Birthdays

 

Yesterday, we had a birthday celebration for one of my best friends and my next door neighbor, Lois.  It was a small gathering on the porch.  Thank goodness that the weather was very nice to be outdoors.  The temperature was perfect and there was a nice breeze.  There were six of us there.  We are all part of our "porch gang".  We like to gather on the porch several times a week for cocktails and socializing.  Of course, with everyone's schedules being different, it's rare that all six of us are able to get together at the same time.  Birthdays, though, we all make a special effort to be there.

It made me reminiscent of the birthdays of my early life.  Most of our birthdays were celebrated with only family and maybe a family friend or two.  And this didn't just apply to the kids, it was the same for the adults.  And it was almost always at our house, no matter whose birthday it was.  Mom would cook.  She usually let the person whose birthday it was decide the menu.  That normally meant that we had hamburgers in December for my birthday and lasagna in August for Bill's.  Grandmother would make the birthday cake.  It was one of the few occasions that she would actually decorate the cake.  Not that her cakes needed decorating.  They were always good.  If it was Grandmother's birthday, then Mom would make the cake as well.  

Those were just wonderful times, sitting around the dinner table and being with family to celebrate.  In the summer months, with both Mom's and Grandmother's birthdays, we would often grill out and have the party outside in our backyard.  And almost always, any of Grandmother's siblings that were still living would attend.  It was just a special time for us all.  And those are the kinds of birthday gatherings that I prefer.  Small, intimate occasions with family and friends.  And that's what yesterday was for us.  While we are all friends, we are all family as well.  Family by choice.  Yes, we are all odd in our own ways, but we are definitely family.  And that's important, especially to me these days. 

 

I look forward to the next birthday that will bring me in touch with the porch family or anyone else.  Being with people I love to celebrate life is a wonderful thing and I am ready for the next one!

That is all.