Birthday Recap

My family are notoriously generous gift givers. We pride ourselves on out gifting one another. The goal is to get the recipient to cry tears of happiness, shock, and awe. If they don't cry it is an incredible disappointment to all parties present. We epitomize the moral it is better to give than receive. I have never in my, cough, 26 years spent more than $500 on myself in one sitting. It doesn't happen. I can't justify spending more than $30 for a pair of jeans never the less some expensive electronic. But send me out to by a gift for someone else and I can drop hundreds without batting an eyelash.

My Nana has always been extremely generous in regard to vacations. When I was 13, my grandparents took the entire family to Scotland to explore our roots and Auntie De providing matching green converse for the clan. At 18, it was a trip to the Bahamas. Then at 21, a cruise around Alaska's inside passage for 13 people. These vacations are burned in my memory and often come up at dinner parties. We will still laugh about Greyfriar Bobby, the booze cruise, cow bingo, crazy hat contests, Michael's glass smashing abilities, Rebecca's vomiting pyrotechnics, and Muchall's Castle. We returned the favor one year and bought Nana a laptop. She cried really good that Christmas.

This birthday it was my families turn to see me cry. I had been fantasizing about a Mac laptop for years. My old one is edging on 5 years and teetering on complete system failure. I covet that sleek MacBook design, easy operation, and suburb graphics. I would find myself in Apple stores drooling over the Mac Air and iPhones. However, I could never justify spending the money on myself. I planned on waiting until my Dell bit the big one and then buying another PC that would make due. I bet you can guess where this is going. My family chipped in and got me a MacBook. I almost shit my pants and thats putting it lightly. It was so unexpected, desired, and unnecessary for such an nondescript birthday. I am still in shock everytime I see it sitting in our den. Now, my problem is that I have no idea how to use it. I have been on the phone with Mac support three times already.

It was quite a lovely birthday and it was really nothing to be afraid of. I got to spend most of the day with my main Goose man which is always my favorite time. I went for a hot stone massage, courtesy of Terry. I had a charming get together with Kari, Erik, Bri, Jessie, Nicky and Becca after Wyatt went to sleep. I even indulged a bit having a glass of sangria and half a beer. Living on the edge!! Rebecca made my favorite ice cream sandwich cake, without the nuts. A good time was had by all in the land. I have been spending all of my free time getting to know my Mac and still having some trouble because I am stupid about networks, routers, and all things Internet. But I am so in love! Job well done family!!