My 45th Birthday

We celebrate birthdays in this house from August until October.  Little Lewie starts the cycle on August 11th, then Hubby is on September 16th, I'm on October 3rd, and then my mom (Grammy) is on October 8th.  

I love that we all have birthdays right in a row, and I'll admit that I do love having a Fall birthday.  Every year, I basically request the same things--a hike, pumpkin picking, and/or a visit to a farm somewhere.  I just LOVE the Great Outdoors, and October in New England is usually the perfect time for everyone to be outside without feeling too hot or too cold.

This year, I had several weekends to enjoy my birthday.  We started the celebration on the first week of October at Hogan's Cider Mill.  A friend recommended the place, and we went on a triple date with two of my closest friends.  I started out with a "flight" of hard cider and tried the varieties you see below.  I don't drink much, so needless to say, just these few samples were enough to get me silly.

I finished my tasting with an Applegria, which was out-of-this-world.  It came garnished with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick, and it was oh so yummy.  I quite honestly enjoyed the cider more than if we had gone to a vineyard!  (If you noticed, their tap room is outside--perfect for staying safe during a pandemic!)

The next week, my mom and I went pumpkin picking.  Hubby and I were supposed to go hiking, but he hurt his knee walking  running with our puppy, Bruce, and now it looks like he has a torn meniscus.  (This week will most likely be the MRI followed by surgery.)  I was disappointed that his knee injury would be interfering with our typical fall hikes and farm trips, but at least I still have my mom and Lewie!

                                        My coworkers sent me these beautiful flowers!

My mom and I went to our favorite farm in Bethlehem, March Farm, and we enjoyed picking out our pumpkins along with some Cider Donuts.  We reminisced about the days when we used to take Little Lewie here to explore their playground and little houses.  Oh how I miss those days!  Without a little three year old toddler in tow, the farm trip was pretty quick, and we left to grab a bite to eat before going home.  (My mom wouldn't let me take a picture of her since she hasn't had her hair done since COVID began in March.)

If I ever go back to reminisce about my 45th birthday or this particular fall (2020), I'll remember it as a time of highs and lows.  The highs, of course, are getting to celebrate with my hubby, friends, my mom, and Little Lewie.  (Also, Hubby surprised me with a new laptop computer to replace my current one that has a big horizontal black mark across the screen.)  The lows were that my Aunty Kiki was admitted to SMILO Cancer Center just a few days before October, and Hubby injured his knee.  At this particular moment, we've been told that my aunt should go into Hospice, and yet, she still isn't done fighting this disease; after all the chemo, surgeries, and everything she's been through, she still wants to fight; she still wants to LIVE.  In one minute, we're planning for her funeral, and the next, we're talking to doctors about how she can get rehabilitation, so she can move back home and enjoy the rest of her life.  Every day, I either drive my mom to see my aunt, or I'm visiting her.  She's spent a long 23 days in the hospital so far, and we have no idea whether Hospice is next or rehab.  What happens when the mind is strong but the body is weak?  Can her will alone help her to heal?  How about prayers?  (My aunt is very spiritual and religious.)

We wait and see and remind ourselves how very precious life is...  Another birthday is another year to live...