Double chai*

Well, having had a recent point of comparison, I can report to you all that it is more fun to turn two than to turn 36. Especially when your birthday falls on both shabbat and Passover and you didn't manage to find a babysitter. Maybe if this happens again I'll break shabbat to pick up my birthday calls. Birthday voice mail isn't the same. I did have a few unexpected emails waiting for me just now, and A. made a fairly ambitious orange nut cake at my request. She also gave me a packet of fancy kleenex and a little bird statue. Z. attempted to appropriate the bird. That was it for things to unwrap today, though I know there are other presents in the mail. It's not all about the presents, but you're not fooling me if you pretend the presents don't make a difference.

I used to have better birthdays, but the thing is that to have a good birthday you have to plan ahead, and I just haven't been up for it the past few years. I don't mind a low-key birthday, but I don't think I should be able to forget for hours at a time that it is my birthday. Harumph. I believe in the concept of the birthday season, though, which lasts for a month after your birthday, so maybe things will improve.

It did snow on my birthday, for only third time in my recollection.

*for the non-Jews out there, chai ("hi," with the H like you're clearing your throat) is the word for life in Hebrew, and in Hebrew letters it looks identical to the number 18. Jews will often donate money in multiples of 18 for this reason.