Birthday wonderment

Wow, I'm still recovering from the celebration. Annie cooked dinner for me and our guests; three friends I met through her, and my friend Linda who lives in the bay area that I have know for forty some years.

What a lovely dinner it turned out to be. She had appetizers of blanched green and yellow string beans, cauliflower, orange and red carrots, cheese, salami, dill dip, various crackers and the other dip whose name I can't drag up from the dredges of my brain. When Cari arrived she had radishes, butter, and some fancy salts for seasoning.

We drank wine or beer while she grilled peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and some other veggies, I think, and chicken breasts. That was the first course served with a wheat berry salad. Just as I was fixing my mind on the chocolate cake, I was reminded the next course is salad, made by her friend Cari which was wonderful greens; I can't swear but I think it was arugula with a yummy vinegarette and some peaches or nectarine pieces in it. Then she passed some little waffer crackers with a tidbit of cheese and fruit which were for eating with salad. I noticed Cari put the greens on the cracker and ate it that way. We are not all that sophisticated with food and didn't know what to do. I broke it up and ate it with a fork.

Then we had coffee or tea and chocolate cake with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Then we relaxed with cigars on the front porch. Okay, I'm lying about the cigars, but the rest is gospel truth. My daughter cooked her butt off.

Each lady brought a gift: Linda bought a garden ornament made of metal with a twirly thing to hang on the bottom to catch the breeze, Lori brought a tie dye tea towel and a tie dyed bandanna, Chris brought a bottle of wine and some wine bath juice, Cari brought a little plate from a local artist with some grapes and a leaf on it tied in a pretty tea towel. Annie got me a soduku book and a cover for my stainless drinking bottle.

I got my present from Bill on Thursday, he sent some Laural Burch cat earrings and a cat plate with the same design. He sent another as well with a computer game. Then today, as if this is not enough, while Annie, Linda, and I were at breakfast, a box was delivered from work. It is a party in a box with cards from the whole group, and a few individual ones. There are some party favors and a box of Hostess cup cakes. I think I will wait to open all the goodies in there when Chloe and Tess are here.

The girls are camping with their dad, so I guess we will be having another birthday celebration when they get back.

Linda went home a few hours ago, I took a little nap, but I think I may take another. Turning sixty was wonderful. I might do it again next year!