My demands have been modest and few today. Yes, I require an extra piece of salami on my sandwich! Yes, a shower is necessary even if it is cold! Yes, I need some chocolate and glass of milk!

Side note: The cold shower was voluntary on my behalf. I’m getting accustomed to bathing in conditions far more frigid, being thankful for cleanliness however it comes, and I figured saving my $5 for 5 minutes of hot water was a worthy sacrifice.

Now as I sit here in the passenger seat, newly parked at our campsite for the night, I’m eagerly awaiting my girlfriend gift as Eric makes the bed. BIRTHDAY FOOT MASSAGE! Bless that boy for making me feel special all day, every day. He has wished me a HBD 6 times today. Three were before breakfast, three were complete songs. Without his willingness to accept my dictatorial demands today, this January 26 would be just like any other day. But: BUT: all of our other days are pretty damned magnificent. This little lifestyle we’ve stumbled into, created for ourselves this season, is delightful enough sans any pomp and circumstance. I felt special. So it was.

Edit: I received 1 more HBD before bed on the 26th. The next day, my American birthday, Eric blessed me with a total of 9 well wishes. Three were spoken, six were sung, and one of those renditions was in Español. Muy bien, mi amor!

-K

^ Rather ironic to be eating eggs on one’s birthday, eh? Feastin’ on a meal I didn’t have to prepare. Yussss.

^ It didn’t end up raining all day, but we still didn’t do much to celebrate. Reading beneath a willow tree was as extreme as it got. And I’m okay with that.

^ Now there’s a handsome stud.

^ The stack of books I’ve managed to devour on this trip so far.

^ And then I was tired. And it was my birthday. And I made the rules. So I passed out in the park. The end. 🙂