Awake, sort of, at 7:30ish. Katie came down to visit. She laid in Brian's bed, because Duncan, my POOGie dog (pissed off old guy) was laying next to me and he gets very growly if Katie gets too close. I thought maybe I'd go back to sleep, but as we talked (and Duncan went outside, and then came in and pointedly, left the room, climbed the stairs and headed for Dan's bed!) I realized that I was probably gettting up. A few minutes later Greg was up and he made scrambled eggs for Brian, me and himself while I was looking up my life on the computer. After breakfast, I read a little paper, and fiddled a bit in the kitchen, then Katie and I went to Foodland for the rest of the lunch necessities and to V and S "department store" for a wander. Greg was on his way to his parents' house when we arrived home. I fiddled a bit more and helped Katie make her dough into small buns. She set them in the cupboard above the fridge to rise again. Greg called and asked Katie to come to the Mills's to help him sort some of his books that were still there. Kate suggested I walk some of the way with her, so I found my running shoes (on the shelf where they are supposed to be, although they were only there because LuAnn puts them away most Wednesdays when she's here). We were on the road in a few minutes and strolled West. We talked about this and that, saw a crushed turtle, looked for deer tracks at the spot near Walton's house, where I've seen them crossing twice in the past couple of weeks, and after a very affectionate parting that would have done Jane Austin proud, I turned back and Katie kept walking toward the Mills's. I met Greg, driving his beloved purple Mini, who had just seen us and turned around, about a minute later. We waved and he drove on to pick up Katie. When I reached our property again, I walked along the hedgerow and started to pick flowers for the dining room table. I found dog tooth violets, scillas, jonquils and an interesting little daffodil in the hedgerow and picked an iris, hellebores, more daffodils, flowering currents and a sprig of crab apple blossom from the beds and the orchard. I brought them in and put them in one of the small blue flowered glasses that I've cabbaged from Mom. They used to be used often at my Harrison grandparents house in Caledonia. I can imagine the cupboard where they used to be kept. I may have had a birthday treat in one when I was a child...maybe Grandma's canned grape juice. Then I became very serious about getting lunch ready - by boiling the pasta for the tuna salad. Shower, dressing (the suit I wore to Katie's wedding, later worn all day, sans jacket, hat only occasionally -see above picture) welcoming Mom, who Brian had picked up in Caledonia, food prep. with Katie...whew...by 1:30 we six sat down to eat. Greg was at Dad's end and clockwise from there it was Dan, Mom, Brian at his end, moi and Katie. We ate well! Salad bar with lots of fixin's, followed by bean salad, tuna salad, cold meats and cheese, and Katie's lovely buns. Before cake, I opened cards and checked out Kate and Greg's great gift - an L.L. Bean bag with my name on it - a forever present, the John Candy movie, and two Royal books. My kids are thoughtful gift givers, bless them!! My Momma's card expressed her appreciation for the ways we help her, and included $50 - of course, she'd also given $60 toward dinner and left another $20 under a fridge magnet before she left. For Mom, there is no free lunch!
Then the candles were lit, and blown out, leaving Mom in a cloud of candle smoke and we all enjoyed a slice of Zehr's best. It wasn't long after that Kate and Greg left for Toronto and Mom went to bed in their room. Brian, Duncan and I went to sleep in our bedroom. Joy Rummerfield called a few minutes into my sleep and we talked and once more today, I knew I would be out of bed sooner than planned. I fiddled some more at the computer, read and then started supper. Mom was surprised to see that it was almost six-thirty when she came out. We were all around the table again before seven for some lovely leftovers. Pete Seeger was providing the musical background on and off today, because it's also his nintieth birthday. Thank you for the music Pete!
Before we left for Caledonia Cousin Nancy and Brother Bob called. We stopped at Seneca Park on the way to Mom's and used the binoculars to look at two bald eagles who are nesting again in a tree across the river from the park. We crossed the bridge (how many times have I done that on my birthday?? I bet at least forty times!), delivered Mom (her turn, mine was 59 years ago!) and were home just a little after nine. Karen Olson called with more birthday best wishes and then...I came here to add pictures to Facebook...and eventually to write this, with Duncan snoring beside me - though he did take a few minutes out of his chair to go up town with Dan, in my car, of course (the only vehicle not deemed a dog hair free zone.)
There, I'm 58. Cousin Nancy said, "I'm wishing you many happy returns of the day." I'm wishing for that too.
XOXO Me
