If a blind woman is the only one to see the clock, what day is it?

It's a real question, and one that only my mother knows the answer to.  You see, I do not know for sure if I was born on September 30th or October 1st, though my birth certificate says October 1st.  My mom says it was the stroke of midnight, and the doctors forgot to look at the clock, as they were too busy looking at my club foot (and I forgive them their slip, if that's what it was, as the repair to my ankle is the best that many doctors have ever seen...thanks guys).  Mom says they told her she could choose, and since my oldest brother Ramon Jr. was born on the 30th, she chose the 1st, to give me my own birthday.

Do I know how to party, or what?  Apparently, I learned the "always snag a reserve bottle" trick by my first birthday.

That was the sentence that made me question the story.  Just check the family albums...every childhood birthday shows a two-tier cake, with my candles on one level, and "Tad's" on the other, and both of us standing behind it.  Furthermore, my sister pointed out that Mom was blind without her glasses back then, and would not have been wearing them in the delivery room, so she could not have seen the clock.  Then, from somewhere in my memory banks, comes a story of several false alarms the week before I was born, and something about maternity insurance not kicking in until October 1st.  Hmmmmm...

So, that's my entry into the world...my life begins with a very fishy story, possible insurance fraud, and the theory that time is relative (to the occasion).  If I was inclined to blame life's disappointments on birth trauma, I think I could get a lot of mileage out of this added bonus material.  As it is, I've decided it's a good excuse to celebrate my birthday twice!

Nature puts out unrivaled party decor. 

'Kinley rode along to check out the fall colors today.  I'm seriously not sure I should be allowed to drive this time of year, as the sumac and alders, like these chokecherries are extremely distracting in their crimson and gold splendor.  Talk about A.D.D. !  Oh, look....!

I'm celebrating today already.  Thanks to all who sent cards and emails!  I just opened a box from my friend Roberta, who lives in Chicago.  The box itself is a gorgeous designer thing, and unbeknownst to her, I actually have a thing for gorgeous gift boxes.  Inside was a beautiful meditation drum with CD and instruction book, which is perfect, as I've been meaning to check out this increasingly popular form of meditation and celebration.  Also in the box was a book, The Creative Entrepreneur, A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real, which I am dying to curl up with and enjoy.  Alas, not today, as a few of my girlfriends are having a party for me this evening.  I have been promised chocolate cake and sex on the beach.  The latter is a drink, the former is probably the name of a drink too, but I'm pretty sure I'm getting the solid kind with candles.

Tomorrow, I have to return to the "scene of the grime", and finish grouting the china mosaic fireplace.  I absolutely do not mind spending my birthday there, as my client Jodi is working with me on it, which makes it really fun.  Besides, not only is the project coming out gorgeous, which makes any job fun, but Jodi has promised me something yummy for lunch, and has stroked my vanity, insisting she thought I was about 10 years younger than I am.  Who better to spend the day with???.

So, no work photos until next week.  Aside from the fireplace, my focus this week has been finishing the website (getting very close), and working on some marketing things.  For this, I had to have head shots done, which was surprisingly painless, and the previews I saw were pretty good, considering Toni (frontporchphotos.com) did have to bully me a fair bit, and tell me to shut up more than once.  Sheesh, talk about tough love.  Gentler love was earlier in the week, when one of my young students, Kadence, insisted on drawing a portrait of me.  I always say learning to draw is about learning to see.  I think I like what she sees...

Thank you, Precious.  It's my favorite present.

So, Happy Birthday to Dona, Heather, Teri and Tad, and A Very Merry Unbirthday to all the rest of you!

p.s.  to those who know the birthday/dog curse...McKinley is healthier today than he was last year, so no worries.