"There's no running away."

"It's in every person's life, around 27 to 29 years old, the stars and the planets align themselves to exactly the way they were when you were born. You're faced with yourself. There's no running away." 

- Lykke Li

Well... it happened. My 29th birthday came and went, and I'll be honest... it wasn't so bad. But that doesn't mean I'm happy about it in the slightest.
 
The day itself wasn't a big deal at all. I did have the afternoon off of work, because it happened to fall on that day of the week. My nephews were staying with us for the week, so we were all pretty busy entertaining them & preparing for the local county fair on the weekend. My aunt & uncle came over for supper, not because it was my birthday, just because it was the only evening that worked for everyone. And that was about it. Overall, however, it was a good birthday. My birthday celebrations usually get spread out over a week or so, for various reasons, but also because I insist on it. :) The Friday before my birthday, the whole family went to Foresta Lumina again (I went last year for my birthday, for the first time, and it was so awesome!). It ended up being terribly humid & raining, but we still trudged around in the woods for an hour, doing the circuit. It was nice, but I'm really glad I went last year. If this had been my first time, it wouldn't have been a very good experience.

So then, I already mentioned what happened on the actual day (Tuesday). My pass for Foresta Lumina was technically my brother's birthday gift to me, but he also gave me a Michaels gift card on my birthday, which was really sweet. My parents gave me a gorgeous baking cookbook and some crafty things I've been wanting. I also received some cards/letters/small parcels from friends and penpals. Wednesday I got a parcel from my BFF containing the next two Harry Potter books I was missing, some Harry Potter socks, and a cute journal, which was so fun! When I went to visit her over Labour Day weekend, she also gave me 2 Harry Potter movies as part of my birthday gift, and a couple PEI souvenirs from her summer. She's just the sweetest! :)

Friday I got my Owl Crate box. It wasn't technically a birthday gift, but it arrived during my birthday week, so we'll call it my gift to myself... We took the kids to mini putt & the fair, which also wasn't for my birthday, but it still all counts, ok? ;)

Saturday morning my cousin stopped in with a nice little gift of a fun notebook, 3D cookie cutters, and coloring pages. Then my sister & brother-in-law came for lunch and to get the kids. They gave me a Three Pines tote bag (swag related to my favourite author, Louise Penny), and the newest Louise Penny book. The books are only released August 30, so I'll get it in the next couple weeks, but that just means my birthday is extended a little more. ;)

And Sunday I requested a birthday lunch at a restaurant with my family. I chose East Side Mario's because we rarely go there, and any time I've gone I really enjoyed it. I couldn't decide what I wanted, hesitated between a pasta & a rice dish, but took the rice one because it's not something I would normally order. It's not something I'll be ordering again, either. :/ Sadly, it was not very good, and did not sit well the rest of the day.

So there you have it. I'm still working away at my 30 Before 30 bucket list. It's becoming increasingly obvious that I will not be able to accomplish everything on my list. But, I guess the important part is that I'm trying. Because, as the quote at the beginning indicates, there's no running away, no slowing down or turning back time... 30 is coming, whether I like it or not, so I just need to try to make the most of it.