Will there be cake?

It's not a surprise that my birthday is my favorite day of the year:  I love good cakes. Lemon cake leads the pack.  Closely follows by carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.  White cake with strawberries.  Coconut cake with whipped cream. A colleague recently made an almond cake.  I shamelessly had two slices.  I don't think I've met a cake I didn't like.    

The chance to have a really good cake isn't the only reason I love my birthday. Frankly, I don't know why I love this day so much.  There are so many mundane answers.  They are all good answers, but ordinary:  It celebrates me; it's the day of my birth; it's a good excuse to party.  So on and so forth.   

Perhaps, the fact that I don't need any "things" makes a birthday an extraordinarily good day.  My birthday always reminds me what a fortunate person I already am. What more could I possibly need?  The pragmatic side of Daisy always kicks in when it comes to "stuff."  Eric and I follow a simple rule of thumb:  "Truly need it?  Get it. Really need it?  Get it now.  But, never pay full retail."   

There are no expectations of "gift exchange" between Eric and me on any day of the year.  Not on our birthdays; not on solstices; New Year, Hannukah, Christmas, Ground Hog Day, MLK Day.  And definitely none of the Hallmark "holidays", especially the dreadful Valentine's Day.  I can't believe I just said I find Valentine's Day dreadful.  I used to enjoy Valentine's Day, sure, until I find it dreadful.  Sounds like an exceedingly boring couple to some people, no doubt.  Perhaps downright unromantic and unacceptable.  


I can also say it is extraordinarily freeing not to be limited by any obligatory gifting occasions on the calendar.  I'm not saying that's the way it should be for others.  I'm saying that works great for me and my husband, and that's extraordinarily cool.

Somehow, somewhere along the line, I lost the interest in acquiring stuff.  I would like to think that I am simply learning to understand the principle "whatever you own, owns you."   Don't get me wrong, we own plenty of crap at home.  Plethora of kitchen gadgets and electronics.  Dozens pairs of shoes.  Patagonia jackets line the closets until there are no more hangers.  Computer, laptop, smartphone, iPhone.  I am no better and love stuff like anyone next door.  But, perhaps I'm approaching a tipping point.

I still love my birthday.  I still don't "need" anything, except may be a new ice-cream scoop, as Eric broke the old one last week.  Maybe I'll pick one up tomorrow on my way home from work.  Since it also happens to be my birthday tomorrow - how about a "birthday present" for myself?    

I wonder if there will be cake?