It's Teri's birthday again*

* Yeah, I know to get to this age your have to have had a few before this. It's bright and early on a Friday morning, the start of Teri's vacation, for the next week and her birthday, today. Last year's birthday, from my point of view as a smashing success and would be tough to top. Last year was an eat at home early Covid-19 dinner party from Sangria's on Route 303. This year I'm following the same game plan except we are eating at Sangria. Later that night: Teri's gift, I have been planning since early January. I thought I had everything planned out perfect. In early January I showed Teri some pictures and asked her which ones she liked. I figured that doing it so far in advance she'd have no idea what her gift was come March. She looked at the pictures I'd collected off of my Google pictures account. There was a picture of the girls holding onto the edge of the pool wearing goggles, some of them at Disney World in Florida when we went over Christmas one year. There was also a family picture And then there was the picture I took at the BBQ we had Memorial day 2008 just before the girls came over. I'd taken a three shot group of pictures of her parents. One looked like Tony had just smacked June in the head. The one that Teri liked was the one where they have their heads together. I printed that out on my mother's computer a few days later and give it to Vernon.It was still before my birthday. Vernon asked when do I need it. I say by the beginnig of March, plenty of time to get it framed by my mom. Vernon goes to work. A month or so goes by and he offers to show me how it is

coming along. I say no, I want to see it only when it is done. Around the deadline day, he comes to me telling me he is having trouble with some of the lines, the picture is a little blurry. He needs more time, a week. A week later he says it was too small and he had to erase it and make it bigger and he is still having trouble with those blurry lines.I give him more time. Monday before Teri's birthday Vernon promises me he will have it done before, no by Teri's birthday. I can't help but laugh that the one time I and plant well in advance a gift fot Teri that is different and unique, it's still going to be late and unfinished.

On the morning of Teri's birthday Vernon hands me a large piece of folded paper in a large plastic bag. I'm in the office and several people are there to see me open up the folded paper to see the picture for the first time. I try to gently take the paper out of the bag. My hands are shaking a little from a run in with the head chef who has gotten it in his head that he doesn't like me, but that is a story for another time I won't bother telling because it and him are unimportant in my life. I remove the paper and unfold it. The orginial photo falls out and what I see is impressive. It's a pencil drawing of June and Tony. I'm drawn to their eyes. Vernon has drawn their eyes and managed to put life in them, it's amazing. I love the drawing. Everyone around me is also amazed by his talent. I put it in the car wondering how am I going to wrap this thing. On my way home I get the largest gift bag in the dollar store and I gently. loosely roll the drawing into the bag. As soon as I get home I tell Teri she has to open it immediately. I don't want to risk anything happening to it.

like a spill or it gets folded. I position Nancy on Teri's side. Nastia is sitting and all we are waiting for is Elena who is getting dressed. As soon as people start to wander around she finally comes down. I get everyone back into position, I want Nancy to experence the opening at the same time as Teri. I took a video of it and I will try to post it here. The videos just don't stay posted, go look at some of my very early posts.I get the reaction I was hoping for and what I experenced. I drive to Sangria. It's a short trip and it's Teri's birthday so I ignore her advice on my driving. I will also ignore it when I drive home. Our Table is near the door to the out door dinning area. Just beyond the porch sized out door dinning area, they are building a huge extension to the outdoor dinning area.There is something about fresh wood the criscross pattern it makes that is strangely comforting. I notice two of the three six foot tall warmers are blazing away. It is windy, blowing out of the south right now. Later it is expected to blow out of the north west and the temperatures will f

all from the very mild current 60's to a more seasonable high 40's low 50's.. Right now it is comfortable and I have my sweater off. We order drinks. Teri orders a pitcher of sangria and three glasses. I see visions of eating chips off the table (call me I'll tell you about that night if I didn't blog about it) I order a diet coke. I want alcohol and Elena could drive, but I want Teri to be comfortable tonight, so I don't. Elena is five months away from

turning twenty-one so we are loose with her drinking. I'm not too happy with what I see sometimes. Tonight she is allowed to sneak sips from the sangria. She will get a little buzzed in that way someone who is not used to drinking gets. Near the end of the night I will temporarily cut her off.We order the food and Teri comments that we forgot to bring the gift cards we have for Sangria's. I look at Elena and she winks at me. I know why she winks, but I can't help but feel like I'm in a 1950's movie. While we wait for our food Teri opens all of the other gifts. There is the bottle of Rum Chaita from Nastia and Brandon. Teri gets to Elena's gift and opens up a gift card for Sangria's for $100.00. An excessive amount that pays for about half of dinner. Nancy will chip in an excessive amount like she always does when the bill comes.Dinner arrives and it is good. I ordered chicken in a cream sauce. Nastia fish and rice, Teri and Nancy's I don't remember, but Elena's I remember for two reasons. Usually I'd order enchaliadas or a combo plate and this time I didn't. Elena ordered burritoes and it arrives covered in melted cheese looking delicious and I wanted it. THe second reason she ordered guacamole and I told her she could have it if she didn't get filled up and not eat her dinner. She ate one of her burritoes, wrapping the rest for lunch on Saturday. I didn't say anything, why ruin the night over something she always does. By now the wind has moved to the north west and it has started to get cold at the table. Nastia puts her sweater on and soon asks for mine. It's cold, but not that bad. Several times I thought about asking to move, but I know Teri wouldn't like that. So with a chilly breeze blowing across the table occationally we or at least I eat quickly before the food can get cold. The night is over and there is talk of Dairy Queen or Cone Zone in West Nyack. Everyone is full and the break in tradation I started continues. There will be no ice cream tonight. Nancy is dropped off in Nyack and we head home. Teri telling me she doesn't like me going this way, there is a

speed trap this way, Whoa, your going to fast. As Tom at Marcus used to say, like water off a duck's back. I just let it stream off with not affect. It's been a really good birthday and I hope Teri enjoyed it as much as I did. By the way,Tho many chips were eaten this night, there were no chips eaten off the table by any one. Most of the Sangria was bought home. /