CUPCAKES FOR ME

All things considered I think I had a pretty good 60^th birthday. I had massive contacts on my Facebook account, snail mail letters and cards and even a call from Josh Pederson who used to manage the local 211 information line which was really a shock. The kid is now manager of a 211 type agency somewhere in Virginia. The shown yesterday but the day started off extremely chilly but I bussed in enjoying the secrete of the day. I really was not expecting much since they had taken me to lunch earlier in the week but after I had my coffee, checked mail and returned calls staff came bearing gifts and cupcakes—I got some gag gifts(always to be expected) and some valuable gifts always unexpected. I got a $60.00 dollar gift certificate to an Asian place Dianne and I love to frequent. This should be good for at least two sets of meals for both of us or a major family outing—either way dining at the Shang-Hi will be fun.

Yesterday was the Council's annual meeting so I was ,really, thee only staff in the office for the most part of the day I was in the office. Amy was here part of the day in fact she sent me home mid afternoon to see if there was anything I could do to help since there seemed to be a tension in the air suggestion part of the Murray family was coming over for dinner. Even though I did leave early from the office everything in the house seemed to be in order by the time I got home.

Dinner was takeout from Hoppers, a local brew-pub which has a definite elitists leaning an dinner consisted of small loaves of bread and fishes (sounds familiar) more specifically the fish turned out to be salmon and Alaskan Cod aka FISH AND CHIPS. Dinner also consisted of assorted vegetables, garlic smashed potatoes and small hard crusted loaves of bread. Of course the last course was the mandatory cake and ice cream. Gabe baked a wonderful chocolate cake and there was also very vanilla ice cream..

The evening was cold but there was much laughing and eating and let's not for get gifting. My brother Ross sent me a 10 dollar bill with a card, 20.00 dollar gift cert to B@N. Dianne had gotten rubber mats for the danger zones I create transferring to trying to transfer to and fro from my wheelchairs. So, I made out very well. But the night was cold and dark and mom's are pregnant, dads are tired and kid still had homework and reading to do before they go to bed and soon it was just Dianne and I, alone again naturally.

Frank, my staff brother here at work gave me a gag gift you know, a singing book, candles which cannot be blown out, a bottle you touch and it boils up a flouted glass system and more but more important then any of his other gifts was a gift his wife, Sonja sent it: cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with fudge frosting which were and are wonderful. Staff have eaten a few and they are great. Now, I have them sitting in the back of the office getting older, aging and I figure they should be ready for dunking my Monday morning...