clementine ~ and thoughts on birthdays

My Clemmie girl has yet another UTI. This is her third one in less than two months. She just finished her second round of antibiotics last week. This morning, I discovered small spots of bloody pee on my comforter again. I immediately called our vet. I have a phone consultation with him tonight. Chronic UTIs can be a problem in cats with CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease), but I don't know how they're treated. Hopefully, I will get some good information and help from our vet tonight. 

Brian's birthday was last week. One of the things he wanted to do was to take a walk at Volo Bog, which is only 10 minutes from our house here in northeastern Illinois. It's a state natural area, and the only open-water quaking bog in Illinois.

We hiked about 2-1/2 miles, which was lovely, sweaty, and bug-y.

Loved this plant and wondered what it was, so looked it up on a plant ID app on my phone. It's Western Ironweed. I'm hoping to find it next year to plant in my butterfly garden.

I wish my butterfly garden were this prolific. Or, better yet, I wish this were my backyard!

Illinois has some of the most beautiful cloud formations.

Onto the thoughts about birthdays. Mine is coming up next week. And it's a milestone one. I'm not normally big on birthday celebrations though. Everyone keeps asking me, "What are you going to do for your birthday?" My reply is, "I don't know." I thought maybe we could find a little cabin or cottage somewhere in Wisconsin to spend a couple of days. Get away from it all, hike, maybe kayak, just rest and read and have some good food. But with Clementine being so sick, we can't leave her. 

I have a few friends that have always celebrated their birthday week. I even know someone who celebrates their birthday month! While I think this is sweet, it was never my thing. But this year it got me to thinking what a good idea that was for a milestone birthday. So that's what I've been doing every day. It doesn't have to be big things. Or cost anything. It can be as simple as cutting flowers from your yard and putting them in a vase on your table because it makes you happy.

Some other ideas to celebrate your birthday week and treat yourself:

• Order something from your Amazon wish list.
• Get your favorite beverage from the Starbucks or Dunkn Donuts drive-thru (or whatever your go-to place is).
• Take the time to actually rest and read a magazine in its entirety, or a few chapters in a book.
• Call a friend that you've been meaning to call and talk to, but haven't.
• Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers ~ or cut them from your yard.
• Order a beautiful candle or hand cream in a delicious scent.
• Take some kind of class - yoga, photography, gardening, watercolor, cooking.
• Get a massage.
• Take a nap.
• Go ahead and order that cocktail or glass of wine when you go out to eat.
• Watch a movie that's been on your to-watch list.
• Take a solo walk in a beautiful, peaceful place...a park, a quiet neighborhood. Don't look at your phone. Take in the beauty around you and listen to the birds.
• Get a manicure or pedicure. Or both. 

What would you add to this list?
Do you celebrate your birthday week, or even month? Let's talk! 

💗