Vic’s (Real) 40th Birthday

Poor Victor! Born with one of the worst birthdays on December 27, wedged between Christmas and New Year’s. Every year, he ~~kind of whines~~ talks wistfully about having a party or something fun to do, but so many people are out of town or suffering from post-Christmas burn-out that usually a whole lot of nothing happens for him.

This year, one of those BIG-ZERO birthdays, I thought I’d help him out. First, we had a most excellent summer-time Argentinian asado and a big yard party… then, I suggested this: let’s go to your favorite place.

It’s been a long, hard brutal year for us as we have been working to take care of his parents. With both stabilized and healthy, even their nursing homes were telling us, “Boys, GET OUT OF TOWN!” So that’s how we ended up in Paris. Everything else on this trip— Amsterdam, Luxembourg, England— were all add-ons to getting Victor in his happy place for his birthday.

So what did we do for his birthday? Cake! Cake for breakfast because you can as an adult. We walked to the technology museum, Musée des Arts et Métiers. It’s fantastic. If we lived in Paris, I’d want to do some kind of serious study on the history of different technologies presented, and spend some time really working through it, getting smarter. After we were done there, we headed to the market that is noted for having good Moroccan food. I’ve not had enough to say, but regardless, after that lunch, we had hot chocolate and more cake at one of Paris’ best-known chocolatiers and then had a nice walk back to our apartment, where I am guessing we eventually ate some more cheese!

Woo hoo to excellent birthdays with two cakes and geeky things!

Vic’s birthDAY actually started with the neighbors having a dance party and sing-a-long at 3 am. Good times. I wish I had a paper-airplane to send them love-letters, though glad we were not next to them.