1/23

Before My Morning Joe

Although I've been celebrating since the weekend, today is my birthday. When asked what my date of birth is, to confirm my medical identity, I always say one two three and the year. The year makes it much more noticeable as a cool birthday, but I can't tell you what it is lest you try to steal my identity.

That is, if you want to steal the photo of me above and try to get a transfusion or pick up my prescriptions. What can I say? I look really bad in the morning with my bedhead. But it's funny, too. When I saw how ridiculous I looked, I had Marty take a picture. Yes, my face is really that puffy. My eyes are almost always half closed because of dryness. When I put my special lenses in, I can open them almost all the way.

On Saturday, my friends Jeffrey and David came from NYC and we had a great time cooking, drinking and eating. Dessert was a mocha dacquiose that Jeffrey made. After shrimp wonton hors d'ouevres (homemade), Caesar salad, roast duck with blueberry sauce and artichoke/spinach risotto, it was difficult to go on to dessert, but we managed. I had another slice of the cake for lunch on Sunday.

Monday night, Doug took us out for dinner at a really nice restaurant in PA. But first, we drove to his house and had cocktails. It's just not my birthday without an extra dry Beefeater martini with a twist of grapefruit. Tuesday, I repented. I more or less had a liquid diet all day until I broke down around 5 pm and had cheese and crackers. And a few slices of pepperoni. For dinner, we had roast Cornish hens with leftover blueberry sauce and risotto. I should add that I went to yoga Monday.

This morning, I slept late (8:20 is late for me), made my way toward the scent of fresh coffee, saw how ridiculous I looked and posed for the hag shot above. To treat myself, I went for a massage and then had my hair washed and blow-dried at a local salon. I now look like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, but for the puffy face.

I spoke with my son in NYC and skyped with my son in Denmark. We'll be meeting a group of friends at a Japanese steak house midway between us, about an hour or so away. Maybe I'll have a better photo to show you tomorrow.