(Not So Lovely) Pictures of a (Lovely) Birthday

I opted for quietness on my birthday. No big party. No big group of people. An introvert’s dream day.

After sleeping in until 7 a.m., I puttered around happily on the computer for a while and then eventually got myself out the door to enjoy a (finally) sunshiney day–a day which followed two weeks of clouds, sleet, snow, rain and other variations of weather morosity.

I went through the drive thru at Sonic for lunch and stopped by a thrift store where they were having a buy one/get one free sale. (Be still my heart.) Then I drove to a couple of lovely picture-taking places and happily snapped away there, enjoying the birds and the sun and the solitude. (The resulting photos will be featured in another post.)

We had a simple dinner at home and then it was time for the opening of the official birthday gifts and the eating of the official birthday cake, a delicacy which had been lovingly created by the renowned culinary team of Smith & Smith. (AKA Steve and Sarah.)

This is what my face looked like after I caught my first glimpse of the cake which (sadly, tragically and unfortunately) had been marred by a dastardly math equation. I know the expression on my face looks like a smile but it was actually one part smile and two parts disbelief–disbelief that math had dared encroach upon my birthday celebration.

Math? On my birthday cake? What in the world is this world coming to?

It seems as though Steve and Sarah had happened upon the “1-8” candles we had bought for Sarah’s last birthday and thought it would be funny to reverse the numerals and then come up with an equation to make the numbers work.  It took me a long time for me to figure out said equation, since math is not my first language. (If you are math challenged like me, the frosting spells out “81 minus 29 equals 52.”)

Look at this confused face. I was not faking it! 

I finally gave up on all that dadgum figurin’ and cipherin’ and just gazed lovingly down at the cake because after all, underneath the math equation was  . . . chocolate.  And chocolate covers a multitude of sins. (And also math.)

Chocolate, a cake and a kiss . . . what could be better?

After a piece (or two) of the delectable Chocolate Éclair Torte, it was time for the opening of the gifts. I was especially interested in two boxes from Steve and Sarah since the inference seemed to be that they comprised a biggish sort of gift. 

The first box I opened contained only a plastic gadget and a mysterious manual wrapped in cellophane. I could tell it was something camera-related but had no clue as to what sort of something the camera-related something was.

I pondered said books in such a way that caused all the wrinkles in my chin and jaw area to pop out and become more noticeable.  Because I’m photogenic that way.

And then? Well, then I decided that I would just close my eyes and put my hands on the second box to see if it would send any vibes to my brain as to what was contained therein. And therewith. And forthwith. And inside of itself overall.

When the whole vibe-y thing didn’t work I figured I’d just go ahead and git ‘er done. And also git ‘er opened.

And this picture? This picture right here? 

Well this is the “Unlovely Photo” referred to in the title of this post.  I’m not quite clear what was going on in my mind when Steve snapped the shot but it certainly makes for a dramatic (albeit alarming) look, does it not?

But enough about unattractive poses. You’re probably saying, “Just go ahead and show us what’s inside the box already!”

(For those of you keeping score at home, this is a pose one should always utilize when one wants to highlight the lovely doubleness of one’s chin.)

It was a box!  A black box!  A mysterious black box!  What could possibly be in the box of mysteriousness? And also the box of blackness?

I closed my eyes again. I waited for the vibe. Nothin’.

And then I cast a puzzled frown in the direction of my husband. Please take careful note of how a puzzled look so efficiently plants little wrinkles right between the eyes of the photo subject. (I feel it my duty to point out for you–and also to act out–all the  unflattering poses I can think of.)

Finally, amidst all the wrinkling and the vibe-ing and the chin doubling and the strange expressioning and the overall opening of the package thereto, I discovered this photographic thingie therein.

I said, “Oooh!”

And then I fell asleep. Just like that.  It must have been all those non-existent vibes and non-flattering posings that wore me slap out.

Thankfully, I popped back awake pretty quickly and launched myself into my official Showing Off the Gadget pose.

And just what exactly is this mysterious thingie?  It’s a Nikon Speedlight, an exceedingly nifty photographic accessory which I had been wanting for a long but had never dreamed of actually getting.

I truly appreciate having a husband who believes in me and in the things that are important to me—one of those things being photography.  (And extra thanks to our photo friend, Susan Stein for advising Steve on what piece to buy.)

And finally?  In order to wipe from your horrified memory the recent pictures of me making horrible faces, here is a slightly more lovely photo to leave you with.

Unedited.

 Edited.

It was a truly lovely day. I am blessed!

(And thanks to those of you who wished me Happy Birthday here and on Facebook.  You made me feel extra, extra special!)