Scattered Birthday Thoughts

So, I'm feeling a lot better tonight. Maybe it's the fact that it's my birthday, or maybe it's the fact that I've talked to almost every member of my immediate family today and didn't get in a fight with anyone. It's probably the latter.

 I always love the lead up to birthdays, because it means my mailbox slowly fills up will coloured cards alongside the flyers and bills and it just feels special. The anticipation is slowly starting and it's true that as you get older, it's so easy to see birthdays as just another day. I live alone and there are no longer any sleepovers and pizza parties to get excited about and stay up all night for, so seeing my mailbox fill up with special messages from my loved ones made the day feel special. And the fact that my dad is a procrastinator means that I'll have another surprise in my mailbox over the next few days.

I guess I've already made it seem pretty clear, but my birthday is on Remembrance Day, which means every morning I wake up with a special feeling of celebration and gratitude at the same time. My great-grandfather fought in the Second World War, along with my great-uncle and a great-uncle who died in Italy. The day has special poignancy to me for those reasons. One of the things I love about living in Ottawa is that I get to attend the ceremony at the grave of the unknown soldier, symbolically representing all the men and women who died fighting for our freedom. Last year was my first year attending and this year was made even more stark with the fact that just a few short weeks ago a young man named Cpl. Nathan Cirillo lost his life standing guard. The ceremony was made even more special with the rededication and the thoughts of Cpl. Cirillo in my head, alongside my late grampie. Placing my poppy on a cenotaph or memorial is always one of the highlights of my birthday.

I followed the ceremony downtown with taking a short trip to the Canadian War Museum. I had to do an assignment on a new exhibit there, Fighting in Flanders, but I especially loved being able to go there on Remembrance Day and rub shoulders with veterans both young and old proudly sporting their uniforms. The national, provincial and territorial flags outside the museum were all at half mast for the occasion.  

The sky outside the museum was stunning when I left around 4:30 p.m. The clouds just looked beautiful.

I also took a cheeky birthday selfie in the parking lot, because I had just gotten off the phone with my memere and aunt who began with singing me Happy Birthday--in English and then French.

When I finally got home I was able to open my present from one of my close friends from school. You've got to love the improvised student wrapping paper, right? Just last week I was telling him about how I didn't like Spongebob...so of course he gave me an e-greeting and card with Spongebob, along with the wrapping... But tucked inside was a beautiful Penguin edition of A Clockwork Orange, which I've never read! It's his favourite book and movie, so I told him I had to borrow his copy; he then thoughtfully surprised me with this and a pumpkin-scented candle which is currently burning.

I decided to have a cozy night in after finishing up that museum assignment, so I made myself an alcoholic concoction. Hot chocolate spiked with rum, maple syrup liqueur and with a dash of cinnamon, in my favourite mug. I've already finished this one taking some of the proceeding photos, so I think I may make myself another one to enjoy while I tuck  into my new book and perhaps write a few words or so.

Here's my new beautiful candle, from Indigo I believe.

And I also lit up some candles on my desk. My best friend bought me this as a housewarming present and I just love it: laugh some, live a lot, dream some, love a lot. 

If you can see a quality improvement in the last three photos, that's because I actually took them on my proper camera and not my phone.

I currently have Sam Smith's album playing in the background, so I think I'm going to bask in the remaining hours of my birthday and just enjoy feeling relaxed. For one night, I'm going to completely forget about the marks, etc. and I can pick up on them tomorrow. 

From Ottawa, here's Anna, now 19 and feeling OK.