50th Birthday Celebration (Part 1)...

I have the best friends.  I really do.  I might not have the large swaths of peeps I desire, but I have the best friends.

At the last minute (the Sunday before), I realized, since so many folk were asking me what I wanted to do for my birthday, is that what I wanted to do for my birthday is to share it with my sister, who did not have a celebration for her 50th.  I group texted Celia and Becky to ask if we could make this happen (I having never thrown a party) last Friday and they said, "Yes!"

































Celia was here for just over a day and she hit the ground running.  She popped her homemade cinnamon rolls into my oven.  She went to the cardiologist appointment with Becky and me.  she went shopping with us.  She cooked (The. Best. Evening. Ever.) with us.  She decorated with us.  She cooked again with us.  And she celebrated my sister's birthday.  I think she needs a vacation after her mini-vacation!

She also didn't mind being Amos' back rest!!

I chose Mexican food for my sister's party, even though she can get the BEST food at home.  For the salsa, I made my very first homemade salsa, salsa verde.  I am very, very, very pleased with how it turned out!  So were my sister's party guests!!

We had nachos, chilorio burras, salsa verde, and chicken empanadas.  We ate like KINGS for our little party.

And we had cake, cards, and presents!

And decorations!

My sister was a bit flustered after walking through her magical doorway made by Becky (with its dweeby sign made by me) taking her back to November 14, 2014.  But I have the BEST friends and they were all welcoming and genuinely excited to celebrate her birthday.

My sister was so happy.  And I was so very happy to give her a celebration of her 50th birthday.  She didn't even get cards from her sons on her birthday this year.  Each year, it is such a non-event for her.  Maybe a dinner out.  But this time she got presents and cards and singing and food and balloons and flowers and decorations and laughter and good fellowship.

Becky was here much longer than either Celia or my sister, six glorious days, freezing in my home, but still glad to be with me.  She helped my sister to celebrate my birthday the next day.

She made another magical doorway, this time one I walked through when I awoke.  It has my favorite color and her two favorite colors.  Our friendship in colors!

She and my sister went to Olive Garden with me so that I could have my most favorite of dishes:  gorgonzola fettuccine alfredo with steak, garnished with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.  The service was not all that great, but my sister, who was treating us, strongly encouraged me to try a drink.  I normally do not do so, for I haven't ever found a drink that speaks to my soul.  After 39 years of being of drinking age, I finally did!

Moscato is the wine that I like to drink.  I have had limoncello.  And the other two ingredients looked just dandy.  The combination was heavenly to me, not alcoholic-tasting at all.  Refreshing.  Perfect.  My sister bought me a bottle of the moscato.  I already have the limoncello, as I said.  Becky told me I could get the ginger beer at Target, she thought (I plan to look there first).  And I ordered some black cherry syrup (it will be here tomorrow).  I am hoping to recreate the drink.  I had two of them and would have drinking two more if I could!  So tasty!!

Becky made me a cake!  It is a vintage recipe:  Williamsburg Orange Cake.  Any time you start with buttermilk and use orange zest, you are totally going to end up with a tasty cake.  This one did not disappoint.  Becky did a BLOODY FANTASTIC job on it.  Despite the three of us chowing down on it, there are still six slices in my freezer.  Mmmmm!

Folk kept asking me what I was doing for my birthday, what I wanted to do.  As I said, I finally decided that what I wanted was to cook and to share my birthday with my sister.  The latter was such a great decision, a genuine blessing for me and a gift for her.

As for the cooking, the two recipes in here are just a smidgeon of the cooking that went on.  Tomorrow, I hope to catch up on the GREAT DINNER OF 2017.  Oh, how I loved cooking with Celia and Becky last Thursday night.  Right now, though, I plan to continue catching up on my resting and napping and sleeping!