Today Was My Birthday

"Today was my birthday." This is a line from an "I Love Lucy" episode. Lucy thinks everyone has forgotten her birthday. She goes to the park to sulk, and while sitting on a bench crying, a group of men and women come marching by singing, "We are the friends of the friendless yes we are." Before the night is over Lucy gets the courage to go to the Babaloo, the nightclub Ricky owns. She tells the patrons that everyone forgot her birthday, and with that, all of her friends yell surprise!

I was only five years old when I first remember watching "I Love Lucy" shows, but for some reason I connected with Lucy even though she was at least 30 years older than me. In some ways I am still that five year old and when I was five I was somehow a counterpart to a 30 something housewife! But I'll tell you, I have never been or imagined to be 57, and that is how old I will be in 11 minutes!

I was thinking today how much I wished that I could have gotten my car washed and cleaned for my birthday. That would have made me so happy! Is this what it means to turn 57?

Well, maybe I'll get my car washed ON my birthday. Is this what it means to turn 57?

I went grocery shopping today and on aisle four I saw a box of 12 Kerr glass canning jars for only $9! I was so excited! I bought them as a birthday present to myself. Is this what it means to turn 57?

I was so tired going from store to store to pick up the ingredients for my birthday cake I thought forget it, I don't want a cake! Is this what it means to turn 57?

Tonight I made sure the kitchen was clean so when I get up in the morning I will wake up to a clean kitchen. Is this what it means to turn 57?

Season 10 of American Idol starts on my birthday and I can't wait to watch it. Is this what it means to turn 57?

I'm just a 57 year old woman.....

who still wishes Lucy and Ricky never got divorced.

who still feels scared sometimes like she did when she was five years old.

who likes a clean car and clean kitchen because it makes her feel like she has some control.

who stores her food in glass containers so as not to cause herself any more hormonal imbalance than she already has.

who is so tired she almost didn't get the ingredients she needed to make her birthday cake and

who enjoys watching a non-violent show like American Idol.

Friends of the friendless? No, but my kids would say I'm part of the group Pals to the Pathetic.

I am officially 57 years old. Happy birthday to me!