WIll there be any stars, any stars in my crown....

Although yesterday I had a bittersweet feeling, after just receiving news that my UT [uncle Tony] had passed away from a long battle with cancer and illness, I chose to CELEBRATE life and have a fun-filled day for my birthday! You only turn 21 once... ha! I did, and that was LONG, long ago, in a land far away..... LOL!

Who says you are "over the hill"? Well, if I am over the hill... I just want to keep going 'cause I am having the time of my life. My birthday was wonderfully celebrated yesterday with a few friends and lots of love from everyone.

First, I had a small lunch with some close friends at a new place I had never been to before, as I always choooose Chuy's every chance I get. This time, we went to the "Bistro Cafe" in the Nordstrom's store at Barton Creek Mall... whoddathunk!? It really was "to die for"... especially the french fries, the salads (at least that ALL I tasted] AND the triple berry Shortcake. There was NOTHING short about this dessert or experience in general. I wish that I could have had ALL my "peeps" there to celebrate with me, but as it was, I couldn't really hear across the table and my expertise at lip reading isn't so "expertise" yet. I have a hard time in loud, airy places where things echo and peoples' voices are drowned out by the acoustics of clanking forks and the roar of people "having a good time". So, I will just have to hope that my other friends, whom I love dearly, won't be upset that they were not invited to lunch with me. I would not want them to feel badly, at all and would have wished EVERYONE there if it could have been ideal.
After we had a long, leisurely lunch.. despite the line that was growing outside the cafe for other hungry people waiting their turn (sorry folks, you only turn 35 once... yeah, that was a few years ago, too, ha!), there was a HUGE sale going on in the store so we poked around a bit and headed out. I had a big night in store for me, so I had to conserve my energy a LITTLE!

I got numerous calls on my voice mail and managed to talk to my mom, sister, sister in law and a few others while I still had a voice.... When Kevin got home, he took me to one of the finest restaurants in Austin, "Fonda San Miguel". www.fondasanmiguel.com It's an Austin "tradition" opened in 1975 and he informed me that it was the FIRST restaurant to open which served AUTHENTIC interior Mexican food in the state or did he say Country... ? I don't know, but it's a very well-known restaurant and we've been there on special occasions in the past. It holds a very special place in Kevin's heart as he went there many time with his Dad before he passed away.

Anyway.... the dinner there, was quiet, well, uh, sort of... it really was till they seated the "gaggle of gals" who were fixated on ordering many, many Royal Margarita's and laughing at a decibel level that would have "closed Freddie's Place down".... [inside joke here...] We still managed to have a great time and enjoyed the exquisite meal which included Ceviche.... Yep, never had that before, either of us, so we had to try it. If you don't know what it is, well, it's sort of like antipasto and sushi all wrapped into one. It comes as a "small" salad-like dish of fish, shredded onions, radishes and fresh, slivered jalapenos in which you can pile on top of thick, corn tortilla chips (not the light, flaky ones that they serve you with the salsa here). I think I will just say that I probably would NOT order it again, but wouldn't mind "another bite" for the rest of my life. It was ok.. edible, but not something I would write home to mom about. NOW, the tenderloin and suiza enchilada that I ordered was ANOTHER story! VERY, very tasty! Kevin ordered the special, which he likes to do, a "Filet of Drum", fish filet, stuffed with crabmeat, carrots and zucchini, covered with a white, creamy cheese sauce with sweet, red peppers on the top as garnish.... HE loved it... as you can see, he finished it, but I thought it was a bit fishy. I had never heard of "Drum" before.... neither had he, so he wanted to try it.
While we were finishing up with our meal and relaxing together in conversation, Kevin casually asked me if I had "let Fleckie in" before we left? Uh, NO! I did not know that HE LET HER OUT!? He said he told me while I was "on the phone" [like I listened to him while engaged in another conversation with someone else getting birthday wishes??!?!?!]. Well, we figured out that she was probably home, IN THE DARK, barking at the back door to come in. For SOME neighborhoods it may be NO big deal, but we are not the type of neighbors that let our dogs bark incessantly, bothering EVERYONE!

But, I knew that this place was "known for their Flan" so I saved "a little" room for that(come on, it goes down a different way) and could only think that we would have to forgo the dessert and shorten our evening if we had to go home immediately.... so what to do, what to do!? We called our sweet neighbors, across the street, who happen to be good, high school friends of Kevin's, and asked them kindly to "let the barking Doxie beast in". MISSION accomplished!!! We could take our time and enjoy the rest of the evening without feeling rushed.

So, I wanted to share some of my day with you... some of the food, some of the calligraphy cards I received in the mail, and just simply say that YESTERDAY was a "fairytale" of a Birthday! I've always been one to say "Don't regret growing older, it's a PRIVILEGE denied to many." I feel blessed to still be here and am looking forward to another twenty years [or more] spreading my sunshine on this Earth! If you were even a "smidgeonly" part of my birthday ... THANK YOU for your wishes, for your love and most of all for being your own, unique self!