23!

23 years old, wow, I can remember being a little kid and thinking about being this age... although I'm not sure that I ever really imagined I'd be in Cambridge this year. Apart from an early start to the birthday by waking up at 2 in the morning realizing that I didn't have the neck tab I need for my dress blues, and not getting back to sleep until 5ish after securing a promise from Mom to pop it in the mail the next day. Rita came down for the day since she doesn't stay in her room at Queens over long holidays, and we met up with Tharini for a celebratory dinner at Nando's, a chicken place which I'd never been to. (I realize that I'm never going to know everything good that's here before I leave.) It was one of the few places I've been to here that when they say something is hot and spicy, it really was hot and spicy! And aside from getting laughed at when filling out the feedback card which required the date of the visit, and I looked at my watch to see what the date was (apparently I should have known since it was my birthday ;-P), it was a great meal and I think I've found a new place to add to my list of places to go. Then we stopped at Sainsbury's on the way back to pick up something for a dessert but it turned into an escapade as Rita's a vegetarian and can't have anything with eggs in it, so all of the birthday cakes and chocolate cakes were a no-go, and in fact 95% of the dessert selection didn't meet the criteria. Although I didn't end up having a birthday cake, at least I did have a great evening with friends, and I was able to talk to my parents and grandparents on the phone, so I guess a girl couldn't ask for too much more. Although the 23 e-cards my mom decided to send (one for each year) were definitely a unique touch.