Here I thought I was too old for themed birthdays - I presumed such coordinated celebration went out with my coincidentally themed Little Mermaid Birthday when I turned nine - but alas, I have re-discovered the concept of categorically similar birthday activities. The theme for this year = FREE!!!
Yes, everyone likes free, especially when it comes to organizing one's own birthday activities, being that the day of live-in party planners (ie, Mom and Dad) are long gone (and, let's be honest, I never really had any party planning of any sort - you can feel sorry for me later, right now I'm relishing in my frugality). Free is the 25 year-old's Elmo.
Technically, you're right, my birthday isn't until tomorrow - still nearly a long hour and a half away - and yet, the majority of my FREE birthday extravaganza is well behind me - placed in my store of very good memories.
It all started with my gift to me: maid service for a day. Unfortunately, the only maid I know is me, but goody for me: I happen to like myself very much, so I gave myself a good deal (FREE!). And now my house is beautiful, clean, and shiny. A clean it hasn't seen in many a moon. Not perfect (please don't check my closet), but vacuumed, which is a big step, with clean counters, an empty(ish) fridge and a spotless, well-stocked pantry. (Taking a big sigh of relief as I picture it now.)
Today was a glorious continuation of the FREE theme. As no one has provided us with any, no hats were involved, but there was ice cream (yes, FREE ice cream!). Thanks to the oh-so-generous birthday clubs of Red Robin and Cold Stone Creamery, Philip and I enjoyed a wonderfully FREE dinner and dessert (ok, we did buy beverages and tip our waiter, we're cheap, not heartless). Yes, we BOTH enjoyed free meals because, in case you were unaware, our birthdays are separated by a mere three days - thus we both reveled in (okay, I reveled, Philip accompanied and ate his bacon cheeseburger and ice cream, declaring it was, in fact, good) the FREEness of checking another year into our past.
The one treat we enjoyed that wasn't quite free was Philip's arcade adventure - but you'd be surprised how far $5 can go in the land of shoot-em-up entertainment.
Wow. I'm still giddy. Yes, I'm a cheapskate. I know it, I own it.
