So Saturday was my birthday.
We went to the farmer’s market as usual. It was a bit rainy and chilly, but nice for all that. Had lunch at Wahlburgers. And then a quiet afternoon at home. Dinner was steaks on the grill with lots of fresh from the market veggies on the side. There was chocolate cake and ice cream and we lit Ben’s baptismal candle and renewed our baptismal promises because it’s also his baptism day.
On Sunday my sister, who is here for a couple of weeks, watched the kids while Dom took me out to dinner at one of my favorite places, Addis Red Sea Ethiopian restaurant in Boston’s South End. The last time we were there was for my birthday when Bella was less than three months old.
Dinner was lovely. So very quiet without five little interrupting voices. And no one jostling my elbow or wanting to climb into my lap.
The food was very yummy, I can’t tell you anymore what we had except I got a fish dish and Dom got something beef and there were lots of vegetable dishes too. And I had two glasses of tej, honey wine. And some Ethiopian coffee. I wished Bella and Sophie could have come.
The theater across the street had a poster announcing that Brian Friel’s Translations was now playing. How I wish I could go see it. I felt this deep longing for that old life of mine when I was in grad school and went to see plays and occasionally splurged on nice restaurants with friends. When I got to be in the city. Oh I can’t wait till the kids are old enough to be dragged to plays and Ethiopian restaurants.
Dom got me books. Of course.
The Gorgeous Nothings: Emily Dickinson’s Envelope Poems
Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary
by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Plants of Middle-Earth: Botany and Sub-Creation
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
Bella immediately absconded with the Plants of Middle Earth book. It warms my heart to see her such a budding botanist.
Oh, and speaking of botany, my sister gave me some dahlias from the farmer’s market.
A very happy birthday to you and every blessing! Awesome presents!
Thank you, Stephanie.
Happy belated birthday! It sounds like it was a lovely weekend!
Thanks. It was. Simple, homely, but all the better for that.
Happy Birthday Melanie.
Your beautiful family is the greatest gift of all.
Always be glad of them.
Don’t I know it.
I forgot to mention that Bella gave me a present. A little paper crane that my sister gave them last time she was here in February. Bella had strung it on a new string and said I could hang it in my room. So sweet.
Happy birthday! What a lovely restaurant and lovely evening out. We have a million Ethiopian restaurants around here but I haven’t been to any, because a) we don’t go out for dinner and b) Geoff doesn’t like Ethiopian. I should rope someone else into going out with me.
I see that you have the gorgeous copy of Fern hill that we have- so lovely. I want How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare and the Middle Earth book, now.
Oh you really should go enjoy the Ethiopian food.
Yes, thank you again for introducing me to Fern Hill. It might be my next memorization project. I want those lines in my head.
Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Happy belated birthday, Melanie! Enjoy following your blog adventures. We have the Teach Your Children Shakespeare book; great read & very do-able, too. Great set of birthday books you received!
Many Happy Returns 🙂
Thank you. Being me, I probably won’t follow the book’s plan exactly, if at all really. But it’s a fun read. Dom was a bit bummed because I’d checked it out from the library already, but I don’t care. I want a copy of my own anyway.
From across the pond: Many happy returns! And blessings!
Thank you.
Happy birthday Melanie! 🙂
Thank you.
Happy belated birthday, Melanie!
Thank you, Heather.
Oh, I’m sorry I’m so late, but – Happy birthday!!!
Never too late. Thanks, Jocelyn.
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