Exactly two weeks from today, I'll be turning 30 frickin' years old.
I've never much celebrated my birthday. I did have a pretty super Sweet 16 birthday that I'll remember forever and ever. I didn't have invites, tents, caterers, wait staff, or get a new car from my parents, but my mom had secretly converted my bedroom into a little fondue bistro, and she served me and my 3 best friends all night. Chinese fondue and Chocolate fondue for desert. I had spent so much time at the beach that year, that on my sweet 16 photos, I look like a mexican.
On other birthdays there was never much hooplah. On my 12th birthday, were on vacation in Shediac, and I had been waiting impatiently all day, bursting to say "It's MY BIRTHDAY!!" But not wanting to, in case there was a surprise later. Driving back to the campsite in the late afternoon, after a day of watching speed race boats on the Cocagne River, my 12 year old self couldn't contain it any longer. But I was mad. I was fuming. How could they forget my birthday? With arms crossed, I finally said "Hey mom and dad, didn't you forget something today?" They looked at each other puzzled, then my mom's eyebrows shot back up "Oh yeah, it's your birthday, wow, I completely forgot. Happy Birthday." Dad "Happy Birthday!". That's it? My parents laughed and said "Well, waht do you want us to do?" I don't know, something birthdayish would be nice! So Dad trying to be funny, flicked his cigarette lighter on, and told me to make a wish. I don't remember what I wished for. But that was my 12th birthday.
On my 14th birthday, my parents announced about 1.5 months before my birthday that they already had my birthday gift picked out. WHAT? OMG, it must be somethin', for them to actually plan my birthday gift that far in advance. I was dying for them to dish out clues. They finally told me about a month before my birthday that my birthday gift started with the letter P. For the next month, my friends and I trying to guess my P birthday gift, dictionary and all. I was SURE it was rollerblades (Patins). I was dying for rollerblades. When the morning of my birthday finally came, I immediately demanded my birthday gift as soon as I got up! My mom told me to be patient and wait. Later in the afternoon I asked again. She said "Oh alright, I'll go wrap it." What? You've picked out my birthday gift 1.5 months in advance and it's not even wrapped yet? Finally, I'm sitting at the table, my P birthday gift in front of me. My parents and my brother sitting there, not able to contain their excitement. Laughter spilling out of them. I opened my present, which looked about the right size for patins. It was a big bottle of dishwasher Palmolive. What?? Why? They were laughing like hyennas. "Remember? You always complained that you always had to do the dishes by hand because I refuse to let you use the dishwasher? Well there you go!! You can use the dishwasher until the bottle runs out!" That was my 14th birthday.
2 years ago, just as my 27th birthday was ending on a mediocre note again, we got an invite to go hang out at Tim & Sophie's. We talked and we laughed and we drank and Tim made the best bruschetta ever. I've never had better since. I swear. That was my best birthday ever. (The sweet 16 was great, but really... I'm not a big fan of surprises.)
There were other less memorable birthdays, like the time my mom threw me a surprise 5 year old birthday party, without ever explaining the concept of a surprise birthday party. When my aunt dropped me home and that 12 adults and 6 kids lept out of behind the kitchen counter yelling " SURPRISE!" I peed my pants and cried hysterically. My mom got mad at me for misbehaving. There were many birthdays spent hiding in the bathroom or somewhere else, trying to avoid the bane of my young existence : The Limbo. Oh how I dreaded the time when the birthday parent woudl pull out the broom. I hated the limbo. I weighed three times as much as all the other kids, I just couldn't do the limbo. The parents always ended up yelling at me for fussing about it, making me go try at least a turn, I'd go under the broom, fall on my ass, and all the kids would laugh at me. Happy birthdays.
I'm turning 30 frickin' years old, and I'm not going to do the frickin' Limbo.
The other day, the urge to go up home (Paquetville/Caraquet) for the first time since 1998 struck me really hard. I started to feel like finally going back up home to make amends with my past would be a great way to turn 30 years old. I'm not going to seek my past, but I'm going to make amends. My birthday is on the 13th, Acadian day is on the 15th, and the "Congres Mondial Acadien" is also taking place during those dates. So of course, every nook and cranny was booked everywhere I called. Even the little auberge in Paquetville has no vacancy.
Stroke of luck! MIL & FIL have a camping spot booked for their RV for two weeks, as they're going to the CMA (FIL kind of for work reasons.) We can stay with them! Score!
Two days ago, out of the blue, one of my best childood friend (yes, she was at the sweet 16!) sent me a message on Facebook saying that she was coming down from Ontario for the 15 aout, and can we meet? Heck yeah!! Marie-Josee (also at the sweet 16) is apparently coming down from Ottawa, and Nadine (also at the sweet 16, probably my very best childhood friend, who actually lives ON MY STREET here in Dieppe, we just never make the time to see each other. It's a sin!) is coming up too. We are still discussing it.. but it looks like we might have a mini reunion slash birthday party!!
More awesomeness - My brother & Tammy have agreed to come take puppysitting shifts at my house and sleep there, so that we can go enjoy ourselves. This is my birthday gift from them.
This could potentially be my best birthday ever! Here are the plans so far :
Aug 12 - [Not sure yet] + Visit my parents remodeled house, which I haven't seen in a year.
Aug 13 - Acadieman Movie at the CMA (a Steph thing) + Visiting my dear old aunt Adeline in Paquetville, visiting Paquetville for the first time in 11 years, and have a mini reunion/birthday party.
Aug 14 - Attend a classical music concert at a church. I went to school with Carl, the pianist, and I'm thrilled to finally be able to go see him in concert. + La Compagnie Creole show at night.
Aug 15 - Tintamarre, 15 aout festfivities, and 1755 show at night.
Aug 16 - Nurse hangover and drive home.
It's not Vegas... but hopefully Vegas will wait for me. We really, really couldn't afford to both go to Vegas this summer. It would be playing with fire. Maybe next year?