I think I put this here more to remind me than to tell anyone else.

And the first thing I noticed this morning is that my sister had added a comment to this post, wishing me a Happy Birthday.

Actually, I’ve spent most of today on the phone, talking to family and friends. My mother called first, then my sister, then my brother. My mother told me about her Mexico cruise with my stepdad and how their friend was so sick he had to be removed from the ship and hospitalized. My sister told me about the new cat she plans to pick up at the shelter tomorrow. My brother and I chatted about taxes.

Cliff called, too, to wish me a happy birthday and negotiate with me for three book contracts for revisions — now that’s a birthday present. At least I know I’ll be eating and paying the mortgage for the rest of the year.

Mike called, wanting to know if I wanted to drive down to the Phoenix area for dinner out. We’d eat out in Wickenburg, but there’s really no place special enough for a birthday meal. (Our favorite restaurant closes for the summer each year.) I’m still toying with the idea of driving down there.

I tried to work. Really. I swear. I actually reviewed the edits for three chapters of the-book-that-must-not-be-named and sent them back to the editors. I don’t know if the layout people will be working this weekend, but I know I will be. The deadline is Tuesday and I have every intention of being done by then. But I just don’t feel like working on writing new chapters today. And with half the day shot to hell, it’s too late to start.

Before I got to the office, I wasted time at Screamers, where I stopped in for a breakfast burrito and ran into a friend. We wound up wasting an hour in conversation about everything from Wickenburg politics (which are about as bad as small town politics can get) to landing 747s in South Korea. He gave me some good ideas for spreading the word about my Southwest Circle Helicopter Adventure, then offered to buy both of my motorcycles. I looked up the book value of the two bikes and realized that it wasn’t worth selling them, but I’d rather see someone riding them than to let them collect dust in my hangar.

Last year on this date, I was living at Howard Mesa and flew with some friends down to Sedona for lunch. I thought I’d blogged about it, but can’t find an entry, so I guess I didn’t. It was a nice little day trip. I don’t think they knew it was my birthday but they paid for lunch anyway. For some reason, I’m always tickled when someone buys me a meal. It isn’t a money thing. It just makes me feel special. Kind of silly, no?

So I think I’ll wrap up for the day and head down the hill to Surprise or Peoria. Maybe dinner at P.F. Chang’s, one of the few chain restaurants I actually like. I need to pick up a book — no bookstores in Wickenburg, unless you are interested in Christian books — and figure I’d hit Barnes & Noble to get it.

Maybe see if my WordPress book is there…not likely, but possible. Wouldn’t that be a nice little birthday present?