A Week of Birthday Celebrations!

I am a very lucky person each and every day I wake up.  You see at 29 I was in a bus accident that I might not have survived, but it gives you a new appreciation for life.  So this week I turned 60 and was very happy to do so!  The Herbal Husband let me celebrate all week.  It started last Tuesday when he made a lovely tomato, basil, avocado and feta cheese salad for lunch.

Then it was off to T.G.I.F Friday's for my birthday dinner and a free dessert!

Had my favorite the petite sirloin.  The Herbal Husband had his favorite the Jack Daniels Chicken.  He had already had a bite!

The free dessert was strawberry shortcake.  You will see a pattern emerge later in the post.

Had to share this one!  It wasn't all fun and games though.  I did make grape jelly and raspberry jam.  The sunflowers are continuing to flourish in the garden.

And a beautiful bouquet of flowers arrived from our dear friends in Uruguay.  Roses, daisies and asters.

I am truly blessed and lucky.  Even the bee balm rebloomed during my birthday week.

I ended the week with two more occasions to eat lots of calories!  We started Friday with lunch at Panera.  Then The Herbal Husband and I got dressed up (He even wore a tie!) and we went to the Grand Concourse.  An old train station turned restaurant.

We had a view of the river and trains as they passed by.  We both had the Martha Vineyard Salad and then I had one of my favorites, crab cakes.  I even took one home and had it last night for dinner!  I topped off dinner with key lime pie.  And then our waitress, Sarah, came with a surprise of a personalized menu wishing me a Happy Birthday!  It was a great night.

And yesterday I spent lunch with my two best girlfriends at The Cheesecake Factory!  I had a sandwich from the SkinnyLicious menu, the Turkey, Avocado and BLT sandwich!  It was delicious.  With a bit of green salad on the side.

And then Oink, Oink!  I had the strawberry shortcake with some help from my girlfriend, Miss C.  The shortcake from the Cheesecake Factory reminded me of my grandmother's.  She was a great baker.  Maybe that's why I like to bake as well.  I had to leave some of it behind.  It was a little too much!  I got to make wishes for both candles though!  So I'll have double good thoughts this year.  All in all it has been a great week.  Thanks to everyone who made it a very special birthday.  I also hope to live a few more years (maybe not 30), but when it gets tough or too difficult, I want one of those easy buttons so I can just check out if necessary!

If you are in the U.S., I hope you are safe and dry from TS Isaac's flooding.  Have a Happy Labor Day.  I'll talk to you later.