Grey Kitten had asked me to note three beautiful things from my birthday — and I did:

1. Rudi thoughtfully flew out to Chicago to spend the weekend with me. He offered backrubs and breakfast runs and moral support on a day that didn’t turn out quite the way either of us had hoped it would.

2. I work with some wonderful women who, in the middle of their own running around and long work days during our conference, bought me cards and a cake. It was above and beyond. And the cake was delicious.

3. The city of Chicago surprised me with a birthday show. Caught unawares, we rushed down the hallway when we started hearing booms around 6:30. We were in time to catch most of a Valentine’s Day fireworks show reflected in a building across the river from us. Apparently they were being launched (possibly by Donald Trump’s company?) from the bridge just down the street from our hotel.