"Head...Shoulders...Knees and...SOCKS!"

So I get into to work on Monday, and I'm working away, and my colleague X yells over the cubicle "OHMYGOD - COME HERE NOW!!!" I'm thinking it's some major emergency, so I rush over, and she hands me the phone. You know that tourist couple from New Jersey that I chatted with on my way home last Monday? Well Mrs. NJ called! She left a very sweet message that said "Last week my husband and I were visiting Washington, and we ran into a very lovely woman in the parking lot who got a ticket..." She goes on to describe me, and goes on to add that she knew where I worked and what my job was, but didn't know my name since we never exchanged that information. But she wanted to call to say thank you! They had a lovely dinner at the resteraunt I suggested, and they truly enjoyed the rest of their trip. She went on to say "Thank you" and how sweet I was to help. The only problem was she didn't leave her name or phone number! Luckily the caller ID caught it, but when I called it was some medical company in NJ that has over 700 employees. The operator tried to help, but to no avail. So to that unknown woman in NJ who called - I got your message! Thank you! I'm so glad that I could help!!!!

Otherwise things have been proceeding as normal. Today I kicked ass catching up on our legal paperwork that needs to go out, and tomorrow I get to sit through a procedures meeting and then write 40 thank you letters to people who have recently donated materials.

Now yesterday a strange thing happened. Child and I were driving over to the acquatics center so that I could sign him up for a summer swim class. I passed by a man walking down the sidewalk who looked almost exactly like my father. Maybe a little shorter. But it looked like he was wearing the same favorite sweatshirt, same hair, same facial hair. It was odd. I probably would have stopped if I could have. Now it couldn't have been my dad - he lives over 1000 miles away! Then of course I got to thinking (as one does get carried away sometimes) "Well...my birthday is coming up, and I'm always bugging them to come visit. Maybe my folks came up to surprise me!" After all it was at the same shopping center as our new favorite bakery... Yeah right...like that would ever happen.

The fault in this thinking is that my mother doesn't like to travel. It is a combo of a fear of flying, physical reasons (it is not comfortable for her to travel as a result of previous illnesses), and of course being in a post-9/11 world hasn't helped at all. I will give her credit - she did come up when Child was born, despite the snow and the cold, and that really meant a lot to me.

So this sighting of my father's evil twin got me thinking about my birthday - and what do I want for my birthday? Spouse asked me about this last month. But I think now that I want to spend it with my family. My parents especially. Because they live so far away, we don't get to see them as often as I'd like. We were fortunate to spend time with them in February, and I hope that we'll be able to go down and see them again soon. Because every now and then a girl just needs to spend time with her mommy. Oh...and an ice cream cake with the crunchies in the middle (Cookie Puss!)...and pointy hats!