a birthday & a late afternoon stroll through the botanical gardens

D celebrated his birthday on Saturday, and his primary goal for the day was "to eat as many pastries as I want." It was beautifully sunny though quite windy (which made me so happy that I had opted to avoid any weather-dependent plans), and we went out for brunch at Cafe Morso on Jones Bay Wharf in Pyrmont followed by a pastry extravaganza at La Banette Patisserie in Glebe, which was excellent (Cafe Morso was just okay, I thought, although the location was really great).  Ultimately, it was just really lovely to be able to spend the day together rather than mailing a gift to the other side of the planet and saying "happy birthday" over Skype.  On his birthday two years ago, before we had ever even spoken, D wrote me an email that remained unsent for months and months, and to this day it makes me cry when I read it.  It said (and I hope he doesn't mind that I am sharing this ... I try to moderate how much I write about our relationship but I think that this is just too beautiful):

"since it's my birthday ... I get to do what I want, right?  In my case I only want to do one thing.  I choose to tell you over the last year that I have known you, you really have touched my heart.  I think of you often. I know that is crazy, since I have never even met or talked to you.  But that is how it is ... I know it is likely we will both find other people and live our lives apart.  If I had one wish, that would not be the case."

I know that I keep harping on about this general theme (please bear with me!!), but it still amazes me just how much things can change in such a relatively short period of time.  Two years ago, D was in Korea for work, sitting in a hotel room and typing me that message.  He had never even heard my voice, let alone seen anything other than photos of me, yet now here we are.  I got to wake up to him - my husband - on Saturday morning and give him a happy birthday kiss.  I am so, so happy that he made that wish.  I am starting to cry again, though, so I need to stop writing about it now!

So.  Yesterday we went out for lunch with the family and then D and I visited the Royal Botanical Gardens, cameras in hand, as always ... I had my film camera with me as well as my DSLR, but unfortunately it was loaded with an unfinished roll of Kodak Portra 160, which wasn't really practical as the light was already beginning to fade, sigh! so I had to save that for another time ...