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Veteran's Day and an Etiquette Question
2003-02-24 - 8:47 a.m.
Early Birthday
This will be the second try on this entry.. I had it all written out last night and then there was a server hiccup and it vanished never to be heard or seen from again (that I know of).
The entry was all about this weekend. See, my birthday is this coming Wednesday (I'll be 37). My stress level has been so high of late, that all I really wanted was to to stay home and to use Dame Anne's phrase, "turtle down" for a bit.
The head of our household and her partner decided about a month or so ago to have a household meething this weekend. More of a gathering to discuss Pennsic and other projects as well as some gaming and a few other thigns going on.
I didn't really want to go. My body had just decided no. But I knew my love really needed to be around people, and he had something to celebrate with the people we're closest to. So I double checked on the dog sitting arrangements, did as much house cleaning as I could, packed two suitcases (with instructions on finishing the packing) and went off to work. My love picked my up at the stroke of 5, and we were on our way to just short of West Virginia.
We got there around 8:00 and people started arriving. What started as a household weekend had morped into a gaming weekend. That's fine, my love adores gaming and well, I was just content to hang out. By 9:00, the games had started and I had been directed towards the tub. I had deposited myself into the Mother of All Bathtubs complete with bubbles, an inflatable pillow and a good book.
I got myself out of the tub just in time to drift off to sleep. It was heavenly. I woke up on Saturday, made a quick trip to the grocery store with one of our hosts (picked up some claritin) and then worked at cooking breakfast for everyone while one of the group had to run away for a few hours for a series of classes. I fixed her a fried egg sandwich and the rest of us chowed down on eggs with cheese, bacon, and link sausage (I took the Claritin while I cooked breakfast). The gaming continued as more people arrived; but I wasn't feeling well after breadkfast (blood sugar was 177, and an hour later it was 70 and then up to 170 again two hours after that), and it continued for most of the day..I ended up n our room sleeping for most of the afternoon. I woke up around 3:00 for lunch and managed to sit around and look pasty white until around 6:00. I put myself in the tub again until around 9:00; when my love came to retrieve me for dinner.
I ate dinner and was feeling pretty good by then. As dinner was clearing, our host leaned over and whispered that she wanted some ice cream for after dinner. For the past two years that we've been Badgers, that's been a tradition. The four us (me, my love, Dame Badger and her partner) all go out for ice cream when we visit. To not do that, would be odd.
(By the way, the head of our household, whom we all affectionately call Dame Badger is NOT a Pelican or a Laurel, Dame Badger is an affectionate nickname we all gave her and we use it privately. I'll leave Beth to explain where it came from.)
She stood up and announced that she and I were going out for ice cream. All of a sudden there were lots of people exclaiming how wonderful an idea it was and how they ALL wanted us to get some ice cream. People were basically scurring around like little rabbits. I put on my shoes and my coat appeared as if by magic.
We went out the door and to the Wal Mart. It was closed due to ice and snow on the roof. As we were leaving, DB's cell phone rang, Her partner was wondering where we were... I rolled my eyes.. I mean sheesh! We hadn't been gone ten minutes.. gimme a break!
So we went to a nearby store, bought 4 half gallons (two were sugar free); and returned back to the house. DB somehow conspired to let me be the first in the house.
What I saw made my cry.
The lights were dim throughout the house, almost black except for one shimmering candle on the bottom right corner of a blue and white birthday cake. I was stunned and immediately started to cry. Flash bulbs flashed as people took pictures and everyone softly sang Happy Birthday to me as I stood there in shock. I just stood there like an idiot, taking in the birthday cake. I couldn't notice anything else. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. I practically dropped the ice cream on the floor. I made my wish and blew out my candle. Up til this point, I hadn't said a word.. then I saw them..... I pointed just to the left of the cake and exclaimed in my best five year old voice, "COWS!" Much to the delight of everyone.
When the lights came on, I was just taken aback.. in a good way, mind you. The cake and all was more than enough... but noooooooo the dining room was decorated in blue and white (my colors) and there were presents too. On the table was a 9 x 12 birthday poster signed by everyone there (including the new friends I'd made that weekend); two gifts and three handpainted wooden cows. What's special about these cows you ask? Well, for one, they're handpainted... and for another... the spots are BLUE! I opened the present and what I saw just made me beam!
Gwyneth had found a large cook's apron and painted big blue cow spots all over it! It's just da bomb! On the pocket of the apron is the household badge. It's because I'm going to be camp Mom for the household if we go to Pennsic this year. It was so neat.
DB gave me her present next.. and let me tell you... The cake, the decorations, the card and the apron were more than enough from two people who have had a hard time financially lately... but as the saying goes.. "wait.. there's more!" DB presented me with something that took my breath away.
I should explain... back in September, my love and I went to help our friend Beth at an event in Aethelmarc. Her friend was the autocrat and they needed a Chirurgeon in Charge for the event. I'm a chirurgeon, so I volunteered. One of the things they had going on at that event was an auction to benefit their little shire. I took a walk over there and saw bunches of neat things.. one of which was a Byzantine Chess set. I bid on that as well as lots of other things.. I think I mentioned back then that I won my auction for the calligraphy stuff.... well I came back to where our household was camped and just RAVED about this chess set I saw. I thought it was the most incredible thing I'd ever seen. I mean, I went on and on about how neat this thing was... all of the pieces were handpainted, the board was circular and also handpainted... I mean it was a work of art. DB just sat there and grinned (she's quiet like that). After a good ten minutes of going on about it, Gwyneth told me that DB was the one who made the set. I had no doubt that something of that quality would come from the hands of DB. I made the comment that someday, I'd like to have a set like that.
Here it was.... in my hands. She had made the set in my colors (Blue and silver, actually, but white can be a metal, so it works)! That Chess set just makes me all choked up again. This lady cared enough about me to spend HOURS painting the box and gameboard, then spent countless hours working on each of the pieces; IN MY COLORS.
Now don't get me wrong; I love gifts from the heart, whether they come from the store or from someone's handiwork. Both mean you care.
But to say I was deeply moved by all of this would be an understatement. After spending the day feeling like something the cat wouldn't have wanted to drag in, here I am feeling the warmth and love from my extended family.
I'm still speechless. Yeah, if you look at it from the outside, it wasn't that much a to-do; but if you look at it from MY point of view, it was the world. That was the first time in over 20 (25 years to be accurate) years anyone has celebrated my birthday with a party.
All I could think was the Sally Field one liner... "They like me.. they REALLY like me!"
I went to bed on Saturday night with elevated blood sugar (but not too terribly bad, 156); but with a smile on my face.
We woke up on Sunday, had breakfast (I left the Claritin alone); played a game or two and then had to get ready to head home.
I made sure to thank everyone profusely and give hugs and kisses all around. As the person who didn't really want to go, I found myself not really wanting to leave.
We got home to a quiet house, two puppies who were ecstatic to see us and two cats wondering when dinner would be.
We got the laundry from the weekend in the wash and settled in so my love could get a good night's rest for his first day of work at the new job today.
He did tell me that any birthday presents from him would have to wait until payday (in about a month). I told him I didn't really care about prezzies, I'm just glad he loves me so much to help plan such a wonderful weekend.
I didn't sleep all that well last night, I had weird dreams about a war (no not Pennsic) and santa claus under a sofa cushion, tanks and us trying to sneak across enemy lines to meet someone...... oh, did I mention that the enemy line was the James River at High tide and there were tanks and a "general state of emergency with the National Guard everywhere trying to keep us from doing what we needed to.
This weekend, we're going to try to go to the House and Garden show on Saturday and then the Herald's come on Sunday for their monthly meeting. They're getting homemade spaghetti and meatballs this time.)
Well, it's time for me to get back to work.. I've been working on this for quiet a while....
Thank you to the members of the household, to my new friends, and more importantly, to my husband, the love of my life, the person I love more than anyone else on earth.
Dame Anne, I'm sorry I missed your call this weekend. I wish I could have been there. It's always more than nice to hear from you. Perhaps next time you're in town we can spend some time.
Please don't forget to answer my survey... it's research for a small business idea... all comments appreciated, no reasonable offer refused!!! It won't take five minutes, I PROMISE!
