RIP, My Twenties

Half an hour to midnight, when I officially become 30. I wasn't born until afternoon, technically, but whatever.

Today saw the hottest day in the history of Portland, with a high of 107. It's supposed to do it again, just for my birthday, and then it starts dropping dramatically, getting back down into a much more pleasant low-70's with a little rain to cool everything off. We've closed up the rest of the house and are still camping in the living room, where the temporary air conditioning is, and are living in our undies. And of course, I spent some of the hottest day in history working over my canner. Didn't want to, but I had 10 pounds of pickling cucumbers that were heading south, so I was boiling vinegar brine and handling hot jars for longer than I wanted to. I meant to pickle green beans and garlic too but just couldn't face it. Maybe Thursday.

At least we got out of the house for a bit. We went to the co-op for some grocery staples, and went to a free wine tasting at my favorite little secret spot, Vino Vixens. The sweltering heat was just right for a crisp Prosecco, and before leaving we bought a bottle of the Prosecco to take with us. If we ever close on the house and get the keys, we'll celebrate with this Prosecco Rose. May that be soon.

In the meantime I'm nibbling a whole wheat flax roll I baked this morning from yesterday's dough, getting ready to crash out on the couch and put an end to my twenties. I've been reflecting a lot today - where I was when I turned 20 in the summer of 1999, what I expected for the decade at the time, how things have changed and how they haven't. I'm happy to report that I have little to no regrets. There are things I would've done differently, but I love where I am now and I love the experiences that led me here, both good and bad.

In the past ten years I have starved and feasted, loved and lost, been married twice and divorced once, lived in five cities on two continents, sobbed with heartbreak and wept for joy. I'm fortunate to say there's been a lot more of the joy. And now I'm happier than I ever dreamed a woman could be, so here's to another fond look backwards ten years from now.