St. Patrick's Day...And a Birthday

Birthdays...I love birthdays. There is nothing better than to have a birthday on a Special Day such as St. Patrick's Day. Yes my middle name is Patricia. I was born in Philadelphia, PA, left there with parents in tow on the train to
Oklahoma when I was 11 months old.

Tulsa, Oklahoma  Looking North East from the Convention Center

 I grew up in Tulsa and with much anticipation always looked forward to my birthday. My Grandmother would always bake my cake, chocolate with a chocolate mint icing or spice cake with coffee icing. She made the best cakes and they were mouth watering and to yearn for.

 

Me in costume for La Traviata with our exchange student Sandro

My 18th was a special birthday for me, I got to vote on my birthday, sing in a huge opera production, and my mother's cousin who was a baker made my cake. What was special about the cake is that it was all done in green music staffs and notes and the candles were rolled up $1.00 bills. Eighteen of them! How fun was that.

 
Today, I watched one of my favorite movies, "The Black Stallion Returns" I love both Black Stallion movies. I love the books by Walter Farley. They were the books that inspired me to read. Every day when I would stand in the lunch line in elementary school, I would pick up the book as we passed the shelves in the Library/Lunch room, read a few pages and then get my lunch. Mind you this was the big picture book and the horse drawings were great. I love horses. I love the story of Alec and The Black. So getting to lounge in bed and watch Francis Ford Coppola's movie was a big treat for me.

 
I got a beautiful Red Shamrock plant and the movie Anna Karenina, staring Keira Knightly, Jude Law, Matthew McFadden and Domhnall Gleeson from my loving husband of almost 41 years. I love you honey! The movie was very good but very strange. The whole movie was like watching an over the top play from above the stage to below the stage. Each frame was a work of art.

 

I’ve had all kinds of free food coupons this week. One for a free Taco Salad from Taco Mayo another for a free sub and drink at Jersey Mike's, free pizza from Marco's , shakes from Smash Burger and a crispy taco from Taco Casa. Just register on their website and the offers come pouring in.

 

Awesome salad

Tender flakey crust on a Chicken Pot Pie

The Mudslide Martini...Yum but I swear I could not taste the Vodka in it. Never did feel it.

Dave took me to Cheddar's for my birthday dinner on Saturday night, I had a wonderful Chicken Pot Pie with salad and a honey croissant and a Mudslide Martini. It was good!

 

But for my Sunday dinner for my birthday I put a beautiful piece of corned beef in the crock pot Saturday evening and let do its thing. Sunday morning I pulled it out and trimmed all the fat from it and wrapped it in tin foil and put it in the refrigerator to make slicing it easier later. Just before we left to go see "OZ The Great and Powerful" I put the cabbage, carrots and new potatoes into the crock pot with the broth from the corned beef. Dinner was waiting when we got home. All I can say is YUM!

 

We enjoyed Oz, it was stunningly beautiful and a good story.

My girls gave these to me!

Socks...I just love different kinds of fun socks so you know I just have to wear my lucky socks on my special day! Best day ever to wear them on.

 
Today I have had well wishes on my Facebook accounts even one from Nick Russell, birthday texts, emails and phone calls from family, how can you not love listening to your 2+ year old Grandson try to sing you Happy Birthday and to hear the other Grandson cooing in the background.   To my blog family...I love you all. You have inspired me over these past three years with your tales of travel and your pictures. Soon we will join you out there.

 
A girl never felt so blessed.

Happy trails...

 
662 Days and counting down!