From the vantage point of 30-something...

It's been a special day!
At 00:00 I received a phone call from Oltman & Mary-Anne wishing me a happy birthday.
06:06 Ryan Martin: Hey bryan Happy happy birthday.hope u have a special day. Whoop whoop the martins
(What the heck time do you guys wake up??? -Bryan)
06:53 Justin Jones: Happy bday Johnston. Have gr8 day OLD MAN. So how does it feel being the big 30. Hee hee:-) cheers. Justin
07:02 We​sley Martin: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
(His was on Sunday)
At 07:36 Joe Graham woke me up to wish me.
07:36 Emma Lansdell: Hey BrYan! Happy happy birthday :) when are you going to be on campus? I need to make a special delivery ;) hope you have an awesome day! The Lansdells.
(February 23 girl)
08:39 St​even Hoyer: Happy birthday Bryan!hope you have a wonderful day!I pest that god may bless you an your family this day!
08:56 Wendy Etchells: Happy birthday!hope you have an amazing day!
(It's hers next week!)
09:05 was Greg & Bronwyn Landwehr's turn.
09:27 Heather Briggs: Happy Birthday! Well the big 3 0 has finally arrived. Do u feel old-er? Hope u hav a great day & remember u are not over the hill, yet. From H
(Thanks. I don't feel "old"er physically, but there's a mental thing when you hit 30. I think it's called "sober maturity" or "responsibility". How odd! -B)

09:37 Lisa & Aubrey Thomas: Hi Bryan
 
Happy Birthday! I hope you are having a good day so far with lots of cake etc...
09:39 Megan Burnes phoned.
(It was hers on Monday)
10:20 Brian & Bronwyn Earl: Hey Bryan Happy Birthday Welcome to the 30's They not all bad God Bless Bri Bron Gracie and Micaela
10:40 Megan McKie gave me a gracefully late birthday call (enabling me to sleep in... Unfortunately Joe didn't reason the same logic THREE HOURS AGO)
10:44 UKZN phoned "to wish me a happy birthday" and ask me to fix some problems :-/
11:29 Graeme Norval: Happy birthday! Welcome to old age along with the rest of us. Hope you have a great day! G
12:59 Duncan Stuart: Happy birthday Bryan, wow 30! 30 30 haha hope you manage to Njoy it, what'd kate get you?
13:01 Justin Ortlepp: Hey dewd happy birthday!! Hope you have a awesome day! Justin
15:03 Gary Lewis: Hey B,
Happy Birthday.
 
Hope you are doing well and being spoilt rotten. :)
 
 
cheers
 
Gary
15:07 Mel Clarke phoned and wished me a good day.
15:57 a mystery man who can sing good high-notes left a private number missed call on my cellphone, singing happy birthday. I suspect this man goes by the name of T-K or Theran Knighton (hyphen) Fitt.
16:25 Bruce Hoyer: Hope you had a great day ! And happy birthday bruce and bree
17:13 Kimble Smith: Hey Bryan. Happy birthday! Hope u having an awesome day! Luv k:)
18:17 George Mwuara phoned and SANG me happy birthday. Wow. Kenyan serenade!!
18:55 WesFlash phoned and wished me a happy happy 3-0. His big 2-0 is on Monday (9th) so enjoy it while you can buddy :)
21:35 Hoky: A late, but happy third decade, mate!
23:11 my brother Allen phoned me on my cellphone from the UK and we chatted for 25 mins and it was great!
--
Start of the day:
Kat made me a lovely yoghurt+muesli+fruit salad+honey HANSA glass, and some rooibos tea (no milk and no sugar) and I got to open my first set of presents: a trendy deck chair for lazing on our new balcony (balcony courtesy of the Hoyers), and a Popular Mechanics magazine, and ... GREAT SPEECHES (a cool book which I'm going to dissect for future MC'ing and speeches).
Lunch with my mom:
We went to Sage for lunch, and I enjoyed a beef fillet stack, Kat had home-made fishcakes, and my mom indulged in a chicken meal. All good food but wasn't worth the 50 minute or the R175 price tag. Was still a nice change.

Unfortunately a property developer spoiled it by starting the building of a wall on our complex's parking lot and I had to grab my camera to snap a few shots, but once that was finished at 430pm'ish, I enjoyed a wonderfully delectable white chocolate coffee cake with Lindt balls and tea with my ladies.
I got a good sized cheque from my mom, XBOX360 (Force Unleashed, from Kat), some LEGO Star Wars from my brother / mom, a NAG magazine subscription (Kat), and a good time!
Evening; dinner @ La Strada with our home group. I ordered the Surf & Turf (calamari + steak) with tartar sauce and a side portion of chips (veg came with the meal). It was a really big meal, but for R118 it wasn't really worth it - the Chapman's Peak Hotel combo in CPT was WAY nicer and WAY cheaper!!
The Lansdells tried to top the day off with a lovely white Lindor Lindt chocolate slab and a Nestlé Crunch, but unfortunately my wife beat them to it by surprising me with FALLOUT 3 & LEGO INDIANA JONES (THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURES) FOR XBOX360 at 23:45. But it was a really great surprise to receive pressies from someone other than family :)
--
It's been an awesome day and I must say that being 30 will bring a host of new experiences - and challenges. For one, I'm married to a twenty-something hottie (married outside of my decade), and for another, I'm still hanging out with teenagers!!
It feels good to be loved guys. That's what agape and phileo is all about, and I've experienced that massively today - thanks to everyone!!
God bless
Bryan