Another day in paradise

The week began fitfully. I nearly forgot Beanie's birthday on Monday. Not something I usually do, at least not since just before I turned 10 when she was born that Saturday during The Jackie Gleason show. I sent her card just under the wire and I called to make sure she knew I hadn't forgotten her. She told me she got a call from Jimmy and Carol that morning but not from me and wasn't going to call or email to see if I really did forget. She was being a brat again, which is normal for her. I'm sure this year will be fodder for future reminders of the time I nearly forgot her birthday.

The rest of the week was full of work, work, and more work, as well as a meeting with the board of directors of the local ham radio group. I went loaded for bear because I had every intention of fighting for my position as newsletter editor. I rehearsed what I would say and remind them of their checkered history with past newsletter editors who hadn't done their job at all and that, despite deciding in September to appoint me to the position of editor-in-chief and not telling me about it until December, they had not given me the information and tools necessary for a smooth transition by January 1st, and that I refuse to do a half-assed job just to put out something. I don't work that way. Turns out I didn't have to do anything. They nearly begged me to take the job. I guess they figured out quickly that it was not the walk in the park they thought it would be, especially since they have not had one person volunteer to step into the position over the two years the previous editor begged to be relieved of the job. I'm satisfied and I can save the big guns for later.

I have a growing stack of books to be read and reviewed and authors send me more requests about twice a week every single week. I did, however, get a plum assignment from Author Link to read and review Arthur Miller's collection of plays put out by the Library of Congress. The book is beautifully bound with a ribbon bookmark on crisp thick paper and one I will definitely keep and not donate to the local library system, as I do with most of the books I read and review.

And speaking of reviews, my latest review is available for those of you who read such things.

Valentine's Day left me with only a heart-shaped box of candy from Nel next door and tired fingers from pounding the keyboard all day. Wednesday and Thursday were nothing special because I was waiting for Friday so that friends, family, strangers, and establishments could make it up to me for my birthday. I wasn't disappointed.

A phone call at 12:01 AM woke me from a satisfying dream of designing the winner signature gown that put all the Project Runway remaining four contestants in the dust in season two. The winning gown will be worn by Iman. It was a simple gown that was well constructed, but back in Ohio when I designed costumes for various organizations, like the Columbus Metropolitan Opera, Columbus Light Opera Society, several theater groups, and plays at The Leo Yassenoff Jewish Center, I did far riskier and more interesting work. In fact, most of my private clients wore gowns and outfits that put them square on the society pages in The Columbus Dispatch, the local politically correct rag. Anyway, back to the phone call.

It was a new dating prospect who wanted to be the first to wish me happy birthday -- and he was. We had plans to meet for dinner at my favorite restaurant but he called later in the day with car trouble and would be stuck in Pueblo overnight, so we changed our plans to meet for dinner tonight instead. I have to say he is one persistent insurance salesman determined to take up all my free moments and dating time, although he didn't manage to wish me happy birthday 51 times as he promised.

However, I did manage to gather a little loot yesterday in celebration of the anniversary of my birth. A lovely and exotic kalanchoe with lightly greenish tinged white flowers was delivered yesterday afternoon while I was relaxing with dye on my Pepe Le Pew roots. It came from Mark in Cleveland and is the first plant to take up residence here, but not the last, I can assure you. I have plans for this haunted set of rooms in this old Victorian. Beanie called and sang "Happy Birthday" to me and my favorite person in the whole world greeted with me an effusive birthday greeting that kept me smiling all day. He's stopping by today with my gift, so I get two days of celebration this year. My landlady called me and sang "Happy Birthday" as well and told me she was sending up a batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies as a gift -- and she included two helpings of a baked tortilla casserole that was out of this world. I might not have had dinner out last night, but dinner in was really great. Lynn called with birthday wishes and her wife, Chuck, (funny story) wished me well, too. I received a lovely e-card from my oldest friend back in Ohio and my parents added their greetings when I called to check on my father's preliminary prostate biopsy results report (there was none and we have to wait a week). Nel next door gave me a gorgeous card and told me my gift was back ordered and in the mail. All in all, a very good celebration.

I also received an 8 x 11 picture of my mother standing next to one of the smaller Lucky Dog carts (I pushed a much bigger cart) in New Orleans. I have to have it framed, but I may have it matted and framed for my bare walls.

Now that Mark is temporarily unemployed, he mentioned coming back to visit for a few days and said he might even drive out and bring his tools to help me build an entertainment center for the living room, book shelves, and a desk for the sun room where I work every day so I can put my ham radio rig and my computers on one sturdy surface and have a more convenient place to work. Mark said he'd also help me put up window treatments and paint, so he must be considering sticking around for more than a weekend. Could be interesting.

The best present I received this year was watching the tree-hating orc wench's hunky husband and sons packing up their house and putting everything into a big truck to move out yesterday. The new tenants for Lon Chaney's old house are Mike and Michelle, a newlywed couple. How's that for a birthday gift?

Well, I have to do my Saturday chores (cleaning, laundry, dishes, changing linens) and pick out what I'm going to wear this evening at dinner, so it's time for me to shut up.

That is all. Disperse.