All I Want for My Birthday Today

It’s my birthday today. I really don’t want anything. Really.

I just want to relax. That’s all. Maybe a little sunshine. It’s been raining forever, so a little sun would be nice. But that’s it. I just want to sit out on my patio in the sun and relax.

I might want a cocktail while I sit out there. Nothing fancy. Just something cold and refreshing. Maybe a beer. Maybe a wine spritzer. No big deal. Ooo, or maybe some sangria, but not that yucky mix or the fake ones that people make with 7-Up and bad wine. One of the real ones that has been sitting on fruit all day long. Yea, that would be good.

But I do like frozen drinks when it is sunny too. Like a strawberry daiquiri or a frozen margarita. Just the basic ones. Oh, but I know what would be good ÔÇô a Lemon Drop with real squeezed lemon or a Mojito with the fresh mint and crushed limes. I love those things. Or maybe one of those Pink Lemonades made out of cold Lim├│n cello and cranberry juice. Oo, now that’s the ticket.

But I wouldn’t want to be pathetic sitting out there in the sun all by myself, so maybe it would be good if a friend sat with me. But I wouldn’t want to put anyone out or make them feel obligated. Just a good friend who isn’t just trying to get the check in the box. Someone who really appreciates me and likes to listen to my stories. That’s all. And it would be good if she brought the drinks so I wouldn’t have to make them myself.

Actually, it would be cool if other friends got word it was my birthday and were like, “It’s Lisa’s birthday! She’s so funny and cool, we need to go celebrate with her!” Not the friends that think, “Oh crap, it’s Lisa’s birthday . . . I’ll just run down there and have a quick drink with her and I’ll regift that candle I got for Mother’s Day.”

Just a few sincere friends on the patio with drinks, that’s all. Although it would be nice if they all chipped in without me knowing and bought me something special. Nothing expensive or anything, just something really meaningful that they all knew I would appreciate, but that I had no idea they all planned just for me. That would be awesome.

But seriously, I really don’t want anything. However, I do hope I don’t have to cook tonight. It would be great if my husband would come home with some food without me asking. Just some simple take out so the kids get fed. I really don’t care. Just something light to go with the cocktails. A big Greek salad would taste good. It is so good with a bit of crumbled feta, and there’s nothing better than tzatziki with fresh dill and some kalmata olives. Oo, and some of that really soft flat bread that you can warm up on the grill to give it that smoky taste. You know what would be tasty? Some marinated grilled chicken breasts, thinly sliced. That would go well with the Pink Lemonades.

I don’t even need a cake today. But if a friend brings a little muffin or cupcake with a candle in it, I’ll be totally appreciative. I just hope my husband doesn’t pick up one of those store bought cakes I hate. I’d be totally happy if the kids cooked a pan of brownies. They would like that. I like them nice and gooey, and they taste so good when they are warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Drizzle some Baileys on top with a few dark chocolate curls and you’ve got a real dessert.

But as long as the kids get fed tonight, I’ll do whatever. I just hope they clean the kitchen when they’re done. I am so sick of cleaning. Just the basics ÔÇô put the dishes in the dishwasher and put away the leftovers. It’s not that hard. But it would be nice if they would try to clean it the way I do instead of leaving finger prints on the faucets, crumbs on the counter, and food in the drain. I hate it when they put plastic wrap over a huge bowl even thought there is only a little bit of food in it, just so they don’t have to put the leftovers in a Tupperware and wash the bowl. I hope they don’t do that tonight.

I just want the kitchen to be cleaned up a bit, that’s all. I don’t want to walk in there in my bare feet and feel something stick to the bottom of my foot like I did this morning. How hard would it be for them to run a mop over the floor on my birthday? It would only take a few minutes. Wouldn’t it be outstanding ifmy husbandthought about this weeks ago, and secretly hired a cleaning person to clean the whole house today? It would be unbelievable if I came up from my birthday cocktail party/Greek dinner and found a sparkling clean house.

But really, I just want the kids to clean their rooms without me asking them. That would be so great. To walk back through our hallway and notice that all the rooms were clean and everything was put away. That would be gift enough.

In all seriousness, the kids don’t need to get me anything. Just a card with something sentimental and sincere. Not one from the store. One that they made themselves, and took the time to write something touching inside with cute handwriting. One that they hid under their bed every night and worked on while I was cooking dinner. One that will bring a little tear to my eye. That would be nice.

But no gifts. Only ones that they made in art class or something, nothing they had to go out of their way for. Like a little beaded bracelet or a key chain. Or maybe they snuck away with their father a while ago and went shopping for me. I’ll bet they all picked out something together, something I would have never thought to ask for because I never demand anything. Like some piece of jewelry that is stylish but meaningful or symbolic in some way. Or maybe a Blackberry. Or a Mediterranean cruise.

But any old thing will do, really. Like I said, I don’t really want anything. I just want to relax.

I better go plug in the video camera. It would really stink if all my friends came with the cocktails and surprise gift for the Greek dinner and no one had a camera to catch me on tape when I cry over the kids’ homemade cards and the necklace, and when I open the new Blackberry and the cruise tickets.

Just in case. You never know.