March 15, 2021

White Dog, Steve and the WDA planning committee outdid themselves this year. Beginning by letting momma sleep in surrounded by the warm bed buddies Bailey, Zsofia and Opal, brunch was fluffy chive eggs topped with a dollop of creme fraiche and salmon roe, thin crisply toasted English muffin rounds, berries, and creamy dark roast coffee.

The WDA licked the soured cream from my finger tip and sniffed the bright red roundness on a spoon before taking it into mouths. "Oh, it pops and tastes like a little burst of the ocean!" exclaimed Zsofia as she asked for seconds. We laughed and shared until the knock on the door told us Lyndzy, my home nurse, was here for her biweekly visit.

White Dog showed her in. She was carrying a balloon bouquet. "Happy Birthday," Lyndzy sang and the WDA heartily joined in...Roman staying very close to Steve; he did not like the movement and bobbing of the balloons. 

The florist delivered a lovely floral arrangement from Steve and the White Dog Army. They immediately brightened the room and filled it with a heady scent.

White Dog planned a Monday Movie Matinee. Steve cooked up a huge bowl of buttery popcorn for sharing as we watched. It was relaxing and rejuvenating to be clustered together on a long leisurely afternoon that stayed light longer as we worked up dream dinner concepts while watching Julie & Julia.

Our wonderful friend, Tami, put those dreams to smoke when she arrived bearing my birthday gift...made with the love of her talented fingers. Nobody wanted to wait until after dinner to slice her beautiful offering but the anticipation kept us imagining how the moist white cake layered with apricot preserves and slathered in chocolate ganache would taste on the tongue and resting in the tummy. Always considerate, Tami told the WDA who lined up in the window to greet her that she had made the frosting a little thick so that the chocolate could be removed so the pups could enjoy the cake as well.

The day took a turn when the Asian restaurant we decided on for dinner disappointed; on Mondays our other choices are closed. "But there is always a fabulous dessert," Roman reminded. "We could eat snails and tacks knowing what is next." 

Then Steve took a spill scuffing up knee, wrist and jamming his foot. He insisted on doing backyard trips and a walk for Zso/Bai; it was not the wisest choice.  "Maybe we should just ice dad's foot and watch something on the telly," Opal suggested but we could not get a connection to the Amazon portal. 

"OK," White Dog decreed, "This seems to be the Universe telling us that the party is over. Happy Birthday, momma, with love from all of us. Now lets tuck in and go to sleep. Goodnight."