Happy Birthday To Me. I've Earned the Right to Ramble.

The older I get the less I need and my list of wants has dwindled to just a few. I am genuinely horrified by that materialistic young woman that I used to be and she, in turn, would be horrified by the birthday gifts for year 53. If I could go back and talk to the 1980s me I'm not sure I could convince her that she would be thrilled to get tomato plants for our sunny balcony, a salad spinner, chewy fudge chocolate brownies and a low key dinner at the favorite sushi place just down the street. The 2011 me is awed by the gifts because they all mean so much more than they appear. My son, who should be used to my crying over the oddest of  things, looked a bit uncomfortable at the tears in my eyes when I opened the salad spinner. I know it's silly but I will use that thing every day and always think of him. When my husband took me out on the balcony at midnight to show me the tomato plants I, again, had tears in my eyes. He knows that I love urban living but miss having a yard. I was smiling this morning when I had my daughter's chocolate brownies for a birthday breakfast. I am a cook and not a baker and am blessed to have a daughter that fills the brownie and cupcake void in my life.

Reversals of fortune can make you bitter or make you better. I choose better. 

Let's look back at the journey and applaud how far we've come.  I'm hard on myself. Woulda, shoulda, coulda is a tough habit to break. I'm going to spend the day looking at how far I've come, the jobs I've mastered (even though I was scared to death on those first days of work) and how scary and thrilling it was to click the "publish" button the first time I put my words out there for the world to see. Today, I'm going to pat myself on the back for allowing my children to follow their creative dreams and hold off until tomorrow the worries that accompany raising children who veer from more traditional career paths. I'm going to look back fondly on the missteps and the bungles that seemed insurmountable at the time but proved to be sturdy stepping stones.

The perfect Texas salsa cures almost everything. It really does and you don't think I'd make that statement without giving you my recipe, do you?

2 cans Ro-Tel brand tomatoes
one big handful of cilantro leaves
one big jalapeno pepper, cut into chunks (remove seeds for less heat, leave 'em in for more heat)
one clove of garlic
1/4 of a small onion
small dash of salt
And that's it...just dump it in the blender, puree until smooth and enjoy.

It's my birthday so I'm cutting this post short to enjoy the day and follow my own advice. Maybe I'll make some salsa, too. It always reminds me of home.