My whole apartment is steamy and airless and smells like catpiss. The worst part is that I know it's cooler outside - this damn apartment traps heat like crazy, and I can feel the occasional cool breeze determinedly shoulder its way into the apartment. The cat piss is almost certainly courtesy of FCN's innumerable felines, all of which are kept indoors against their wills and all of which make sporadic breaks for freedom whenever possible. Our theory is that one of them got in the hallway and pissed on a rug. I dunno. It's pretty horrible here. I kind of wish I'd stayed in Dirk's basement.

The party last night was very small but rather fun. Less than a dozen people showed up, which made it more of a get-together than a party, but okay. Sarah & Leo were the party heavyweights, bringing three other fun and interesting people with them. Algernon came sans Gwendolyn but with children's books, the newly-single Little Spider came with a begonia, Death and her man came with stickers, St. Jack came with a number of tall cans and Stacy came in stripes. I finally got my Vegas present from Dirk, which turned out to be well worth the wait as it was my very own, one and only World's Worst Teacher shirt with angry knifey chick. I am so, so pleased! The Boy splurged on the Buffy 4th season DVD, which was a welcome extravagance.

For the first time in months, I was talking too much to be unduly tempted by the Brie, and I managed to get through the entire night and following day without eating a single bit of it. My mom's Chippendale cake was a roaring success; guests were alternately amused and horrified by the prospect of eating my chocolate mimbo and I got to carve it anatomically. I saved the belt (which said "Hi Aleta!") for myself. (And I still have the face!) I drank sparkling juice & pop & water & milk and was very happy. The baby was quiet, but many were able to enjoy my shrinking belly button. I never managed to change into the pretty black dress I had brought over for the occasion, but I did wear my birthday tiara for 24 hours straight.

I laughed a lot. It was pretty wonderful.

birthday picture parade, part 2!

The year I turned 25, I was in a ridiculous funk. I made the Boy take pictures of me on the porch with no makeup, and then I scanned a bunch of "birthday" photos that documented all my brithdays since I began a web journal. Depressed andbored...yup. If you look to the left of my massive neck, you can see where Ceilidh destroyed the screen door.

26 was well-begun. The Boy & I went away to Halifax for a weekend of surprising & amazing free entertainment. This is me in the Public Gardens, doing my evil Anne of Green Gables impersonation.

I don't really have blue hair, but a week before I turned 27, I sure did.

2 years ago today: birthday picture parade, part one!