Saturday, June 02, 2007

No Guarantees on the 'Wiser' Part

After yesterday's rant-a-thon, you'd think I'd be out of steam, and unable to blow out the candles on my birthday cake today. That remains to be seen, but I have been thinking all day about what I want for my birthday, because for some reason, today is the day I've been asked.

And I have finally decided! Hurray for me. What would I like?

A maid.

See, it's the gift that keeps on giving, and not just to me. No, that would be selfish. I could ask for books or clothes or to spend a day in the mountains, but where's the long-term benefit? Besides, I'll get gift cards to the bookstores anyway (kind of a ritual with mil, which is nice). But this way, everyone's a winner, because Evil Kev doesn't have to hear me whine about cleaning up after him or, as is the case when I'm writing, do it himself.

There's a solid case for this.

Now, I have received a few nice things this week. A package arrived from Eire, and that was wonderful.

And Evil Kev read my blog comments yesterday and stopped on the way home and bought me...

Shutter Island. Thanks Ali. Thanks a lot. You know, the only kind of motion sickness I get is seasickness. Seriously though, I've already started it and am thoroughly enjoying it.

Found some more grey hairs too. See, I'm getting all sorts of original surprises. But nothing like this (thank goodness).

15 comments:

Randy Johnson said...

Happy Birthday. I won't ask how old(I'm to damn old to get away).

Allan Guthrie said...

Happy birthday, Sandra.

Christa M. Miller said...

Happy happy birthday Sandra! I loved Shutter Island. It's different from Lehane's other works, but very good. Enjoy!

Chris said...

I, um, fourth the happy birthdays. And I, too, loved SHUTTER ISLAND. Lehane's a bad-ass for following the operatic literary crossover that was MYSTIC RIVER with a lean, nasty little bit of pure genre mayhem. You've got to love a guy who loves his genre...

angie said...

Happy B'day, Sandra! And I hope you get your b'day gift...you made a pretty strong case for it!

DesLily said...

Happy Birthday!!

what? every new author doesn't get a maid? fershame!

Sandra Ruttan said...

Randy, anyone who can do math can find out easily enough, but on Crimespace I've opted to openly declare my age: 106.

Thanks Al.

Thanks Christa - Shutter Island will be my first Lehane. See, even the bestsellers have sales growth potential.

Chris, a 'nasty little bit of pure genre mayhem.' Can't wait to get further in!

Angie, so far, that hasn't been in any of the boxes. Then again, Kevin opened a weed wacker. ;) We'll call that his early birthday present.

Deslily, I'm with you! It should be automatic with the salary!

Mindy Tarquini said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Many happy returns.

I'd really like an organizer, not a maid. Somebody to keep the closets neat, sort through all my papers and make sure everything gets paid and in on time.

Oh. And that person can keep the junk in my garage to reasonable levels.

Did you eat a lot of cake?

Sandra Ruttan said...

Mindy, I like that idea, always returning to this age. Not staying at this point in my life, but every year I return to 36. I could live with that!

No cake today (maybe tomorrow) but I did have my choice for lunch - Peter's Drive-Thru. Which isn't Evil Kev's favourite, but they make great burgers and yummy milkshakes.

Anonymous said...

I'm on the phone to Hottie Maids -

Do ya want the Cleaning Cowboy in buttless leather chaps, the Sweeping Sheik in the sheer robe or the extremely buff shirtless Houseboy model with Window Cleaning Action.

Brings a whole new meaning to 'coming once a week'.

E. Ann

Daniel Hatadi said...

Very happy birthday to you, Sandra! May all your candles be blessed with the ability to be blown out with a single breath.

Anonymous said...

I just hired a maid. Well not so much a maid as a cleaner. If i can have one so can you.
Happy Birthday Sandra.
Let us know what you think of the book. I've heard a lot about it lately!
chelbel

WannabeMe said...

Happy BIRTHDAY!!!! I had a maid once, it was all good and stuff, but you know what? They're expensive. What you really need is a child. Because when they're old enough, they learn to do all sorts of chores around the house and the best thing is that you don't have to pay them!

Sandra Ruttan said...

E. Ann... oh boy. Can't wait to see what you pick out for me.

Thanks Daniel!

Chelbel, I'll be sure to post a report when I'm done. Lucky you, a cleaner...

Dana, don't you have to feed kids though? A lot more complicated than dogs, which you can lock in the basement with a bone and leave at home while you go to a movie.

Kevin has suggested tying swiffer clothes to the cats' paws. He figures it's dusting and sweeping rolled into one, since they jump up everywhere they aren't supposed to be anyway. PETA probably wouldn't like that, though.

Eileen said...

I have a friend who calls her maid her "marriage therapist." She says more than anything else someone else cleaning the toilet keeps their relationship together.

Happy Birthday