Friday was my birthday and the first thing I did to celebrate turning 29 again 36 was head to the doctor’s appointment I had stupidly scheduled a while back. Who doesn’t enjoy climbing on that always-five-pounds-heavier scale and having a blood draw on their special day, right? I guess I should just be glad it wasn’t a pap smear, although I might have preferred that to the lengthy Q&A session we always go through to verify my medication tolerance is on track.

Him: “Any fevers, aches, DIARRHEA?”

Me: “Nope.”

Him: “So no digestive issues, like DIARRHEA?”

Me: “Ah . . . no. All good.”

Him: “Great! Some people experience DIARRHEA, so—”

Me: “OH MY GOD MY POOPS ARE MAJESTICALLY SOLID CAN WE MOVE ON.”

JB took me to the Salish Lodge for dinner, a place where the spectacular view is legitimately trumped by the food. I can’t even begin to describe how good it is, except that it’s worth every single one of the many dollars it costs to eat there. I think my favorite dish is the apple/squash bisque, which is poured over this amazing piece of goat cheese that has been caramelized with one of those crème brûlée torch whatsits and thus every spoonful is a transcendently creamy melted sweet/savory explosion that makes me think of the dancing-flavor animations in Ratatouille.

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Today is another spectacularly gorgeous springlike day and after breakfast I ran the six miles from our house to an enormous new-to-us park where I met JB and the kids, and we spent our morning playing on all the weird equipment and climbing rocks and tromping around in the fields in the glorious sunshine.

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When we got home I opened my presents with the boys and then we all ate a bunch of delicious fattening sugary things. Riley hugged me and said that since it was my birthday I could do whatever I wanted, although he clarified that that did not include eating the cake he had deemed as his, and Dylan repeatedly announced that he would like to “HAVE . . . MO’ . . . CHOCLIT, PEASE?”


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Not bad, 36. Not bad at all.

Comments

66 Responses to “Good times”

  1. Fi on February 20th, 2010 3:02 pm

    Happy birthday! Hope the rest of 36 is as wonderful. xo

  2. Eric's Mommy on February 20th, 2010 3:05 pm

    Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday! You deserved it :)

  3. Monica on February 20th, 2010 3:17 pm

    Riley looks vaguely evil in that picture, in a kind of cartoon-villain-adorable way.

    Happy birthday!

  4. ELC on February 20th, 2010 3:21 pm

    Sounds just about perfect – Happy Birthday!

  5. Stacy on February 20th, 2010 3:35 pm

    I went to the Salish Lodge on Tuesday with my boyfriend and you’re right it was amazing!!! One of the best ways to spend a night and the food was fantastic even if you don’t stay the night

  6. Danell on February 20th, 2010 3:37 pm

    god…those boys, AS USUAL, are just ridiculously cute.

    Glad you had a happy birthday!

  7. Baking Mad Mama on February 20th, 2010 3:42 pm

    Happy birthday! Lovely photo of your boys. Springlike weather has come to London this weekend too, although of course we haven’t been able to take advantage of it due to the little one having a spectacularly gross case of conjunctivitis. Still, it’s nice to be able to go to the corner shop without having to wear wellies. Glad you had a great birthday!

  8. Erin on February 20th, 2010 3:43 pm

    Love how you artfully cover diarrhea, bisque, a 6-mile run and those cute boys in one short post. Happy Birthday to you.

  9. Jo on February 20th, 2010 3:44 pm

    Happy Birthday!
    Awesome pic of the boys and that food sounds divine…
    :)

  10. Angella on February 20th, 2010 3:51 pm

    Happy, happy birthday, Linda. You deserve every ounce of awesome.

  11. Cara on February 20th, 2010 4:04 pm

    Perfect day.

  12. beach on February 20th, 2010 4:09 pm

    Happy Birthday to you!!

  13. Ter on February 20th, 2010 4:25 pm

    Happy birthday!

  14. cindy w on February 20th, 2010 4:54 pm

    I love Salish Lodge. That’s where my husband & I got married, and we went back there for our first anniversary, for a decadent dinner like the one you described, and we spent the night to recreate that whole “wedding night” thing. I’m pretty sure that’s where our daughter was conceived (sorry, probably TMI).

    Happy birthday! Sounds like it was a great one.

  15. lindsayc on February 20th, 2010 5:10 pm

    Happy Birthday!

  16. Derek on February 20th, 2010 5:38 pm

    Did the cake cause “DIARRHEA?”

  17. Marie Green on February 20th, 2010 6:07 pm

    Oh, happy birthday. I’m so glad it was special.

  18. JudithinNYC on February 20th, 2010 6:08 pm

    Happy birthday!!!

  19. Gnometree on February 20th, 2010 6:16 pm

    Hope you had a great day. The restaurant scenery looks AMAZING!
    Once again, your boys are gorgeous. Although Riley appears to be be saying “See how I can appear to be loving and caring right now, but in a minute, I am going to bring this arm closer and closer to my body, squeezing tighter and tighter until his little head pops off”

  20. She Likes Purple on February 20th, 2010 6:23 pm

    Happy birthday, Linda!

    Did you get a nap? Post-kids birthdays and mother’s day mean one thing to me: GUILT-FREE NAPPING.

  21. Pete on February 20th, 2010 6:23 pm

    Happy Birthday. As you get older you will find Diarrhea is a big problem. Not having it but people asking you about it.

  22. Liz on February 20th, 2010 6:38 pm

    Sounds great! My birthday was Tuesday and I was home sick from work. So I watched Drag Me to Hell and 3 eps of Intervention. Then my husband was out playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends until 11 pm. It was just awesome.

    We’ve never done the Salish Lodge thing. Maybe someday we’ll save our food/entertainment money for something good instead of blowing it on expensive Chinese and Outback. We eat out too often.

  23. kalisa on February 20th, 2010 6:41 pm

    Just lovely!

  24. Belle on February 20th, 2010 7:18 pm

    Happy Birthday! Can I please adopt those 2 adorable boys of yours as grandchildren? You’ve been blessed with 3 great guys, methinks! :)

  25. JustLinda on February 20th, 2010 7:25 pm

    Happy Birthday! Sounds like a perfectly lovely day.

  26. Kate on February 20th, 2010 7:37 pm

    Happy Birthday Linda! Hope your 36th year is the best one yet.

  27. Leigh on February 20th, 2010 7:51 pm

    Happy Birthday! That description of the bisque had me drooling. And then, cupcakes. I’m hungry…

    Here’s hoping the coming year is as fabulous as the last…

  28. Christina on February 20th, 2010 8:09 pm

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May this year be full of amazing athletic feats (it will be, undoubtedly!), adventure, delight, and inspiration!

    xoxo,
    Christina

  29. Shawna on February 20th, 2010 8:25 pm

    Happy Birthday Linda! And can I add that I am extremely jealous of the fact that spring has arrived where you live?

  30. Jem on February 20th, 2010 9:00 pm

    Happy Birthday!!! :)

  31. Kim on February 20th, 2010 9:40 pm

    Happy belated birthday! Yes, your boys are super handsome, and Riley totally looks like you in that picture!

    A compliment to you on your birthday: I love reading your blog, and as a new parent (14 weeks), I appreciate it even more. I particularly empathize with you when you say that when you away from home you miss the boys and their chaos, but then sometimes as soon as you walk in the door you wish you could just get back in the car. And then you commence feeling guilty about that.
    Anyway, thank you for sharing.

  32. telegirl on February 20th, 2010 10:27 pm

    Happy birthday!!

  33. ElizabethZ on February 20th, 2010 10:36 pm

    Happy Birthday to yooouuuuu! Sounds like a great way to spend it. And I will second how much Riley looks like you in that photo. You have that same little devilish look when you grin like that too.

    Unfortunate spelling of chocolate however. I don’t think I will think of cocoa confections the same way ever again.

    We got a little dose of spring today too here in St. Louis, 54 today after 42 yesterday just about melted all the snow we have had on the ground for weeks now. Muddy now, but none the less, nice to see the ground again.

    I am about 1/2 way through 36 myself. 40 scares the crap out of me, but it is looming. I don’t even know how to think of myself as being almost 40, I still feel like a kid something myself despite having 3 of my own. I guess that’s a good thing.

  34. Michelle on February 20th, 2010 10:47 pm

    Happy birthday, Linda! I am thankful for the internet introducing us and I can’t express how thankful I am to you for your humor, honesty, and inspiration. Here’s to another year of you breaking down barriers and living abundantly (and sharing it with all of us). :)

  35. TheOneTrueSue on February 20th, 2010 11:11 pm

    Happy Birthday – sounds like an awesome day.

  36. amber on February 21st, 2010 1:12 am

    Oh wow. That view is amazing.

    Mostly, though, I’m jealous of the lack of snow on the ground at the park. And the sunshine. We’ve had an abundance of thick white snow, and the entire world seems chalky and gray.

    I can’t wait for spring.

  37. amber on February 21st, 2010 1:12 am

    Oh, and also? Happy Birthday. God I can be such a dumbass.

  38. mnerva on February 21st, 2010 1:52 am

    Happy belated birthday, Linda! Glad it was so great!

  39. bambooska on February 21st, 2010 6:40 am

    Aww, that was so cute of them.

  40. SarahO on February 21st, 2010 6:54 am

    Happy Birthday!!

  41. Caity on February 21st, 2010 7:07 am

    Oh my goodness you didn’t realize you scheduled a doctor appointment on your birthday? Sillyhead! Sounds like something I would do if it weren’t for the fact I write a big “MY BIRTHDAY” all over the box on that day in my calendar! Hah!

    Magestically solid poop, huh? That made me giggle. I certainly hope you actually said that.

    Sounds like it was a fantastic day after all. Your kids are adorable and it looks like they all made it worthwhile. That card is precious.

  42. 6512 and growing on February 21st, 2010 10:03 am

    That sunshine may be the best gift yet on a February!
    Thank your for continuing to share your words with us!

  43. Maria on February 21st, 2010 11:02 am

    Happy Birthday Linda! Riley looks so much like you in that picure. I’m glad you had a wonderful day (minus the appt) with your three favorite guys!

  44. Sonia on February 21st, 2010 11:49 am

    Sounds like a perfect day, in spite of the DIARRHEA discussion, lol.
    Um…weird equipment on the playground is right…..that thing the boys are sitting in looks like a giant suspended diaphragm.

  45. Karen on February 21st, 2010 2:04 pm

    De-lurking to say Happy Birthday! Sounds like it was a good one!

  46. warcrygirl on February 21st, 2010 2:30 pm

    Happy birthday!

  47. caleal on February 21st, 2010 3:17 pm

    Happy Birthday.

    Also, I don’t know what the boys are on there… but it sure looks like a good time. Kind of like a trampoline on ropes?!

  48. Ashley on February 21st, 2010 4:20 pm

    Happy birthday to you and your majestically solid poops :)

  49. Stacy on February 21st, 2010 7:10 pm

    Happy birthday! Isn’t that the lodge that’s in the show “Twin Peaks”? I’m sure it’s beautiful but because of the show, it’s looks slightly creepy!

  50. wordygirl on February 21st, 2010 10:31 pm

    Happy Birthday, Linda! Looks like you had a great day. That picture of the boys is simply stunning!

  51. Sassy on February 21st, 2010 10:55 pm

    Glad you had a great birthday! I love that place. I haven’t been there in a few years, but need to go back!

  52. Donna on February 22nd, 2010 1:19 am

    Wow! What a cool day for a birthday….except for the running 6 miles…but then if I could run 6 miles, I guess I’d do it all the time too, just cause I could.
    And is it wrong of me to want to play with the boys on that swing, bouncy, whatever it is thing they are sitting on?

  53. Donna on February 22nd, 2010 1:20 am

    And PS, Happy Birthday, duhhhhh. LOL!

  54. Sarah on February 22nd, 2010 7:09 am

    Very awesome! Happy Birthday to you!! :)

  55. Kate on February 22nd, 2010 7:52 am

    Happy Birthday!! Sounds like an awesome weekend.

  56. Kim Hartman on February 22nd, 2010 8:00 am

    Happy Birthday!

    You inspired me. I have been reading your blog for quite some time and with your new love of running, what with the endorphans and all, I decided to get back into the sport that I have let go for about 8 years.

    I ran two and a half miles on Saturday afternoon, sun blistering bright and my body feeling really good about my “not sitting onthe couch”.

    I stretched prior to and post run.

    I got up on Sunday, and OMFG, I could barely walk….today is not much better, I guess I overdid it. :) I DID walk yesterday, no running, it would not have been pretty, but walked another 1.5 miles with kids and dog.

    But thanks for the inspiration to get my ass off the couch.

  57. Angie on February 22nd, 2010 8:04 am

    I can’t believe that you got to spend your birthday at THE GREAT NORTHERN. Awesome!

  58. Redbecca on February 22nd, 2010 8:23 am

    Does Dylan run around like a loon after Choklit? Mine turns into Speedy Gonzales.
    And hey, you just have to age in increments of 5 like I do. I was 29 until I was 34, and then I was 34 until I turned 39, and so on. Works great provided you don’t have too many (or can cover up) the grays!

  59. Redbecca on February 22nd, 2010 8:24 am

    Oh yeah, and happy birthday! :)

  60. Meli on February 22nd, 2010 8:37 am

    This post made me cry. I LOVE how you love your life :)

    Happy Birthday and many many more!!

  61. lisa-marie on February 22nd, 2010 8:58 am

    It sounds – and looks – like a wonderful day! Happy Belated Birthday!

  62. Lawyerish on February 22nd, 2010 10:07 am

    Happy birthday, a few days late! Sounds like a great day, and I hope 36 only gets better from here on out.

    I may just have to go find a cupcake to stuff into my face in your honor.

  63. Alyce on February 22nd, 2010 4:35 pm

    Happy belated birthday. The Salish Lodge is awesome. I first went there in the early 90s because of my adoration for ‘Twin Peaks’. I’m so lame.

  64. Bachelor Girl on February 23rd, 2010 9:43 am

    Happiest birthday, dear Linda!

  65. Maria on February 26th, 2010 1:31 pm

    Aw I’m sorry I missed this.

    Happy Birthday, dude. That plate for you is the cutest thing I’ve ever, ever seen.

  66. wm on March 26th, 2010 10:05 am

    Sounds like a wonderful birthday. Happy belated birthday!

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