Our dear Bridgett got another year older last week, and we had a fun time celebrating. The day was a bit overcast and began with routine medical appointments, but we didn’t let that stop the fun.
There were packages arriving from friends and flowers from family, and Facetime with her Momma Donna and sister Esther ( and the kids, Nick, and their new dog Tucker)!
Cards, cards, and more cards…
And finally, dinner out in the open courtyard of The Kennedy School. Lots of food, wine, Edgefield Tonic Number 7, and conversation made the evening special.
Very happy, silly people….La Femme d’Anniversaire
When we had eaten all we could hold we wandered the halls of the old school (now a delightful McMenamin’s property) and then headed home.
Life isn’t ’back to normal’, and I don’t know when it will be. When we leave the house we always take masks and consider the enclosed nature and social distancing of our destination. Covid is always on our minds. But life is still full of flowers, friends, and reasons to celebrate.
Friday was my 65th birthday, and I had made a short list of things I wanted to do. I got to do (very nearly) all of them!
I came down to breakfast to find my Hundred Acre Wood wishing me a Happy Birthday, and Auntie Bridgett and I did Duolingo french practice, like always. Grandpa Nelson came down and I got lots of birthday hugs. It was predicted to be a rainy, blowy day, but it wasn’t going to keep me locked in.
Auntie Bridgett and I walked the mile or so down to Pix Patisserie on Burnside. Along the way, we found a huge pile of tiles, apparently the leftovers from a going-out-business shop, neatly piled on the curb. On top were three that would be perfect stepping stones for our allotment! Auntie Bridgett hefted them into a strong canvas bag we had taken ‘just in case’ and we proceeded to the patisserie.
I have intended to try some of their pastry since we moved to Portland, but it has always felt too far away, or was too crowded. During Covid, they have installed two refrigerated, high-end vending machines that allow folks to shop for pastries or fancy canned goods with zero contact! Along the way I had a nice phone chat with my niece Lyn, who was born on my 11th birthday.
We enjoyed the adventure, being mindful of the guard-gnomes, of course. Inside the little automat doors were RBG masks, a canned survival kit (with waterproof matches, three yards of cord, and other useful things) and canned mussels in vinegar, to name a very few. But we were there for the pastries!
After reading the illustrated menu, I chose the Jane Avril almond cake with raspberries, and Auntie Bridgett got the Amelie, a chocolate and hazelnut delight. We placed these in a second bag and walked home, battling the rain and the gusty winds.
We dropped off the heavy stepping stones and ate grilled cheese and onion sandwiches for lunch. Then I opened my presents! A delightful Shakespearean insult mug from your family and a jigsaw puzzle made from one of Gia Whitlock’s wonderful paintings, from Auntie Bridgett.
After some rest, we had the second part of the day. I will tell you about that tomorrow!
We have now celebrated our fourth family birthday under the Corona virus isolation. Cousin Kestrel turned 9!
The guest list
As before, it was a Zoom birthday party. But this time, Auntie Katie made cupcakes and delivered them to the guests’ houses! So we got cupcakes with tiny dragons, kittens, and birthday candles on them. I know it made her day more complicated, but it sure was nice.
Kestrel and Jasper were at their Daddy Dave’s house, and once all the cupcakes had been delivered, we all lit the candles, sang, and blew them out. It was almost like being together. Kestrel opened her present from her Denver grandparents, a pretty dress with flying unicorns (which are called alincorns, as you know) printed on it.
I didn’t get a picture of Red Bob, sorry….
Dave had set up a Minecraft game online so everyone could play together, but since everyone has different equipment, it took a while. Vivian, one of Kes’s friends, passed the time by introducing us to her pencil topper, a one inch high rubber toy, who she calls “Red Bob.” Apparently he has a theme song, which goes, “Red Bob will eat you, Red Bob will eat you.”
Of course, this started us all on a line of thinking… Red Bob should be a YouTube star! He needs a melody for that song, and a refrain, something like “Yum, yum yum…”. This could be great!
Lenin’s fireworks
When the technology fell into place, we got another surprise. Kes’s friend Lenin had put an effect into her Minecraft world so that when Kestrel walked to a certain place and had her character jump on a rainbow colored keyboard, FIREWORKS were launched! It was so pretty and unexpected, and everyone was impressed.
When dinner was ready at our house, we excused ourselves and said goodbye and thanks to everyone for inviting us to such an unusual party.
I hope you have a nice day, sweetie. See you real soon.
I turned 64 last week, just a week or so after the self-quarantine-ing became a big thing. We three walked to Whole Foods, on Burnside, who are limiting the number of people in the store at one time to reduce crowding. We got birthday dinner fixings, and then stopped by Vino for a wonderful French red to keep us company.
My florist…
Auntie Bridgett even got flowers, and we walked home to read, write, do art, practice French, and wait for dinner.
We prettied things up, of course, because, you know, BIRTHDAY! It was fun getting out serving pieces that were gifts from family and friends, and thinking about the folks who weren’t with us.
My grocery delivery guy….
After dinner we walked through Laurelhurst Park, very aware that any day now, Mayor Wheeler and Governor Brown are going to put out the shelter-in-place order. We enjoyed the frisbee dogs, rhododendron blooms, and ducks. We even got a Unipiper ride by! He was playing The Superman Theme Song…very heroic.
The miraculous Unipiper
I’m sure I will find things to write about in the coming weeks, as the city shuts down. My brain has always been my best friend and has lots of interesting things to say.
Dear Liza 