Smells Like Birthday Spirit

You can't start your birthday the same as every other day.

No, when it's your day, you have to make sure everything is exactly how you want it to be.

That meant eschewing my usual walk on city streets for something far more pleasurable.

Honeysuckle and rushing water.

Ideally, I would have woken up at the beach today, but absent the sound of crashing waves, I happily started my day with a walk on Belle Isle.

I have to admit, I was a tad surprised at the number of cars already at the parking lot on a Thursday morning.

Walking across the pedestrian bridge, I was passed by a jogging couple, him saying to her, "Are you making fun of my colloquialisms?"

Since all she did was laugh, I have to assume she was.

Further on, I got behind a group of high school students, likely truants since school's still in session, and one of the guys decided to show his prowess at the monkey bars.

Using the overhead scaffolding that protects pedestrians from debris falling from the real bridge overhead, he swung from bar to bar until his sweaty hands gave out.

He apologized for holding me up when he came down, but I was happy to watch such exuberance on a muggy morning.

Over on the island, there were already lots of bikini-clad girls trying to get skin cancer laying out on the rocks as well as a surprising number of guys fishing.

Walking along the rushing rapids made for a delightful breeze which brought the scent of the surrounding honeysuckle straight to my birthday nostrils.

Once around the bend and into the backside of the island, I felt like I'd stepped into a rain forest.

It was muggy, much more still and practically like walking through pea soup, so I wasted no time in getting back around to the cooler side of the island.

So while joggers and bicyclists continued making their loops, I did a couple of fragrant strolls up and down the river side, greeting some of the same people coming and going.

It's my birthday. I can do whatever I want.