe.  And ask her where she stayed in Vegas.

I told the better half what I had done, and when he stopped laughing, he said that I should have mentioned to my mother that I wanted him to take me to the Bellagio.  I'll give my mother and sister a little bit more of a hard time...not too hard though that they panic or get really upset.  Just enough before I "capitulate" to make them think that they dodged a bullet.

I bet Dad is looking down at this and laughing his ass off.  It's something he would totally have done. He'd be so proud of my performance.

Then he'd ask if I had any more donuts.