My Happy 71st Birthday Party

Black Forest Birthday Cake

G

Go-To Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Blackberries

 My birthday and Mother's Day intersected this year, which gives double the pleasure and double the food since both events were celebrated in tandem.

The Black Forest Cake was for Mother's Day.

The Go-To Chocolate Cake was for my birthday.

Two cakes is too much dessert if they are paired with a big turkey dinner, which was the agenda for the Sunday meal.

Do you like the vase I bought you?

Richard and Miranda came over on the way to her moms for another event.

Kelve dropped by the for the day.

Mati, Mak and Amir come out of their rooms just at the appropriate times -- either to help ice a cake or to mash the potatoes or set the table.

I know you love jewellery

I told everyone cards only -- preferably home made.

Next year I am going to introduced the idea of recycled paper, so no one has to do much more than a 2 fold on a piece of foolscap -- not that I would have wanted to miss the greetings on this year's cards.

Doral's kids all brought me presents.

There were a few tears over Meighan's gift of a vase.

She dropped the first one she bought and so a second had to be purchased.

Four strings of gold beads for your birthday, Grandmother.

It is going to look beautiful full of daffodils, which are blooming in full splendor in my back yard.

Dalton wrote lyrics for a grandmother-rock-song

I told Doral, "no gifts", but he took the kids to the store and Ceilidh's eyes fell on these gold beads.

"No matter how much I tried to turn her to another isle to buy something else," Doral said, "she kept returning to these beads."

They are splendid.

I put them on my neck for the party -- all four strings.

As well, I intend to wear them to the second opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle this week-end.

I expect to see even more gold and silver on the shields and the Norse headgear than will be hanging on my neck.

My guests for the day came in two sets.  The first group of us went around the table, each telling something about their mothers.

Thomas told us all that Grandma Bessie had an eye for line and colour and though she had little in the way of art supplies, she took what she had at hand -- a few oils and the back of a  window blind, and used her talent.

Amir said that his mom believes "family is everything" and likes to hear from him on the phone  twice a week.  I told my boys that even though, I also believe that family is everything, I don't want that many phone calls from them.

Mati reminded us that that motherhood is everywhere around us -- in mother earth, in science and in our personal family lives.

Mak was orphaned when before he was ten years old, and now is wishing he knew more about his mother.  The last time he saw her, she was on her way to the hospital, but before leaving told his other brother's and sisters to let him watch T.V. as late as he wished.

I love memories like that. 

Who wouldn't want to have those be the last words their kids ever heard -- besides the words, I love you.

I had a lovely party.  Thank you for all for phone calls, emails, letters and gifts.

Arta