Happy Birthday

Mother turned 88 years old Sunday.

We had a big spread, the cost being spread out amongst us. We aren't a big family, but when you put us all in one house, it feels pretty big. Sixteen this time, as we had two Texas cousins join in the fray.

We put the eclipse photo on the birthday cake (see previous blog), which she had not seen. She asked, "Is that me!?" We said yes. She said, "Lord, I look like I weigh 400 pound." 

Now, my mother used to be pretty chubby. She used to be about five feet five inches tall and weighed in the 160's. She has shrunk to five feet and weighs about 109, maybe. 

She blew out her candles (two large 8's).

We ate. She kept telling her great-grandson to stop dawdling and eat so she could open  her presents. This made him giggle. He's six.

Her great-granddaughter, age 2, had a love/hate relationship with Brother of Many Surgeries dog,  Elmer. (I apologize for the name.)

He's three times her size, so she was afraid of him. Yet when he disappeared, she'd look around and ask, "Where's dog?" She'd find him, and he'd get up to follow her and she'd run screaming bloody murder. I swan, I saw that dog roll his eyes. But they were fast friends by the end of the day.

She got lots of nice gifts. We ate good food. We all talked a mile a minute. We took photos.

But my favorite is of Mother, Daughter and  myself: 

I don't remember what was so funny, but we seemed to be enjoying ourselves.

And here is a group with only Niece missing, 'cause she's taking the photo and Husband as he went home puny:

A good time was had by all.

Even Elmer.

Losing Weight

Do you have any idea how difficult it was to type the name of the post without falling off my chair due to laughing so hard?

This is the month of my birthday. Husband (as mentioned in a previous blog) always gets an Italian Cream cake for me. I get one a year, so I deserve it, right?

I also got a free birthday coupon from Ruby Tuesday. That would be two red velvet cupcakes.

And a free desert from Copeland's, also known as the Cheesecake Factory. 

Need I say more?

Got another free one for a desert from Caraba's, the most bestest wonderfulest place to eat in the world.

My walking routine has been kaput for some months due to my illness, rain, cold, rain, cold, ice, snow, rain.

Lose weight?

I'd have a better chance of winning the lottery.

Without buying a ticket.

I think I read somewhere that people used to swallow some kind of worm to lose weight.

I don't know what kind of worm, and I plan on keeping it that way.

If I thought about it enough, I might lose a few pounds anyway, cause that's, like, gross.

I have this war inside anyway.

I'm gonna be s- six - older in a few days, so what difference does it make if I need to lose a dozen pounds? Am I going to put on a bikini?  Lord, no.  Am I entering a beauty contest? Nope. Do I need to snare me another man? Ain't looking. And even if I was, if he couldn't take a dozen extra pounds, I'd look right over him.

On the other hand, I miss my favorite pair of blue jeans actually zipping up while I'm standing.  And I figure a dozen less pounds would be good for my back and knees, not to mention my vanity.

What to do, what to do.

I'll decide when all the cake is gone.

I'll keep you posted.

She has Personality!

There is a lot written on how children form their personalities. Only children, oldest child, middle child, the BABY.

My personality is that of an only child. Even though I am not. An only child, that is.

However; for the first decade of my life, an only child is what I was, and in many ways still am.

In the span of ten minutes, forty-eight years ago today, I became a big sister. Twice. Both boys.

There was an incredible amount of excitement at our house! First off, my mother did not think she could get pregnant again (hahahahahahaha). Secondly, twins were in no way expected from this expecting. (hahahahahaha).

But these fellows were more like my live baby dolls, then my own babies, as my mother worked full time after they turned a year old. And guess who helped raised them? Yes, that would be yours truly.

So, in many ways, I am their second mother as much as I am their sister.

And that's okay by me.

Happy birthday, brothers of mine.