This is 44

Day three hundred and forty seven of our captivity.

Just kidding, but it’s true that every day seems to feel like the one before it. The strangest thing for me is how I wake up around 8:30, have breakfast, do some things and suddenly it’s 3:30 and I haven’t had lunch yet and I’m not particularly hungry.

Yesterday I turned 44. I made a To Do List because I’ve been finding myself getting things done, but in an unfocused way. I decide I’m going to clean, I enter a room to clean and something catches my eye and an hour later, after I’ve organized a glitter drawer, I’m trying to remember what I was doing in there in the first place.

I don’t own a glitter drawer, BTW.

The list worked. Sort of. Usually I take the day off from work, go for a hike with Harlow, and go to a spa somewhere to get a massage or get my nails done, then join my family for dinner. But with work being weird like it is, I couldn’t really not do it for the day. I didn’t go anywhere or shoot anything, but there was emailing to do and subjects to try and connect with.

Also, here’s a story I worked on a while back about the incredible Facilities Crew at BU. It’s nice to see all the comments of appreciation for them.

This one, which I had nothing to do with, is great too. It’s about doodling.

It was rainy yesterday, so the hike didn’t happen, but Meg sent the following video which made me feel warm and fuzzy! (They call me honey because when the twins were toddlers, they decided I was not Auntie Cydney, but Auntie Honey, and it stuck and I love it)

Weeks ago I bought a bunch of chocolate chip muffins from my favorite muffin shop. When I was down to only one left in the freezer, I saved it for my birthday. Same for the last Crabby’s Ginger beer, and the Ben and Jerry’s Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz!

I made a video for Instagram throughout my day;

I got a really special tribute on Facebook from Libby, as well as lots of “Happy Birthday!”s there too, which is nice. I chatted with Mom and Dad a bit and Mom gave me some gifts to open when I went by Avon Street to drop off some masks. A friend of ours is picking them up for an area hospital and so we combined our efforts to minimize our friend having to drive all over the place for them.

In the evening I chatted with Christina, Amanda and Donna, who are at the end of the video above. Christina pulled out a cupcake, they all sang to me, and when it came time to blow out the candle, it “mysteriously” went out! It was really thoughtful, and just as good as a real cupcake, though of course I’d prefer my friends and family in person.

That will be really something to look forward to – having my friends over for the annual birthday brunch I host at my place, and getting together with family, in general.

I was hoping to do the next Photography for People Who Aren’t Grownups, but it’s so rainy and dark today, it will have to wait until the skies clear. Much better to ave window light for videos!

As much as it was a pretty weird birthday I feel so grateful. So far, the people I love most are all healthy. Man, I sure hope it stays that way. I live in a beautiful house, all the space a person could need. I have time to make masks for other people to make use of if needed, I have friends to talk to, family to check in with, a dog to nudge me incessantly.

Life is good. Weird right now, sure, but good.

• 

• 

• 

• 

•