Monday, August 15, 2022

new decade

I turned the big six-oh....














Feels so weird saying I'm sixty. Sounds officially old. I guess it's a good thing I don't feel old. Well, some days. Ask me today and I'd tell you I feel 90 with the back pain I've been having.

I couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate my birthday. It was filled with some of my favorite things. The sun was shining and it was warm, but not too warm. We started out the day hanging out by Lake Michigan, in our favorite park. What we call our Happy Place. We picked up our favorite baked goodies from Hewn (independent; women-owned; baked goods made from organic, stone milled grains and naturally fermented ~ you must make a trip if you're in the Chicago area!) and I got my favorite morning summer drink: an iced coffee. 

Then into Chicago for...

Amazing tacos and a handcrafted blueberry basil margarita from Antique Taco.

 Book browsing (and buying a few books) at Myopic Books.

 Furniture shopping (but no buying!) at District Chicago, where they have the coolest mid-century modern and Scandinavian furniture and decor. I was enamored with quite a few things in this store, including the pictured shelving unit with the built-in glass bowl on top.

Lots of walking around the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago, where we went in and out of stores and eventually found our way to the Galleria. I fell in love with a certain artist's jewelry, particularly the earrings. I wish I could remember the artist's name and what the earrings are made out of, but...there goes the old lady mind. 😉 Brian bought them for me.

We picked up Indian food on the way home, and ended the night with a glass of wine on the porch, being serenaded by the crickets and mesmerized by the supermoon.

The celebrating still continues with flowers, gifts, and meals out with family and friends. I am blessed! 
 

13 comments:

  1. Hi Melanie. I started one comment, then got distracted and it disappeared, so sorry if you got a partially finished comment that didn't make a lot of sense. Happy birthday! I am only about 3 years ahead of you and will celebrate the big 6-3 in October. Looks like you had a really nice day. Myopic Books looks like a great place to browse and buy some interesting books. I love the earrings your husband gave you. I hope you have a wonderful year ahead. See you again soon! :-)

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  2. It sounds like you have a wonderful day to ease into your 60's! Happy Birthday!

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  3. Your birthday sounds like an absolutely perfect day to me! What a great way to celebrate. Turning 60 felt really weird to me, too, but it's great! I'm 65 and with each passing decade I feel more free to be who I am. The 60s are a great place to be!! Welcome to the club:)

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  4. It sounds like a lovely 60th birthday to me!
    Brenda

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  5. Here's to another wonderful year! Sending you so much love, my friend.

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  6. Happy Birthday my beautiful friend. I am right behind you at 58!

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  7. Belated Birthday wishes! I turned 60 last summer, and I told my sister that I didn't understand how I was now in my sixties. It just seemed like time had disappeared and suddenly there was my 60th birthday! Tammy in NE

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  8. Those tacos look divine — and so does the bookstore! Happy Birthday!

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  9. What a great way to celebrate YOU! Lots of sweet pleasures.

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  10. Happy Birthday! It sounds like a wonderful day...and here's to a wonderful decade ahead!!

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  11. Happy birthday! I'll be joining you as a 60 year old this coming Saturday. It looks like you had a wonderful day. What books did you buy?

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  12. Melanie, I thought I had left a comment here on your birthday post but I think what I did was read it on my phone, drooling over all the odd little shops you visited plus those tacos, and meant to sit down at my laptop later to comment. I know that I meant to tell you that you have no idea how young 60 sounds to me now. I can't imagine a more perfect way to celebrate your day and obviously Chicago is just the place to do that. Happy Birthday, dear Melanie! I hope your back pain lessens soon. It seems like everyone I talk to is experiencing that now, including two brothers-in-law who fell hard on their tailbone, one wearing Crocs to take the dog walking on a rainy day. (You know that Myopic books would have been heaven to me!)

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