Yesterday was my birthday.

I have never been a big birthday person. I never had giant parties when I was a kid—just the siblings and a few close friends. No clowns, no rodeo shows, either, although once, my brother and I (whose birthday is very close to mine) got to go the Tugie Tuckness show, and he gave us each a giant Tootsie Roll filled with little Tootsie Rolls. That one still ranks right up there with the best of them.

Frankly, I don’t like to mark the passage of time, because as I have often admitted here, Vanity, thy name is Julia. I would rather live in that pleasant 40-ish stage in my head and leave it at that. Jack London has learned over the years that he doesn’t need to make every birthday a Big Deal.

So we had a great dinner out Sunday night. This morning, my little ward presented me with a beautiful bracelet with celtic charms that symbolize hope and love and eternity. It is really lovely and beautiful. I love it!

Jack London gave me a tank of gas.

Yes, he did, and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am! I drive a car that requires premium gas because I am an idiot, and I have been complaining loudly about the price of gas the last few weeks. My husband knows me well—he knows how cheap I can be about some things and how I can be Miss Gotrocks if I really really want something. I am cheap about stuff like gas, and that birthday tank of gas made me feel like I’d won the dang lottery. I am so happy that I am choosing my drives carefully so I can savor the tank of free gas and make it last a long, long time.

All in all, it was a great birthday. So what sort of birthday person are you?

1. Do you like The Works on your birthday, or could you care less about the day?
2. What’s the strangest birthday gift anyone ever gave you?
3. Does getting older bother you, or is age just a number?
4. What’s the funnest thing you ever did on your birthday?
5. What’s the most pathetic thing you ever did on your birthday?

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