Tag: birthday

Phu Quoc, Vietnam


by KandE

Well, here’s what I’ve learned about writing in the last 7 weeks: when you’re not relaxed, you’re not ready for it. I had (have?) lovely intentions for the blog, but I haven’t been in the proper mindset to bring them to fruition. I have managed to fill a few more pages in my journal recently—hooray!—as I’ve been managing to finally unwind, but before I hit you with my musings from Indonesia, let’s rewind blog train to my birthday.

Recap!

There are a few select traditions I’ve insisted on over the past several years that I work hard to preserve.

Step 1: Get a new passport stamp. Check! Good morning, Vietnaaaaam.

Step 2: Receive a happy birthday serenade from Momma and Poppa H. Check! They even had two chocolate cupcakes aflame on their end atop the Special Day Plate. They wished for my happy and safe travels before successfully blowing out the plastic 2 and 9. Bonus: Dad called me an “old hoe” before signing off, claiming it’s something he says now, citing a work story involving “ho, ho, ho.”

Step 3: Chocolate cake. Partial check. Is it my fault for not mastering the words for chocolate sponge in Vietnamese before scootering to the bakery? I was wary at the salesgirl’s hesitant nod, my pointer finger pressed against the glass next to a particularly festive slab of sugar. My worries were quickly dismissed, however, watching my name curlicue its way onto the frosting. Even more of a thrill: getting to select my own plastic candles and complimentary cake knife, to the tune of “LOOK AT MY CAKE, LOOK AT MY CAKE!” We motored home, one arm clamped possessively over the pastel pink baker’s box, the other clutching Eric excitedly around the middle. Hours later we would discover the 9 to be fire resistant; the innards of our dessert to be 5 parts angel food, 1 part a mysterious, gelatinous substance looking eerie caramelized onions. The garbage ate the majority of my cake. The chocolate hard shell, while tragically misleading, was at least salvageable thanks to one E. J. Thovson.

On top of the basic requisites, we managed a beautiful day to celebrate my 29th year. After a a plateful of a banana pancakes, we headed north on the scooter in search of alcohol with a paper umbrella garnish. Through Duong Dong town center, over an abandoned airport runway, and up the coast, we dropped our first anchor at a beachside resort. No umbrella, but a glossy maraschino cherry decorated my first attempt at intoxication. Pressing ahead, over dusty red roads, pitted with a minefield of shallow ponds and jagged rocks, we made camp again along the shore. No booze to be found, but also no tourists. Seemed like a good opportunity for no clothes, and a lazy float in the shallows appropriately clad in my birthday suit. The water was so warm, I told Eric he better stop peeing in the ocean, which generated no laughter but my own. (I think I’m a lot more hilarious than he does.) Following a proper swim and documentation with the underwater camera set-up, we dried off, and bump bump bumped back into town. Another drink—WHERE are the umbrellas to be found?!—an Indian feast, and an adventure to the harbor market rounded out a day of brilliant festivities.

Good to meet you, 29. You’re off to a great start.

Abandoned airport terminal. My favorite place on the island.

Refraction 101. Dammit…

Thinking: Eric better not be getting my shoes in this shot.

Duong Dong night market.

Rotorua


by KandE

“Even though it’s my birthday, I want to pamper both of us; what’s mine is yours.”

And so, Eric’s 31st has come and gone. There turned out to be very little pampering involved–the epic hike of the preceding 2 days so thoroughly exhausted our minds + bodies + souls–but the day’s merit didn’t slide past without due recognition.

I recited again the 30 things I love about him (last year’s birthday gift.) We splurged on a table for 2 at a small town Indian restaurant and devoured CHEESY naan bread. I carved a “HAPPY BDAY MY LOVE!” into the powdered sugar of a grocery bought brownie, and he blew out a citronella candle after I sang the requisite song. I tried for 31 [good natured] spankings, but got tired at around 13 and forgot to administer the rest.

Happy day, oh Eric!

-K

2016-05-10_0005

Birthday!


by KandE

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

2016-01-30_0015

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

2016-01-30_0016

^ 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.

2016-01-30_0017

^ Now there’s a handsome stud.

2016-01-30_0009

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

2016-01-30_0018

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

Wanaka


by KandE

Tomorrow is the day each year I dread, yet simultaneously desire above all others. My birthday. Before anyone can tell me “Oh, just 28? You’re still a baby!” it’s really never been my age that’s the worrisome bit. It’s solely ever my inflated expectations, purely my longstanding belief that this is the best day, your only day, to indulge with impunity. The single day out of every 365 that you earn good wishes, good vibes, good dessert simply by being alive. Just as you are. By making it through one more year. Sure, it may be a somewhat arbitrary and underserved honor, but a happy childhood full of chocolate barbie doll cakes and party streamers stuck to the door frame have made me feel otherwise.

But what if I don’t get that velvet bucket hat from the JCPenny catalog? What if none of the friends I invited to my pool party at the RAC show up? What if I fail my driver’s test and everyone else passes? What if my locker isn’t decorated by the time I get to school? What if I don’t accumulate enough “Happy birthdays!” on Facebook? What happens if I have no one to get a celebratory 21st drink with, still not having made friends at this school? What if this is only my 2nd day at my new job and no one knows me nor cares? What if it’s also a national holiday in Australia and the foreigner’s 25th is overlooked? What if no one remembers me on my special day here on the other side of thew world, and I spend my day barricaded in a van, trapped in my 2×6 meter box, while it’s forecasted to rain all day? What then?

Part of me thinks–knows–I’m being rather immature about the whole thing. That one day has no bearing on the year previous, nor any indication on the upcoming. That as long as one is able to honestly reflect and give proper thanks for another year of ups, downs, and in-betweens, that you’re sitting rather pretty. That if you’re just content having reached 365 more days of opportunity, the calls, the cards, and the cake are unnecessary, as you no longer need any affirmation that you are worth celebrating.

-K

2016-01-30_0012