I Look Like a Monkey

...And I smelled like one too, for a while. I went on a beautiful birthday hike this morning. I brought my camera and took some pictures. While trudging along it occurred to me that, while there are some things about myself I'm not completely sure of yet, there is one thing I know. I love, love, love the mountains. The smell of pine and sap and wet dirt and even sun baked dirt. I love it. But this is not the point of this post, so I'll just have to write about that later.

Below: My photography skills + a 3.2 mega pixel point and shoot.
(Hey, it was top-of the line 7 years ago).

Moss. And Rocks. So much cooler in real life. Crazy trees...bending and falling and stuff. Cool.

Really comfy sitting rocks, where I sat while looking out at the lookout point.

Immediately following my outing I had lunch with some of my most favorite people. I showed up sweaty and stinky and tired...and left feeling grateful, loved, happy and smelling so yummy I wanted to take a bite out of my wrists every time I got a whiff of my new, luscious birthday perfume.

Yep. It was my birthday today. What can I say? I have mixed feelings.

There is a large part of me that wants to bawl. Fall to my knees. I can't believe my life. I can't believe it. It's been over three decades now and I am amazed by this mortal experience. Completely. I have been given so much. So, so much.

I hope to be better this year; By more quickly learning from my mistakes, by learning to be gracious about the unexpected (like when you suddenly find yourself with a new cat), and work on other various weaknesses ;).

It's been a wonderful day. Hearing from and seeing people I adore. All reminding me that they are in my corner, rooting for me all the way. It's pure bliss.

The coolest part is, it's not really unlike any other day.


Lucky Me :)

P.S. Looking at this makes me realize I should have saved some disk space to take pictures of actual people. Some day I'll get my act together.