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Hail Mary.





There comes a moment in every woman's life that is monumental.  Life-changing.  EPIC.  

This moment has the power to change the way you think about yourself and every other woman around you. 

It is on this day, that you have the right to say that you have gained a certain notoriety.  A certain power, and a certain wisdom that your former self could not even fathom.

Of course I speak of the woman's 40th birthday.

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It was August 31st of last year, and I was packing for yet another fabulous weekend up at the cottage.  But this weekend would be extra special. Not only was it my birthday weekend, which, let's be honest, is ALWAYS fabulous (mostly because I force everyone to celebrate it nonstop for the entire 3 day long weekend whether they want to or not), but THIS weekend would be the weekend to end all weekends.  

This was my 40th birthday weekend.  

And I was ready and excited to bring the house....... I mean the cottage DOWN!!

I of course packed many unnecessary clothes, as I always did.  For some reason, whenever I packed for the cottage, I behaved as if I was packing for a 2-week long trip to Europe.  

Among the un-necessaries....I packed a few essentials - 3 Guns N Roses t-shirts, a brand new sexy bathing suit,  and my new low-tint aviator sunglasses.  

These gorgeous new aviators had absolutely zero UV protection and would be virtually impossible to look through in the glaring sun, but they were so f'ing cool that I'd be damned if I didn't wear them on my birthday weekend.  I would just have to squint extra hard while I wore them..........but not THAT hard that I'd create new brow wrinkles.  As one turns 40, she must ALWAYS be aware of brow wrinkles.  To all ya women out there.....write that down!  And....you're welcome.


Sadly handsome guy could not join in the festivities due to his work schedule.  Or at least I thought......


At work the following day my phone dinged with a new text.

Handsome guy:    So, I have a plan for your birthday.

Me:    You do..? 

Handsome guy:   Yeah. I was thinking....you, me and fireworks from your dock this Saturday?

Me:   But I thought you couldn't come????

Handsome guy:  I couldn't.  But I threw a Hail Mary to my manager today and she said no problem ;)


And just like that ladies and gentlemen, my 40th got a little sexier. 

And handsome guy kicked my sexy new aviator glasses' asses ;)


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3 days later



It was a gorgeous and hot sunny day, and I sat on the dock in the blaring sun  (trying not to squint) while attempting to fix Molly's tangled up Dora fishing rod as the girls swam and played in the lake.

Handsome guy walked over just as I was cursing Dora under my breath.  He put his cell phone down on my towel (which was playing some very fun summer music) and sat down beside me.

"Whatcha doin?"  he said with a smirk.

"Trying to fix this stupid fishing rod" I said, "Dora's the worst!" 

Handsome guy laughed and grabbed the fishing rod from my hands and started taking it apart to fix it.

"So....I want to take you somewhere for your birthday" he said looking over at me while pulling the fishing line out.

"You do now?"  I said with a sly smile.

I was dying to know where he was planning on taking me, but the conversation was put on hold as my 5 year old interrupted our moment.  

Molly ever so gracefully (not gracefully at all), dragged a giant air mattress right beside us, pushing me out of the way.  She shoved her booty in my face as she shimmied the mattress between two spots of shade to steal the only perfect line of sun.   Her wet bathing suit body and matted wet hair dripped all over us as she awkwardly climbed onto the air mattress.  She finally lied down, only to lift herself up seconds later to grab handsome guy's cell phone,  which she then moved onto the air mattress right beside her....I'm assuming so that she could hear the music better.  She then lied back down, put her hands behind her head and with a smile, closed her eyes.

I looked at handsome guy and shook my head.

He laughed and went back to fixing the Dora fishing rod.

"So, do you want to know where I'm planning on taking you?" he said  "Or would you rather it be a surprise?"

"Surprise!" I yelled, "Definitely a surprise!"

"Ok."  he said, "You sure??"

"Ummmmmmm....no."  And I gritted my teeth and made an I'm nervous face.  

He laughed.  "Well, I've already booked it, but I'm a little worried that you may not want to go?"

"Of course I'm going to want to go! I know I'm gonna love it, no matter what it is!"

I paused for a moment, and then continued......

"But....it's not snorkling right?? Cause you know how freaked out I am about stuff under the water.  Remember that story I told you about when that blue pontoon got loose from that floating dock and sunk in the middle of our bay?  And then 2 days later I canoed over it????  Oh my god...worst day EVER!!  BLEH!"  I shivered and stuck my tongue out.

"Haha...no, it's not snorkling. And yes, I remember that story."  he laughed.

"Or bugs.  I can't do anything with bugs.  Like Fear Factor crap??  NO THANKS!"  again I shivered.

"Nope, definitely no bugs", he said confidently.

"Or heights!  Like I can't do bungee jumping or anything.  I would have a goddam heart attack!!"  

I noticed that a few seconds went by and he didn't say anything.  

Where was my answer of reassurance??  

I quickly looked over at Handsome Guy....who was staring and smiling at me.

"IT'S BUNGEE JUMPING???"  I said breathlessly.

"No."

"Oh thank God" I said relieved.


"We're doing the CN Tower walk."







.....to be continued ;)













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