My 41st Birthday with the Flower Children

I was born Feb 29, 1968 in Belize. Later in life, I was upset that I was not a teenager instead around the time of my birth year, how I wish I could have experienced that kind of freedom & love of the sixties.

I am a flower child of the Universe, born to love nature and wild life. I have not strapped myself to a tree yet, but I would. I love freedom & could see myself burning a bra in protest.

I woke up to a beautiful day yesterday (before the rain and cold front which moved in today) on my 41st birthday (28th borrowed, since no leap year this year), to find the recent hippies who usually flock to Tina's Hostel already up and strumming various instruments on the front porch.

After working hard for a few hours supervising the hostel from the hammock in the garden where I can spend time with my little doggie children, I painfully observed the chaos of random musicians trying to synchronize.

I decided later in the day to invite some friends from the island and Belize City for an overnight & to a birthday dinner at the "bright lights, big city island next door called Ambergris Caye" and all six of us jumped in a water taxi to go celebrate in style which we did.

Except for the cake.

I didn't want a cake but island girl still snuck out of the condo on the beach and went around the corner to find one at the supermarket. All she could come up with in such a hurry was a Sara Lee ice cream cake, she says, "but I made sure it was caramel, chocolate and coconut which I knew you would find hard to resist"

Well, we sat laughing afterwards as Manuel & Josh had the task of lighting the 41 candles Ms. Ting bought!

I mean 41 candles! She could have bought the number 4 & 1. The boys both had scorched fingertips being given the task of lighting and keeping all lit until they reached me outside. By the time they came out with all candles lit, the cake was already melting....hahaha..

This year's birthday was not as traumatic as last and life feels good especially since I find I can still party & keep up with the 20 somethings. Joshua, one of the hostel long term resident artist who has become like family, gave me a present in the best wrapping I have ever received. (See first photo )