Birthday Dinner

Weight: According to my scale at home, I gained a whopping 3.6 pounds, up to 128.8. At T.O.P.S., I recorded a weight of 127.4, which showed a gain of only one pound. The meeting meandered as usual, but wasn't too bad. Only four of us were there; besides Julie and me, Lennie and Sharon came. Bobbi didn't and I'm pretty sure she's going to be dropping out soon.

Home after 10:00 and was getting my breakfast ready when niece Joan called. Called her back after we ate and we had a long conversation about my father's accidental death in  1954. She's writing a kind of family history and boy, there's plenty of it.

After that, I was busy, busy, busy. Went over to Von's for unsalted butter for the icing on the cake. Made the icing, which took an age and with only a smallish electric mixer, it was difficult getting the confectioners sugar into the butter/cream cheese mixture. I did it, though, added the other ingredients, frosted the cake--it hadn't risen much, all right, but looked okay. I found some pink roses and a candle, so decorated with them.

Vickie came a little late (she had texted me to that effect) and Suzanne a few minutes after. The Birthday Girl brought me a bottle of Chardonnay and we all got a kick out out of the name, perfectly suited to me: "Unruly." 

(For some strange reason--this damn laptop rules my life--I can't get the text above to left-align. Oh, well, it will just have to stay in the middle.)

Immodest though it is to record, I have to say that my guests greatly enjoyed the dinner, which was simple, but good: Along with the baked salmon, I served mashed yams, peas, and a side of crystal pickles. As for the cake, it may have looked a little less than fluffy and, yes, it was dense, but boy-oh-boy, was that delicious. Of course, I've avoided sugar for several years, so maybe that increased my enjoyment. Anyway, my guests loved it, too. I lit the candle, we sang the song, Vickie gave Suzanne a little gift, and it was fun. After, we moved to the living room to chat.

Suzanne left a little after 7:00, then Vickie and I sat and talked and talked and talked. Since she had admitted Mary, her life partner of forty years, to a facility, she's riddled with grief and guilt. I had forgotten that Vickie had told me that, years before they met, Mary had been married to the mayor of Ventura, Jim Monahan.  Incredibly, after Vickie and Mary started living together, Vickie was his secretary in City Hall. Wow, what a story there! 

It was almost 9:00 when Vickie left. I immediately called Jim to ask him for lunch today. Stella is supposed to come, too, although whether it was a good idea to invite her, I dunno. Jim may or may not be able to come, as he's waiting for a phone call from someone who will help him with his course preparation, but I told him to let me know by noon or so.

Cleaned up the kitchen quickly and, without watching the box, went happily to bed. Even more happily, I didn't wake up until after six--YAY!