Posts Tagged ‘Co-workers’

One special day . . .

One special day. That is the title of the blog post of my dear friend, Philip, who gave me this year one of the most personal and touching birthday gifts I have ever received.  An early present because Philip is 15 hours ahead of me in time.  He marked my special day by sharing his musical talent with this special rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  Thank you, my friend, and, God willing, we shall meet someday somewhere over the rainbow.

I received this wonderful early birthday present, but my actual birthday, when it came for me 15+ hours later, went something like this:

It began as an ordinary day.  I woke up late, as usual, sped to the McDonald’s across the street for the #9, a Sausage McGriddle Meal with OJ, and an iced Hazelnut Latte.  Starving, I crammed it down hurriedly in the car and then ran upstairs to hit the shower, missing the traditional early morning birthday song call from my parents while I was gone.  They had to leave a song-a-gram.  Aside from that, I didn’t expect much from my special day as I was to spend it working and then after work getting my long overdue hair color touch up at the salon.  No birthday presents, no cakes, no candles for me, and, honestly I was okay with that.  I’m not big on celebration and ceremony.

The morning came and went with nothing spectacular but a few pleasant smiling  birthday greetings from co-workers.  At lunchtime, I wandered on over to Subway to grab my standard lunch these days, a meatball sandwich with two cookies and a Coca Cola, and headed back to the break room to eat with my boss and another co-worker.  It was during lunch that my day passed from ordinary to extraordinary. 

As I was gobbling down my sandwich, my sis and niece and nephew arrived unexpectedly bearing gifts and birthday wishes, transforming my table into a birthday party.

From my niece, an adorable handwritten note and a bunny Webkin, a girl bunny who is meant, I’m sure, to be a companion to my male rabbit, Bubbles.

From my nephew, a card that calls me old (waaaaaaaaaaah!) if I pick up the remote control and hold it to my ear and listen for a dial tone—fortunately, I rarely watch TV—and a sweet floral arrangement.  Hopefully, he’ll excuse my phone cord winding through the back of the photo.

And last, but certainly not least, a giant birthday balloon from all along with a Christmas CD I had been wanting from my sistah, who, being an adult, surely will excuse the fact that I was unable to get a good photo or scan of the CD (on second thought, probably, NOT).

Following on the heels of the departure of my sis and crew, came my hair stylist with a gynormous piece of carrot cake that had three layers and was therefore perfectly suited to divide and share with the three of us who were at the table.  What are the odds of that, eh?  And then, not too long after lunch, I was surprised by my co-workers, with a rousing rendition of the birthday song and bunch of cupcakes iced all together into a giant cupcake during our Monday afternoon meeting.  It looked like a cross between a mushroom cloud and a cupcake.  Wish I had been carrying my camera with me.  Not only that, but I was absolved of being MOD by two of my co-workers who generously took over for me in honor of my special day.

But that’s not all.  After work and a relaxing trip to the salon, I spent some enjoyable time leisurely shopping with my sister and while doing so received a call from my mother who was disappointed that she was not going to get to see me on my birthday.  What could I do but make a trip over to mom and dad’s house for a nice visit and some more lovely gifts, one of which was a lighted, magnified makeup mirror which I need desperately now that my close vision is deteriorating.  My parents also gave me two nice warm tops and a beautiful purple top that I was able to wear to work the next day. 

And so………..all in all, this was One Special Day.  I am blessed with wonderful family, friends, and co-workers!  Thank you to everyone who helped make my ordinary day extraordinary!