Happy Birthday! Again and again!

I think this is the longest birthday I've ever had! Since I went home last weekend to celebrate my little sister Abby's birthday along with mine, I've had two fun-filled weekends brimming with birthday activities. At home I hung out with the family, went to the movies with the sisters and visited with my favoritest Duck. We had two large birthday dinners, the first for Abby, then one for me, then birthday cake and birthday brownies! It was gorgeous outside so I was glad to get out into the pastures with my dad to round up a new calf and paddle around the lake with Abby. And Erin was home, too, and we had many fun times hanging out--not to mention that she gave me the coolest birthday presents ever.

After such good times at home it was almost a letdown to be here this weekend. Not only is my all my family in SC, but all the Furman people in DC minus about three of us went back to Greenville this weekend for Homecoming. Then, after all the DC adventures Rachel and I planned for the weekend fell through when she sprained her ankle (so sad! she's a trooper, though) on Friday morning, I thought all was lost. Especially since it was raining grossness from the sky on top of everything.

However, life does have a way of surprising me in good ways every so often. For example...

Friday night was International Night in Dupont Circle. Sam's friend Jen from Charlottesville came into town with two guys she worked with--a young Frenchman (her boyfriend) and a 40something Englishman. We went out to dinner/drink at Afterwords (the cool bookstore with a bar and restaurant attached to the back) and then to The Big Hunt on Connecticut Ave. At The Big Hunt Jen proposed that we play a game to get some more people to hang out with us at our table. So she sent us out in search of someone who played the violin.

This is how I found Canadian Corey and Sam met Barak the Israeli. (Sounds like a [bad] joke, I know.) Both were incredibly nice and interesting so we all talked for a while and drank some more beer and enjoyed the evening. I went home spinning.

Then, last night I went out to Adams Morgan for the first time with some people from the book club, two of whom also have coincidental/symbolic names--Roslyn from Rosslyn and Matt Crook. We went to a bar with a place name that starts with a C that I can't remember--the
Columbia or something?--and listened to a really good band with a cool singerman who sang Happy Birthday. Then we all ended up dancing in Heaven and Hell. Sounds so Miltonian. No spinning last night, but we did have to catch a cab back to Roslyn's. In Rosslyn.

Whew!

And today it is SUNNY so who knows what my actual birthday day will bring! Rachel and I may venture out to Georgetown later on.

But before I go, I just want to thank all of you who made plans with me or have sent me birthday cards, emails, IMs, facebook wall messages, and/or voicemails and phone calls. You are the ones that make the day (week!) special! Much love!