Best Birthday Bash Ever

 Heavenly aroma from the Paper-white narcissus.

 Ethan and Neal O'Keeffe.

Why is Neal's name difficult to spell? For the correct answer, come to my house and we'll have latkes for breakfast - frozen, now - a gift from Judy Kroll.

These TV tables come in handy. I bought em about 10 yrs ago from a Christian Scientist who lived down the street and refused to take meds. She had bipolar d/o and would go on buying sprees. When they moved to a "home," I bought the TV tables plus a jacket where she had sewn many pockets on the inside ... clever!

 Sarah brought her book Gravity. She generously said proceeds from the book would go to New Directions Support Group.

Amazing to think that most people have never suffered from bipolar d/o which is so natural to us.

t

Sister Lynn from New Hope. Gift is pink thermal cup.

Can't wait to drink coffee from it - we bought a Box o Joe from Dunkin. Lynn said they changed their name and now omit the word donut.

True or fake news. One of the guests at the party has Trump banners across his front yard. To me, that's like having a banner saying, Climate change is a hoax perpetrated on the American people. 

 Mom, 97, is an amazing woman. She wore a pendant from our late Aunt Sylvie. Is anyone named Sylvia today? Watch! The name will come back and become #1.

Our great friend Margie Lawlor from Horsham.

 Neighbor Patrick. It doesn't really look like him. He is a really handsome dude.

 Which one is the mother and which is the daughter.

 Mom was in fine form. Ah, here's Lynn. She's one of the readers of my short stories. Finds inconsistencies.

 Judy Kroll has a great outgoing personality. Husband Barry and son Max were at the Sixers' game today which is always played on Xmas day.

 The food was outstanding. Hot Butternut squash lasagna, bouillibase - fish stew - broccoli - salad brought by Donna, and a spectacular caramel b'day cake.

 Tyler, Scott and Ethan.

 Tyler has a reddish bushy beard. He put half a dozen of my earrings in his beard. Hilarious! First time I knew he had a sense of humor.

I never drink Coke but I took a sip of it - it's all sugar - and it was DEE-LICIOUS! 

Stop, I said to myself. 

Scott and I sat with Paddy in the empty kitchen and chatted. I did get to know him a bit. 

Martinelli's Sparkling apple cider has always been part of our holiday celebrations.

 We needed beverages so Ethan went to Wawa and bought fruit punch which when he was a kid they called GIGGLE JUICE.

Ethan and David. Later Ethan and Paddy jammed.

 Singing of Xmas carols. My fave is GOOD KING WENCESLAS looked out on the Feast of Stephen.

Mom remembered many of the lyrics from the Xmas carols, which Ethan printed out.

Judy Kroll still rides her bike outside.

Donna sitting beneath banner of Xmas cards. My friend Marcy called and sang Happy Birthday over the phone. My sister Amy called from Oregon with some good news!!!

I like to sit on the steps.

An hour and 12 minutes left until Xmas day ends.

Now it's the next day. Was reading the Times and learned that poet Mary Oliver had died on Jan 19 of lymphoma at age 83. She had it since 2015.



Mary Oliver and Ricky.

Half an hour later I heard the HOOT of an owl.

Ethan, upstairs in my bedroom, heard it too, as did Sarah in the kitchen.

"She's saying goodbye to us," said Sarah.

An hour ago I felt very strange. What was the matter with me? I took two baby aspirins in case I was having a pre-stroke, and checked my sugar level which was a bit low - 76 - so I very calmly found some healthy food - hummus and Triscuits and began to eat.

Then I thot, maybe I'm having an allergic reaction to eating the fish soup as I had difficulty swallowing.

I definitely feel better now. I tested myself - I am not speaking gibberish and I can smile and use facial expressions.

I did laugh a lot today, genuine laughter, which I haven't done in ages.

To fall asleep I'll watch YouTube.

Hoot!  Hoot!  Hoot!

I woke up the next morning listening to Christopher Hitchens giving a great talk and answering questions.



1949 - 2011. Death from complications of esophageal cancer. Age 70, right Mrs Hess?