Chicago, IL and Halifax, NS

I saw Ann in Chicago and met the other interns she is living with. Dinner was Pile On followed by delicious cupcakes Ann made that spelled Happy B-Day. The word "Birthday" wouldn't fit on the plate so there were some leftover letters that you can see in the picture. And yes, I didn't eat the raspberries that are high in Tyramine. I'm sure nothing went to waste. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and was very gracious. I always love it when people get to the “Dear ???” part and don’t know what to call you. Some called me David, some said Dad, and it was all good. I guess I acquired some new children.

One will be leaving today. Dallas is headed for Halifax, Nova Scotia this morning. He is going on a Semester at Sea where he will travel around the world taking classes and working. It’s not cheap being Dallas. He will return to San Diego in mid-December. We celebrated our birthdays again last night with apple pie and cards.

Eunice gave me a book called Sh*t My Dad Says. According to Dallas, it makes me look normal. I’ll take that as a compliment but it is full of profanity and profundity. And it’s pretty funny. Last night I opened a birthday card from my in-laws; really from my mother-in-law – we know who just signed the card. There should be a website for her called Stuff My Mother-In-Law Writes. She is an avid writer of notes and letters. The note she wrote included the following:

“Not much new here. Believe it or not, the obituaries have items of interest now and then. Clipped one recently of the death of the sister-in-law of my girlhood friend who married a (unpronounceable Dutch name), which was my friend’s married name. So, of course, I had to check that out.”

She’s 92, it’s my birthday, I have cancer, and the obituaries are of interest. But more than that this is the continuation a game called Dutch Bingo. Some people play chess by mail, we play Dutch Bingo.

Here goes:

“This afternoon we will go to the 50th anniversary of one of Dad’s seminary classmates. He’d studied in the Netherlands, met this 12 year old girl and waited till he could marry her! Neat, right? Ted isn’t doing too well, tho’, of late.”

I’m not sure Ted was doing too well then either. I don’t mean to make fun because while I find this funny, I also find it endearing. It is so my mother-in-law. I can hear her voice and see her face as I read it. She’s one in a million. Loved the card and the note.

I’m about as happy as can be.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Pile On: a repeat for my birthday.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts