Memories of Birthdays Past - part 1

Because I waited until the day after I turned 45, I can now include it in my memories of birthdays past. For the last year, I was certain I wouldnt make it to my 45th birthday. I
kept thinking the astrologist I saw at the age of 15 must have been wrong when he said I would live to the age of 88. I thought, maybe I am only going to live half as long! I waited the entire year to die at the age of 44. Of course, the year I turned 38 I thought maybe he got the numbers mixed up and read the 3 as an 8 ... and that I was going to die THEN! My ex husband called me "Mrs Gloom and Doom." I suppose he was right. My next mile stone to worry about is 58. 5's can be mis-read as 8's as well...
In the meantime, lets take a look at some of my prior birthdays. I wish I could remember more of them.
The photo of me here is from my 45th. I only weigh 120 ... and my boobs look like they weigh that much in this picture!
The day before my 45th birthday was quite eventful. My mom drove herself to work after being ill all weekend. She called me to say that she was going to take a cab to the doctor. I couldnt take her but I told her I could pick her up and asked her to keep me informed. About a half an hour later I tried to reach her to let her know I COULD take her ... but she had apparently already left her office ... and she wasnt answering her cel phone. Both one of her friends and I tried to locate her for the next several hours. We gave up and went to have a drink at the Royal Arms on Capital hill. At ten minutes after 5PM, my mom called. I could barely understand what she was saying ... she sounded completely drunk. She wasn't. I drove to her doctors office, which is apparently where she was for the last 5 hours. I had tried to call Dr Smiths office twice and both times I was placed on hold for more than 5 minutes and then disconnected. I parked my car in the pac-med parking garage and proceeded to the 3rd floor. When the elevator doors opened there were no signs of life other than one woman entering the other bank of elevators. She kindly asked if I were looking for someone/something and then said that ALL of the offices were closed but I could try to get into one of the back doors down the hall. I went down a long corridor, turned right and went down another corridor, tried door handles and knocked ... to no good.
Cursing, I turned back around and started back toward the elevators. After rounding the corner, there she was ... my mom, "wall-walking" down the long vacant hallway. The first thing she said to me was "I need to get some paper towels."
I will write more on this little adventure some other time ... but the excitement didnt stop there.
Again, this was the day before my 45th. Also on that day, I took a header, or really a butt-er whilst walking down a hill to my car. I totally slipped and landed on my arm ... and ass. The day OF my birthday I was in massive pain, total body pain. I got a massage, which I think made matters worse and a manicure and pedicure. I picked the kids up from school and we went out for dinner at the Icon grill. This birthday felt particularly significant for some reason. I was emotional and teary all day long. I FELT old all day and I spent most of the day thinking about what had happened the day before AND my past birthdays and the people I spent them with.
This is going to be a really LONG post if I dont separate some of them. My next "birthdays" post will be about my 14th birthday ... fun and drinking in Bellevue!