My Birthday Month - September 2020
September is my birthday month. I know it’s a lot of people’s birthday month, obvi, but I actually celebrate all month! Well, I usually do. But COVID-19 had other plans for us this year so while it was still an amazing month, it wasn’t necessarily my usual month-long celebration. It’s still one more year since I was born. Wow. I am almost 40 – for real now! – and with every day that passes, I get closer. Scary. Exciting. I cannot wait to see what this year has in store for me!
Turning 40 is definitely a milestone but I am not sad. I have done a lot in life, thank God. I have been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things. In spite of that, I somehow managed to come up with a list of “40 Things To Do Before I Turn 40” and I am looking forward to checking them off one-by-one. It wasn’t easy; like I said, I’ve done a lot! But I got some ideas from friends, from my mom, and the rest of them I came up with myself. I tried to be realistic knowing the state of the world we’re in. I have a feeling this is going to be the best year to make it all happen!
Speaking of everything going on, I was really worried that my birthday month was going to be lame, but I managed to do something to remember every single day and I have lots of pictures to prove it! The month started with a trip to see Johey and Evan and they had a surprise for me! Party for four?! Yes, please! Johey had cake, decorations, and balloons and everything was perfect! She cooked my favorite dinner and we even got it on video – she was my first guest host on the Cooking Show! We trekked to Big Bear for the day but it was really packed and we didn’t get to do much. We had planned to go to Oak Glen for apple season (I’ve never been!) but of course, something had to ruin that plan. We learned that someone had held a gender reveal party and that they had started a fire. The fire caused Oak Glen to evacuate so we couldn’t make it. I’m sure you heard about it – it was all over the news – and it reminded me of the fire that postponed my CSUSM graduation back in 2014. Irresponsible people doing stupid shit. Makes me so mad.
But moving on… My original plan for my birthday had been to go to Napa, but they had their own issues with fires and a lot of wineries were going to be closed – both due to COVID-19 and fires – so we decided to bring Napa to me! A few days before my birthday I received multiple shipments totaling 36 bottles of wine from Napa – mostly sparkling, but a few still as well – and it was perfect timing that I’d picked up my membership from South Coast Winery because I had exactly 39 bottles of wine to celebrate my 39th birthday! I couldn’t have planned it better myself!
Soon it was my birthday week and we got a room at the WorldMark Resort in Indio, CA. The room did not meet my expectations, but the resort was nice and the rules and regulations they had in place for COVID-19 safety were excellent in my opinion! I brought some of my wine with me to celebrate for the week, and Jacob and I had a great time! I got to see Kim a few times and we also went to her place for dinner with her and her family. On my actual birthday I logged 3.9 miles (I wasn’t gonna do 39!) as early as possible to beat the desert heat, and waited for Jess to drive up so we could go to the pool. Later, Kim joined us and we celebrated with cake and hit a piñata until it was in pieces and there was candy everywhere. Jess had to drive home after that, but Jacob, Kim, and I went to dinner at a nice place in Palm Desert. It was a great birthday! But the fun didn’t stop there! Johey and Evan joined us a couple of days later and we got lots of pool time, some walks in the sun, and time spent together which was fun! It was the perfect week given the circumstances. I am very, very happy to have such amazing people in my life.
We left Indio bright and early to drive back home and have brunch with Jess and Gordie. Since Jess’s birthday is two weeks after mine, we picked a Sunday in the middle to celebrate our birthdays together. Brunch was good, the day was beautiful out, and the company was great! We still don’t feel comfortable taking rideshare, so we are uber thankful (see what I did there?!) to Gordie for driving us!
Because as I’ve mentioned, I celebrate all month, I got to have lunch with Kristy in Coronado as part of my birthday celebration. By the time I arrived to meet her at the Brigantine, a Mimosa was waiting for me at the table! If it wasn’t because I was driving myself, I would’ve enjoyed a few more!
The following weekend, we went camping at Dixon Lake as part of my list of “40 Things To Do Before I Turn 40” (see abridged list below) and Johey and Evan joined us. It was a fun time to camp out there and the boys got to go fishing and Johey and I went on a couple hikes. The lake is beautiful and I would absolutely not mind camping there again! Our spot had lots of ants but while we were hiking, we scoped out other spots that might be better for next time!
Before my birthday month ended, I got to see Rachel and we had lunch at her house. Outside in her backyard, 6 ft apart, and no hugs, but it was still good to see her – in person!!! I’ve missed her so much!!! It’s not the same when we video chat, but at least we have that for now.
My birthday month ends on Jess’s birthday, so I leave that day reserved for her – that’s just how much I love her. First, she came over and we went to the pool – it was a hot day! Then, I went over to her house and decorated her dining room and we got pizza and cupcakes and Cindi came over and we had a slumber party! I drank way too much cheap sparkling wine (it was a bottle that someone had gifted her) and had a crappy headache the next day, but it was all worth it! It was a great way to celebrate Jess and to end my birthday month.
I can’t believe I’m almost 40! Part of me is like “whoa, no way!” and part of me is like “bring it!” and both parts are struggling to take over the other! Hahaha! But alas, it’s going to happen. Until then, I will work on my list of “40 Things To Do Before I Turn 40”! Do you wanna know what they are? Here are a few of them:
1. Learn ASL
2. Give up alcohol for a month
3. Plant a tree
4. Vacation alone
5. Go camping once a month
6. Declutter – 40 items per month
7. Learn to crochet and make something of actual use
8. Visit Hearst Castle
9. Support my favorite charity (Run Free) in every way I possibly can
10. Go on a hot air balloon ride
And 30 more! Hopefully, I accomplish them all (or if not all, at least the majority of them)! I’m really
looking forward to making this year the best one yet and waiting for 40 with arms wide open, come
what may. Let’s do this!