Birthday Blues

“Everything happens for the best” Does it really? In a continuation of last month’s theme of reality being how we perceive it, perhaps the better motto is: If it’s not working out for the best, readjust your expectations.” My big birthday trip to Austin was not the first trip I had planned, but the others fell through due to friends’ schedules. I went to visit a city that I heard that people really loved, and I already knew I was super fond of the family I was visiting. But a young family has young children going through different phases of development and when I landed the little girl I had known (turning five a few days after I left) was going through a horrendous stage. The stage of “My baby sister (one year old) is getting way too much airtime and I will not be outshined.” I woke up to screaming children and on that first morning in their beautiful home my own tears started to pour out of my face. Little one, I will raise your meltdown and pony up an adult breakdown. I was in the guest room, door closed, no one saw or heard. A few friends got panicked texts. I was encouraged to get into town and do some sight seeing. I told my hostess I would uber into town. That day was about $65 in transportation. First to breakfast at Phoebe’s Diner, then went to the famous Allen’s Boots, bought a cowboy hat, had coffee and cake at the highly rated Mozart’s Coffee Roast