David’s birthday

I think all grandparents want special things to happen on their grandchildren’s birthdays. We’re blessed to have grandson David living with us, giving us an easy target.. The camera was waiting in the pocket. I was a little late getting breakfast on the table, so David took a shower and put on his uniform before we ate. John put a candle on the lemon biscuit spirals to add the birthday touch.

After David left for work, I made Brownies with dark cocoa and dark chocolate chips. John drove us to town, and we took our place in the Burger King takeout line. John told the order-taker that we were making a delivery to David. Coworkers are generally aware of a birthday in their midst, and she told us to pull up to the second window. If David was surprised, we couldn’t tell through the sneeze guard and required mask. Besides, he had his head in the clouds. Can you see the real clouds in the photo?

Many hours later we had dinner on the porch, and it was dark for the obligatory cake and candle picture.

I had noticed before that I cook for people I love, but it hit me in the face on David’s birthday. Morning, noon, and night I pushed food on him, not that it changes his shape at all. When he is hungry, I swear he can pull the front of his stomach in to touch his backbone.

Others paid attention to him with text messages, phone calls, and greetings on social media. One gift that came in the mail was very special. At work they brought in chocolate cupcakes to celebrate, and he loved that. After everyone had a chance to take one, he brought the rest home.

This was not a birthday with high drama or fireworks, but it was excellent in an ordinary sort of way. Happy 25th birthday, David!

We were ready for grandson David’s birthday before he woke up. John bought a helium balloon the day before and hid it in the garage. I had sweet roll dough in the refrigerator and baked it as chocolate coffeecake. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, with the oldsters doing most of the talking. David is as much a night owl as I am an early bird. He was content to sit quietly and eat.

060117 D birthday breakfast.jpg

David had to work at 2, so we went to Bogart’s for an early lunch. Son John $ was finally rejoining the human race and went with us. He was in the woods hiking the previous week when an attack of gout started. He soaked his foot in a mountain stream before walking the remaining two miles to his car. Using that foot to shift was nerve wracking, because he wasn’t sure he could force it to move. He managed to drive to our house, which was much closer than his. His days were turned upside down, since the pain kept him awake at night. Medication finally brought it under control so that he could hobble again.

060117 Birthday lunch John $ David.jpg

We were ready for a snack when David came home. Months ago he requested chocolate cheesecake for his birthday. We should have weighed it. The recipe began with two pounds of cream cheese, and it was heavy. After John lit the candle, we sang Happy Birthday. $ wasn’t visible, but he was sitting on David’s left telling a story. David was snickering at his uncle’s tale when I snapped the picture.

060117 David's birthday cake.jpg

There is nothing like it when $ is in a story-telling mood. Some years ago, he and a friend had gone to the supermarket, and the friend was bummed out because he had no money left. As the story progressed, $’s accent changed to that of a mountain man. That in itself is amusing. All vestiges of his New York accent disappeared. He wanted to make his friend laugh, so he pulled into a McDonald’s drive-through.

When it was his turn to order, he said into the microphone, “I wont skillet-fried ‘possum.”

The worker asked for a repeat.

“Skillet-fried ‘possum!”

“We don’t have that,” and he began to read some items from the menu.

Before they pulled away, $’s friend and the worker were laughing. Mission accomplished!

We all headed to bed after eating cheesecake. At the end of the day, we felt the birthday mission had been accomplished, too.

Tag: David’s birthday

David’s Birthday – Morning, Noon, and Night