Co-vert birthday luncheon

My friends are pretty funny, actually.  I was invited to a lovely luncheon at Harriet's today. A wonderful chicken salad with lots of fresh strawberries, melon and grapes.  Just the way I like it.  And for dessert another friend had brought a delicious key lime pie, a specialty of hers. It was a delightful afternoon visiting with friends that I just haven't taken the time for much lately. Then, as I was leaving, they say, "Oh, by the way, here are some birthday cards for you".  All quite subtle, actually.

You see, there seems to be some unwritten, but understood, premise that we don't make a fuss about each other's birthdays.  No presents and things like that. The problem with that is that no one really abides by that rule.  Yet, they say they do.  So you just don't know how far to go for anyone else.  For instance, Nancy declared at Christmas time that we were not going to exchange anything, period. But I don't trust that, knowing from experience.  I just know that she will be the first one to break the rule and be at my door with some lovely home baked goodie.  I think.  But I don't want to take a chance and be the first to break the rule.  So, I bake up a bunch of shortbreads dipped in dark chocolate, wrap them up and get them ready.

And sure enough, there she is with her goodies that she just happens to have on hand is getting rid of before they go north for the holidays.  But I'm ready and whip out my shortbreads, just in the nick of time.

So now Harriet has a birthday in two weeks.  So I will do the proper thing and have a luncheon a day or two before her birthday, because it really isn't for her birthday.  It just happens to be about that time.  And I will give her the giraffe scarf (she loves the African theme) that I bought for her when I was back north at our African Team Ministries booth at the Chokecherry Festival.  It's not a birthday present.  I just happened to have it around and thought of her. I'm learning.

Michael is still sick with his cold. I baby him, at a distance, as much as I can. I'm taking the Echinacea that I bought for him.  It was too late for him, but it is working great keeping me virus free.  So far.
I'm wondering if he'll be well enough for all that I have planned for my birthday. It is a two day event, actually.  Day one, we go to see War Horse and dinner at a nice restaurant on the water.  Day two, we go kayaking on the gulf with the manatees, followed by lunch at the Manatee Festival. Any ideas how to get him well fast?