#1 son brought me a birthday cake yesterday, and the mailman and the UPS driver both brought me books, so it was pretty festive. True, the books were my rentals from Booksfree and some work-related stuff, but it felt like presents. My parents gave me an Amazon gift card, too, which I spent on something utterly frivolous.

#1 son wrote “Happy Birthday” on the cake himself, giving it an interesting rune-like quality.

Then the stupid dog decided to cry all night. I did get up at 2:00 and let him out, but then I put him back to bed and he commenced whining again. He is still whining. I have had very little sleep. He’s lucky he’s still alive.

I do have a huge amount of work to do, actually, so I guess it’s just as well.

I’ve done some other stuff. I went to the eye doctor and found that I have increased pressure in one of my eyes, so I have to go back next month. I met with The Computer Guy and got some progress on projects. I did one row of knitting. I went grocery shopping at Target. They do have groceries there, but not fresh produce. Still, it is February, so none of the produce is really fresh. The frozen stuff is probably fresher than the stuff that has come in from Chile.

While I was at Target, I threw a pair of jeans in the cart. My other pair of jeans — which I wear every day — had lost a tooth from the zipper. This caused me to remember that I used to have a birthday tradition of buying clothing. I’d go to the Land’s End outlet and buy whatever pants, shirt, and underthings they had in my size. A novel I read recently had the line, “They should put expiration dates in men’s clothes so they’ll know when to stop wearing them.” I’m sort of like that.

I was doing better for a while. I made clothes for myself and occasionally even went shopping. I tried things on before buying them and paid attention to the colors and enjoyed being reasonably well dressed. But I have backslidden. I haven’t bought clothes, unless you count a briefcase and a handbag, since last May.

So I gathered up my online coupons and went to the Coldwater Creek outlet and bought pants, shirt, and underthings — what they had in my size. This might be a step up in stylishness from Land’s End. I’m not sure. I do think it’s kind of sad that I’ve backslidden in this way.

I also haven’t had my hair cut recently. Or filed my nails (as opposed to cutting them with scissors when they get in the way of my typing). And I’m all out of magical unguents to keep my face from sliding off, or whatever those skin care products for older ladies are supposed to do.

Oh, well. Maybe now that I’ve noticed it, I’ll improve.