Happy Birthday, Edgar

“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

Edgar Allan Poe to be exact. He’s one of my favorite authors of all time (along with Oscar Wilde, Emily Bronte and William Butler Yeats).  He was born January 19, 1809. Not only is he one of my favorites we also share a birthday! I’ve always loved that the famous person I share my birthday with is Poe.

I’ve never been a big fan of my birthday. But in the past few years I’ve tried to make it a special day so that I DID enjoy my day.

In 2007  for my birthday I went up to Seattle and spent the weekend with my friend Rachel. She threw a huge birthday party for me in downtown Seattle and since I was single invited every single guy she knew. It was a fun night. And that night one of our friends (hey Jessica!) who ALSO shares a birthday with me met her now boyfriend. Aw. Love connection. Here we are:

2007

A week later I met Michael. Aw…My first birthday with Michael was spent in town (2009). We went out to my favorite Ethiopian restaurant (he was skeptical but ended up liking it) and then back to my apartment to watch “Bridget Jones’ Diary.” The ONE time I’ve ever gotten him to watch a “chick flick” with me. 😉

My 30th birthday last year was amazing. I had a big dinner party with friends and then Michael and I had an amazing time in Sunriver, Oregon.

Bend, 2010

Lots of eating, beer tasting, snowshoeing, sledding, watching movies in our hotel room by the fireplace. It was a pretty stellar birthday and I don’t know that anything can ever compare to that one!

This year was good too. It was more low-key than last year (which was definitely needed). My parents mailed me my birthday present:

COACH….! Yeah!

I love it. A classy, simple wallet. Also, Michael went ALL out for my birthday and definitely spoiled me rotten.

He actually let me open my presents the night before we left for Bend.

He got me things I needed and wanted! A new iPhone case, a car charger for my phone (desperately needed, and definitely needed for a car trip). Plus he got me the Bible of Triathlon training. While 2011 was SUPPOSED to be the year I do a Tri….I don’t see it in my future for this year with the injuries I’ve had. But I still want to read the book about training, food, and the individual sports of a Tri.

Michael also spoiled me further by buying me snowshoes of my very own!

And as you read in my weekend recap posts, the shoes worked GREAT! Tuesday night Michael and I got dolled up and went out to dinner to celebrate my 31st birthday. The destination? Iorio. None of the photos turned out well, which is unfortunate because the food was really good.

I ordered the Agate Ridge Viognier wine, which was delicate and sweet but not overly sweet. We split the Antipasti dish which was toasted chickpeas with a balsamic reduction, carrots, spinach and celery. It was good. Then we split a organic green salad with candied walnuts (yum–candy on a salad, I’m IN!). My entree was the slow roasted pork with crispy polenta and fresh veggies. It was delicious! I have leftover pork that I’m going to make as a sandwich today.

Dessert was freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk. It was so good! The perfect birthday dinner!

QUESTION: When is your birthday? What do you usually do to celebrate?