Happy Birthday to ME!!

How best does a 60-something Grammie celebrate her birthday?

By going to Chuckie Cheese, playing pinball (and earning the admiration of at least 2 8 year old boys...."You're AWESOME!" when she reaches a score of over 91,000,000 on Pirates of the Caribbean AND 150 free tickets).

By getting home and Skyping with her sister in Berlin, only to have a phone call via Skype from her son in Morocco -- complete with working VIDEO!!!

Said son was able to converse with and see his mom & dad, two sisters, his nephew and one brother in law....Technology is amazing. For a few brief and shining moments, the entire family was together....Wheaton, Naples, Indianapolis, and Fez -- all in one room.

That is a true birthday gift.

Also celebrating with said grandson whose third birthday party was at said Chuckie Cheese with 8 other small fry. By the way, the pizza was delicious!

We were planning to go to Macaroni Grill for dinner, but by the time I had been feted for breakfast at Egglectic by Torrey and Chris, gone to the French Market (where I treated myself to an amythest necklace I had been coveting), and headed for Chuckie Cheese where I was amazing at pinball -- and then to Costco where we got my birthday cake (a lemon cake with raspberry filling I had been coveting for at least three months) and Alaskan King Crab Legs for dinner -- nope, eating out on the deck was all I wanted to do.

I love opening presents. But nothing -- BUT NOTHING -- beats having my family all around. Jill with Deven, Torrey & Chris, Tim by Skype Video (for free at that!!) and my dearest Bobbert. All that was missing was our Derrick who was holding the fort in Naples.

Maybe the best birthday ever.

Thank you, my beloved family.