50? No Thanks, I'd REALLY rather not . . .

As much as I keep trying to avoid it, my birthday is coming up next week. And I will sadly leave my 40's behind. They have been such wonderful years. Some of my very favorite I think. (Like if I have to pick an era to be the favorite - it's certainly up there in the running.)

So it is with much denial, procrastination and prolongment, that I am hanging on to 49 with my toenails. Which are badly in need of a pedicure by the way. Really, one year shouldn't make such a difference. Just one more year . . . I don't expect to wake up on Sept 28 and feel 50 for heavens sake!~

I think I'll just keep pretending that the amazing lunch we had last week, the one where we ate divine panini's, yummy salads, Paula Deen's Savannah Hot Fudge cake and homemade ice cream (recipe below) was really just another super duper day. And not some big celebration in

honor of my 50th. Even though I was paid some of the highest compliments of my life! My sweet friends, they just made me want to cry. EVERYONE should get compliments for their birthday. I am going to remember that. Anyone have a birthday coming up?

I think I'll just keep pretending that the wonderful friend who took me here (where we experienced heavenly food that I didn't even know existed in the world!) to celebrate my 50th, was really just thinking dinner out together with our husbands was an outstanding way to spend a Saturday evening. Which it was, and not another celebration of that unmentionable 5 . . . 0 . . . anniversary of the day I came into the world.

Oh, and thank you wonderful family, who all gathered together at mom's house today and prepared the most delicious BBQ, complete with all the trimmings, and brought such lovely gifts, special just for me, that I will treasure! I know it wasn't meant to remind me of that unusually high number of birthdays that I will soon (like in another 10 years I think) reach, but instead to express just how much they love me, which I did so much enjoy and cherish and will remember for always.

Oh well, I'm actually feeling so blessed, so nourished and so filled right now. If this is 50, maybe it's not so bad after all.

Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

3 ripe bananas

juice of 2 lemons

juice of 3 oranges

5 cups of strawberries or raspberries

2 C. sugar

2 C. whole milk

4 C. heavy cream

1 1/2 t. vanilla

Process the first four ingredients in food processor to desired chunkiness (Note - do not process raspberries, but leave whole).

Add sugar and continue to process.

Stream whole milk and heavy cream into the processor and continue to blend. Add Vanilla.

Process immediately according to directions in homemade ice cream freezer with ice and rock salt.