Monday, May 10, 2010

another year older . . .

so today . . .  is rollie's birthday.  but it was not a happy birthday . . .

it was monday.  and he had to work.  and mother's day was yesterday.  all these things conspired to make his special day less than wonderful.

diandra tried to save it--she took him out to lunch.  i tried to save it--i called him at lunch time and had my whole class sing happy birthday to him.  he had a church board meeting tonight, and the people that were there tried to save it--they brought him a peach pie (his favorite!)  of course, they ate most of it, but still . . .  he did manage to bring a couple of pieces home.

and yet, it wasn't a happy day.  it didn't feel like a birthday.  no special dinner (there was no time--he had that meeting,) no presents, really (well, because we are all giving him money to replace his lost ipod touch, which he doesn't have yet, because we are just now giving him the moolah,) but mostly it was work, work, work.

i think rollie's ideal birthday celebration would be a whole day with nothing that he had to do, no phone calls, no agenda, just a day to goof off.  during the course of the day he would probably like to go to a movie or the beach.  he would like to eat at wood ranch where they serve the best barbeque tri-tip anywhere!  and, if it could be legally arranged, he would like to drive really fast on a curvy road somewhere in his car with the top down--maybe pch--because of course the weather would be perfect too!  and then he would come home and eat a huge bowl of perfectly ripe cherries--he lives for cherry season!

if anybody deserves to have a wonderful birthday like that, it is rollie.  he has been working some long days in the last several months, with very few real breaks.  he has had some very stressful situations to deal with, and many times he is the calming oil poured on some very stormy waters.  he deals with all our financial issues, which can get a little complicated sometimes with the house rental in oregon and a wife who doesn't get a paycheck in the summer and unexpected household repairs and maintenance to be done.  he is juggling a lot of balls, and there has been very little resting lately . . .

yesterday i was talking to diandra, and i told her that she is the joy in our family.  whenever she is around, the mood lifts.  we have fun.  she and her dad get goofy together.  she is the joy.

but if diandra is the joy, rollie is the anchor.  he is the one who keeps our family steady.  he keeps us from going off the deep end.  he keeps our heads above water and our feet on the ground.  (i know, i know, i am mixing my metaphors . . . )  he deals with the hard things, when he can, so that we don't have to.  he is the anchor.

so rollie, on your birthday, i just want to thank you for all you do for us, to make our lives better and easier, even though sometimes that makes your life harder and more frustrating.  without you, our ship would be tossing about--and probably mortgaged to the hilt :-)

i love you.  you are the best!!

2 comments:

Albert said...

happy belated birthday rollie!

mom said...

Always take a day of vacation time on your birthday, Rollie.....