Celebrating Your Birth!

Celebrating Birthdays

If you’re anything like me, you get a little excited when you know there’s a birthday coming up – and it doesn’t even have to be yours! It could even be better if it’s NOT yours.

SURPRISE!

If you are good at keeping a secret, you might start planning far in advance, just to keep it a surprise. Decades ago, I had a friend feign interest an in wines, so my husband, Lance, would tell him what wines he liked, since I had no idea what to select. It worked!

A few days later, Lance had a wonderful little assortment of wines — that he personally, unknowingly picked — and four beautiful wine glasses, that I chose. (One of those wine glasses survived over 40 years and thousands of miles in countless household moves.)

Happy Birthday To You!

At our house, some birthday cakes resemble a peach pie, a lemon meringue pie, or even FOUR cakes. (Four, because one cake simply wouldn’t fit a whole gelatin rainbow for my new husband…)

A few actual cakes we loved– thanks to The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum – have been Swiss Chocolate, Chocolate Lover’s Angel Food Cake, and the phenomenal White Velvet Butter Cake (left white for Lance, tinted green for our son, Simon).

Once, we had a fun green “watermelon” cake filled with pink sherbet and mini chocolate chips as seeds. We figure, if it’s your birthday, you should choose what “birthday cake” you want! Many thanks to Betty Crocker, too. You know what I mean.

Since We Are Fearfully And Wonderfully Made…

We try to make a fuss, make each other feel special, make a celebration of the anniversary of our births.

For my first married birthday, in Kaneohe, Hawaii, Lance made a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and covered it in chocolate Kisses.

On another birthday, in Thomaston, Connecticut, he made a favorite dinner of mine – salmon fettuccine alfredo! Pretty big deal, since he hates the smell of fish. He loves me!

Lance’s 50th birthday found us in a little tavern near Central Park, singing the traditional song, when his cake was brought out. Some men from the next table wanted to join in, so I prompted, “Lance” at the appropriate part. How about that? Like one big family, with total strangers in New York!

Simon spent his 6th birthday bowling with his classmates, his 7th at the Pacific Ocean with cousins, and his 10th birthday at Laser Quest! Laser tag became Simon’s signature birthday custom. (Until the dreadful lockdowns. In our city, Laser Quest is no more. Flattened by the curve.)

Of course, on our birthdays, we also get out of chores for the day. Breakfast in bed is purely optional.

The Magic Of A Very Best Friend

My friend, Ilene, had me meet her at a restaurant for lunch. I parked beside her and started heading in.

Lance and Simon drove away for errands.

“Where are you going?” she called.

I got into her Tahoe, and she drove us to a completely different restaurant; one overlooking two waterfalls!

Lance texted: “SURPRISE!”

Long lunch. Good food. Waterfalls. Absolutely perfect.

How do you celebrate your loved ones?

Anna


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