BIRTHDAY WEEK
The self-indulgence continues (did you really expect anything less from me dear readers?) with another day of birthday week. Today I am officially 30 years old - and it feels really good. Of course part of that could be the sugar high that I'm on from the cupcake I ate earlier. And now, it's back to being sugar-free until Thanksgiving. But, I'm almost certain that most of that happiness is not in any way tied to the consumption of baked goods.
And now dear readers, let's travel back in time to my second birthday. The picture I am about to share with you is one of my favorites because it so delightfully captures my shallowness. When I discovered the birthday pictures from that year in my Mother's photo albums, I noticed that there were several pictures of me opening clothes. And I asked her, "Who gives clothes to a 2 year-old on their birthday?" - to which my Mother replied, "It's what you liked. You always loved clothes." And then I turned the page of the photo album and discovered the proof of that:
I call that picture "Pure joy" or sometimes I call it "Angie has always been shallow" - one of the two. I still get that look of joy on my face when it comes to clothes. I see a dress across a crowded store, our eyes meet (it's entirely possible that last part doesn't make any sense, but I blame the sugar for that), and I get that same look on my face. So, I think what we can all learn from this dear readers, is that shallowness is something we are born with, not something we inherited - the seed was clearly there when I was born - although my mother did water it and nurture it and help it grow (thanks for the great metaphor Kara.)
Today's book, "As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever. . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to the orphanage? Anne knows she's not what they expected - a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. Anne is not like anybody else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special - a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables."
Shallow thoughts:
- So apparently I'm completely transparent, because I thought it would be hard for people to guess what my favorite book - but one of my dear readers (Loree) guessed what it was right away. I guess the mystery pictures are the only thing mysterious about me.
- I've always had a certain affection for the author of today's book, L.M. Montgomery, not just because of the wonderful books she has written, but also because she is the one who inspired the writing of my birthday letters. A few months before I turned 19, I was reading a biography of L.M. Montgomery which told of the letters Lucy Maud (what a horrible name) used to write to herself. At the age of ten, she wrote a letter to herself to be opened in ten years. I loved the idea, and quickly adopted it on my 20th birthday. And I have written one every years since - with the exception of one year and I can't even remember why I didn't write one that year. So I spent the day reading the birthday letters in between reading today's book. I highly recommend writing birthday letters dear readers - reading them today was a lot of fun.
- The one good thing about my inability to retain what I read is that when I go back and re-read old favorites, I feel, to a certain extent, as if I am experiencing the books for the first time all over again. And today was no different. I had the same debate I always have while reading the book, about what my favorite part is. And I think I come up with a different answer every time. Today I was torn between the part where Marilla forced Anne to apologize to Mrs. Rachel Lynde as part of her punishment but Anne gets so caught up in the drama of the moment that she begins to enjoy it, and the part where Anne accidentally gets Diana drunk. I think I'm going to have to go with the part where Diana gets sloshed.
And now dear readers, it's opinion sharing time. What is your favorite book? And, I would also like to hear about your birthday memories.
