Birthday Month Update: Broken Bone Edition

Sigh. Birthday month has been thrown for a bit of a loop, but I'll get to that part in a minute. Let me begin with the fun parts, the happy news, the things that were rudely interrupted Tuesday when being in a hurry and seeing a lizard run across our deck steps became the formula for disaster.

My birthday was last week. I don't necessarily mind getting older as long as there are plenty of celebrations and shenanigans to mark the occasion, so it thrilled me to no end that we had birthday plans with friends both Friday and Saturday. This birthday girl likes a full calendar.

Friday evening, we dressed up a bit and indulged in a slightly fancy dinner at The Palm with our friends Les and Melissa. Give me crab cakes, and I am happy. Make me a dirty martini with blue cheese olives to accompany my meal, and my day is basically made. We happily made our way through an appetizer, entrees, AND dessert, and made big plans for getting our caricatures on the wall like all the other very important Palm regulars.

With Les and Melissa after our feast at The Palm. Eat, drink, be merry: check, check, check!

Saturday was a dreary, rainy, day until late afternoon, which was ideal timing for meeting Ryan and Jason to continue the birthday month fetes. Reid's in SouthPark is one of our favorite regular spots, and the weather actually turned out to be patio perfect to enjoy live music and our friends over charcuterie, fried oysters, and a lobster roll for myself. I was surprised but excited when they also had a birthday dessert for me!

Such a great afternoon, from the food to the friends.

This chocolate caramel 12-layer cake was as good as it looks.

Can you tell Ryan and Jason know me well?
An Anthropologie candle, cocktail napkins with the perfect sentiment, statement earrings (but of course) and a Golden Girls card all made for the perfect gift.

As you can tell, I was cruising along on quite a high note. I had some mundane things to do this week, but that was made well by the anticipation of a visit to my parents' house in Georgia for Easter. Not only were we going to do our usual Easter activities (baskets, brunch, and an egg hunt), we were also going to celebrate my birthday yet again. I had requested a Junior's cheesecake and a ladies' lunch at the Swan Coach House in Atlanta and I could not wait for that and anything else my mom may have planned for the occasion.

Monday afternoon, I hurriedly dashed down my back deck with an empty Amazon box, headed to the trash can. A bright green lizard ran across the step in front of me, and as I sidestepped that little reptile, my feet just tangled up in each other and I fell. I heard a crack and knew instantly that I broke my ankle. I limped inside and my poor left ankle was already roughly the size of a tennis ball, so I grabbed my keys and headed straight to the ER where the x-rays confirmed: I fractured my fibula. 

Clint was out of town on a business trip, so I called in the rest of the cavalry. Mom and Dad immediately got on the road to come to Charlotte, and I called poor Jason to come rescue me from the emergency room. I felt almost as bad about my appearance as I did about my bone: I had been cleaning house and I had on no makeup and my Dollywood t-shirt. Oh, the humanity. Jason rescued me and plied me with McDonald's and pain pills, and Mom and Dad arrived about two hours later. 

Poor Clint hopped on the red-eye back home, and we took the first appointment of the day at OrthoCarolina to see what my fate might be. Thankfully, my fracture was "ideal" (the doctor's words, definitely not mine) and I escaped having to wear a cast in favor of a boot for the next six weeks. I'm writing this with my foot wrapped in an ice pack and elevated on two pillows, and the couch will be my home base for the next several days until I heal a little more. 

This boot is a most unnecessary birthday gift.

Upon this advice, I cancelled my Thursday hair appointment.
I already have a broken bone; what if I came home with bangs, too? Yikes.

We are still debating, but I think our trip to Georgia may be delayed. I'm not sure my fibula and I are ready for a road trip just yet, although we all know I am always ready to celebrate. On the bright side, I suppose this just means the birthday month activities will be extended a bit longer due to unforeseen circumstances. 41 and having fun, isn't that right?

This ankle needs to heal quickly;
I still want to squeeze in a shindig, whoopee, jolly, and a wingding (or two).