I turned 55 yesterday, which was hard. I did go out with my husband and some family, and will see a few friends later this week. But overall I was pretty depressed about getting old. I had hoped to retire early by this age, but to be financially comfortable I will need to work again. But right now I have health issues that need investigating first, so I'm in a weird kind of limbo and semi-retired. I do feel glad that I don't have to be working right now just to survive.

My birthday gift to myself was attending a local new-and-used bookstore and buying myself some books. I had donated many of my books away thinking we wouldn't have space for them in our new apartment, but we ended up having space and I miss having them (I have tons of e-books but it's just not the same as physical books that you can hold and display and lend out). So I ended up getting myself 5 books - 3 are used but in great condition. 4 are fiction and 1 is a copy of Marcus Aurelius' _Meditations_.