I always get emotional on Robin’s birthday. Even my cake is in tiers.
Bright and early, we braved the ice-cold air and wandered to the back of the house, threw off the spa cover with abandon, and jumped in, making nary a splash! We brought out a new water-proof Alexa compatible boom box and played Christmas music. We had our coffee and planned the day! Planning was easy; it was Robin’s special day!
Visit our Christmas page and see the details!
We scampered out of the hot water and met in front of the fireplace. Scout, The Wonder Dog, volunteered to chase the elephants away and keep a special eye on the cake! When we looked at him, we knew he was ready to party!
Scout is a Party Animal!
We changed into our grubbies and began final preparations for the shindig! Mary set the table, and I hung up the last of the over-the-door decorations. Then, I got the s-h-h-h-h-h, do not tell anyone, the secret assignment. I was to go to the car and drive to Rockwell’s to pick up the special cake we ordered.
I took my undercover assignment seriously and changed into my “Trophy Husband” T-shirt, covering it carefully with my bright orange trenchcoat and wearing a black hat; I did not want to be noticed while on the mission. I may have overdone my disguise when I put on my six-inch red sequined heels!
The Silver Fox and I took the backroads to Rockwell’s to not be seen nor followed. I went inside, wearing my dark glasses with the rubber nose and fake eyebrows, and moved slowly to the pickup counter. The cake lady looked a little wary when I slipped the instructions on a paper note, but she followed them precisely. Within minutes, the secret package was in my hands, and I returned home via another route.
I walked in the door and presented the package to Mary. She decided to open it and inspect the contents. Much to our surprise, there was no writing on the top of the cake. I quickly got out my Sherlock Homes Junior Detective Kit and studied the package. Mary beat me to discovering what happened AFTER she asked if I had hit any large bumps on the way home!
Apparently, the cake lady was in a daze with my get-up and put the cake in a box just a smidgeon too small; the writing was indeed in the cake box but smashed into the top of the box spelling our “niboR yadhtriB yppaH” in red frosting. Mary called Rockwell’s, and we went over later and got it fixed!
It was 2:00 PM, and Mike arrived, followed quickly by Robin and Bob. Robin opened her birthday presents, and we sang, much to the chagrin of Scout, whose ears are sensitive, Happy Birthday!
Today’s kibitzing now begins in earnest! Finally, I am taller than Mike and also two pounds lighter!
Time for gifts! We could not tell if she liked the present or the box it came in! Robin got a universal remote for her Birthday. Well, this could change everything.
Robin opens her gifts.
Before it got dark, we went to the front yard and posed for pictures in front of the birthday sign, courtesy of Colleen! I did remind everyone, “Don’t spell part backward. It’s a trap.”
We decorated outside also – Thank you, Mike, for the photo!
It’s just us guys fooling around, as usual!
We figured out Mike joined the gang about seven years ago!
Dinner preparations followed with Bad Mike delivering a much-needed hand to open the sauerkraut jar. With one might grunt, the top came off, and we were back in business.
I did tell Mike, “If at first, you don’t succeed with a crowbar, pry, pry again.”
It’s good to have a big strong man around the house!
While the cooking was underway, it was story time and Robin, The Bashful, relates how she and a 15-year co-worker found out that they have the same birthdays!
I am attempting to lose weight so I talked to my dear doctor. My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people.
Bob was adorned with his official “Kiss The Perogie Cook” apron, and he told stories of yesteryear when they had to go out deep into the forest to catch the little perogies. We did not know the perogies like sardines and jelly beans and sometimes unripe coconuts.
Bob almost made sushi for dinner but we caught him in time!
While Bob was cooking, he told us, “The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves.”
Dinner preps begin
Bob and Nary were cooking up a storm. We kept wondering, “Why are they always saying three-second rule and then bending over?” It’s puzzling!
We were afraid to ask!
Success, the cooking is completed and not it is time to dine. The sausages and perogies made the entire house smell like something was being cooked! No, really! Bob and Mary chopped up the links and fried them with a bit of olive oil and maybe some butter; they were perfect!
A German/Polish dinner celebration
‘Perogies, sauerkraut, and an assortment of German sausages! All we needed was the potato salad (which we had but forgot to put on the table). We had polish beer and champagne flowed freely,
The meal was outstanding. Thank you, Bob, for the handmade perogies
Now it was time to slide the cake, the poor cake that went to its maker for a dressing repair. He came out fine. We had Robin blow to the candle representing her LVVIIIth birthday.
I casually mentioned to Robin, “What happens when no one comes to your birthday party? You can have your cake and eat it too.”
No, No, Not the cake!
Dinner disappeared, and we began the Feuerzangenbowle celebration
Mary gets ready for the dessert!
More rum is poured with a ladle until all the sugar has melted and mixed with the wine. The resulting punch is served in mugs while the burner keeps the bowl warm. For some, the ceremony is more important than the drink itself, celebrating the gathering of friends and conveying a notion of Gemütlichkeit.
Mary has the hang of this now; the rum is flowing.
The moment is captured, and the fire department has been put on notice!
The moment has arrived; the flame comes closer to the bowl, and one can almost hear the oranges screaming, “No, not that, no!”
Call the fire department.
The flames are doing their magic, melting the sugar code and dropping the results into the mulled wine. The blue flame is an indication that the flame is blue, in case you wondered.
It’s alive!
The firebug was caught pouring a flammable (and quite drinkable) fluid onto the burning sugar cone. She was severely punished with a big SMOOCH from her trophy husband, me!
She was caught in the act!
When Mary announced she was ready, cups came flying at the bowl from all directions.
Hold up your cup!
I set the video camera to stun and pushed the button. No telling what you might see or hear. If it offends you, you are easily offended!
Toward the end of our third round of passing the cup, I decided to call Vicky, who we consider a dear friend. Well, the call didn’t go through, so I tried again. Then, a noise on the roof came with a clatter; I rushed to the window to see what was the matter.
To my surprise was a lady in red full of giggles and heading to bed (She had to rush home to get the grandkids in bed before Amber found out how late they were up!) What a lovely surprise; downright amazing!
Then magic occurred!
Robin and Vicky had the same shirts on; we got a good laugh at that! We visited for a while and then sent Vicky on her way to sneak into the house to get the bys in bed before Amber (their mother) found out they were visiting Dr. Mary and Farmer Paul.
Out of the blue!
The evening wound down, but it was a fantastic time. We are so blessed to have close family and friends. We crashed; well, actually, Mary watched two Christmas movies while I checked for light leaks inside my eyeballs. This celebrating stuff is tough on an old man!
