We arrived home last Monday.  It was my birthday.  I turned 35 (even though, I’ve thought of myself as 35 since The Mister had his birthday back in April).  The best part of my birthday was taking a 5 hour nap after getting ourselves reacquainted with our home.  We had been traveling for more than 36 hours, so the nap was all the birthday fanfare that I needed.  Exactly perfect.  Exactly peaceful. 

My birthday, however, was not a good day for the

15 dogs

2 cows

that I counted along the roadside – dead.  Unlike these animals, my personal traditions are still alive and well.