Sandy Supposes....

Birthdays? Yes, please!

PROMPT: The Wildcard Round! Tell us about the best birthday you ever had.

          Well, each and every additional birthday is special because it means I've been blessed with another year. More time to write, and more memories.

         I remember a birthday when I was still attending elementary school. I'd convinced my mother, after much cajoling and pleading, to include money in my cake. She accomplished this by wrapping coins in bits of waxed paper, and dropping them into the cake batter. This was something that several friends had offered at their parties, and I wanted to have it too. In the mere minutes before the arrival of my guests, the family German Shepherd decided to taste-test the cake; I suppose it was irresistible. I never knew how it tasted. That greedy dog gobbled up the entire layer cake, candles, hidden money, and all. Now we were in crisis mode. Mom didn't have time to bake a replacement cake, and so my father did something that had never been done, ever. He raced out in order to purchase a store cake. My Mom always baked her own goodies, so this was a precedent. He returned with the only cake he could scrounge at such short notice, a Black Forest gateau festooned with cherries. I believe I pouted a bit, but at least my friends had some kind of a cake to eat. I imagine some future child discovered those forgotten coins while excavating in my former backyard. One doesn't always know the origin of a buried treasure.

          My most recent birthday celebration in June was a fun and memorable one. Apparently, it was intended to be a surprise party, but my youngest sister couldn't keep a secret. The cat was out of the bag when she informed me that she'd see me at the trailer , and not for our usual weekly lunch date. Relatives converged on my seasonal campsite for a barbecue, and campfire. It was gloriously noisy; singing, laughing, shouting, gabbing, cameras clicking, flames crackling and snapping. I maintained several conversations at the same time.

         My sister's grandson, four-year old Conner presented a large, bulging gift bag to me, a bag he'd dragged across the ground two-handed. He trembled with excitement, dancing impatiently before me ,and asked, "Can I help?" How could I refuse his offer? I pretended to peer into the bag, and I took my time. Conner couldn't stand the delay, and he reached into the bag to pull out two metal lawn ornament stakes. Everything was paused while he planted them into the garden behind us. When he returned, I withdrew a square-shaped package wrapped in striped paper, and shook it. His blue eyes seemed to widen as I whispered to him, "What's this?" He leaned in close to return a whisper of his own. "Maybe a phone?" He did the honours and tore the gift open. I think he was a little disappointed; no phone, but a lantern. No matter, there was more for him to reveal.

         He passed mugs, and notebooks to me unimpressed. An owl tin captured his curiosity briefly, and my youngest daughter called to him, "Oh, is that owls? I like owls. I want that." Conner stared at me sternly, and chastised me. "You sister want it." He then made a point of giving it to her. Of course, we laughed. Silly Conner knows my kids, but somehow he thinks we're siblings. Not an all-together bad compliment for my birthday even if it came from a four-year old!

          Ah, Conner... This is the same boy who will not or cannot accept that his Nanna and I are sisters. He just shakes his head, and says, "No, friends." This sister/friend had offered to provide dessert, but she did not bake a traditional cake. Instead of this, she'd opted to bake a rhubarb crisp. No matter to Conner, he studded it with candles. At family birthdays, we relight the candles over and over, so he may blow them out, again and again. He also likes to personally lick each and every candle free of frosting, but this time there wasn't such a sweet residue. He inadvertently tasted wax. "Here," he grimaced as he tucked the candle into my hand.

          My brother-in-law, perfectly serious, asked me, "Did you ever think you'd be this old? Do you feel different?" Huh. What a question coming from someone less than a year younger than me! His wife, my baby sister, was quick to quip, "More aches and pains." Well, this is undeniably true, but I've earned each twinge.

         Not everyone spoiled me. My autistic cousin arrived and greeted me with, "I guess I owe you a belated birthday card, or something." As always, I felt the love.

         My final treat of the day was burnt popcorn as only can be charcoaled on a campfire. There were too many cooks and popcorn experts/critics seated 'round that blazing fire. What were the neighbours thinking when they heard shouts of, "Shake! Shake! No, lower. Try your other hand. Faster!" As I mentioned earlier, we're not a quiet family. My gift was the laughter.