Birthday Fun

I get a little sensitive around my birthday, missing my mother (who always went all out on my birthday), missing my kids who are all far away, and wishing I had someone to make a German Chocolate Cake for me the way my mother did every year, yada, yada, yada.  I kept the last German Chocolate Birthday Cake she made me for years after she died, taking it out every birthday and eating a bite or two until it was gone.  I can still see her sifting the fancy cake flour and melting the little chocolate bars for the icing.  I know what's coming and try to be pro-active about it in an effort to avoid the emotional melt down.  I went to Morristown to spend Saturday night with Mia in her new apartment.  We went out to dinner with Aunt Carol, my oldest best friend from my Morristown Memorial Hospital days and Mia/AJ's grandmother.  Carol gave me a beautiful glass container filled with scent that fills the room when you lit the wick.  What a great time we had, drinking wine and telling stories at a Thai restaurant in upscale Mo'town, the South Beach of the Northeast.  Mia and I had a slumber party in her third floor Victorian walk up, snuggling in the big bed underneath the slanted ceiling in her bedroom, chatting away until we fell asleep.  We woke up at four and drank coffee until the sun came up, ordered fabric online for her new curtains, and positioned the furniture I brought her from Chez Tractor Shed.  It was heavenly, and buoyed me substantially to see her so happy in her new digs across from Drew University and within walking distance to Madison.  Home to the farm and work today.  My angel friend and classroom aide, Robin, baked a cake for me and gave me a handmade card signed by her darling daughters, Harlee and Jaryn.   We lit and candle and the students sang Happy Birthday.  Somehow she found a copy of Haute Handbags, the quarterly magazine I had been looking for but couldn't find.  I was incredulous and thrilled.  I could barely concentrate on the students for flipping through this book full of artsy hand made bags.  Home to the farm and a trip to the PO in hopes there would be something there.  I don't know how she timed it so perfectly but there it was - a package!!  My fabulous Canadian buddies the Parkinsons sent me a goody box with a pair of gorgeous hand spun hand knitted thrum mittens along with two pounds of Multatelli coffee and my favorite tea!  The best part of the box I discovered last - a hand written Birthday card created by Lindsay with farm animals drawn and colored all over it!  I adore kiddie cards and will cherish this one forever.  Thank you, thank you dearest friends!