ALL ABLAZE !!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2018

Celebrated my 73rd birthday this last weekend.  First on Saturday with Louis,  Brice, Judy, Cheyenne, Cameron, Burgandy, Brittany, Ro, and Pippa.  A total smorgasbord of snacks and a birthday cake made with a recipe from my way, way past.  It is called 1, 2, 3, 4 Cake.  Simple yellow with almond flavoring, powdered sugar frosting topped with coconut.

We went to visit my mother's sister Cornelia and family once when I was just a little girl  and stayed for dinner.  This was the dessert.  I fell in love with it--NOT chocolate--and begged my mother to get the recipe.  It has been in my own recipes for years since I left for BYU and was a favorite choice for me when birthday time rolled around.  Ross used to make it for me.  But because he would always forget to separate the eggs and beat the whites by themselves to add at the end, he wrote a big note on the recipe  READ THIS with an arrow pointing to that part of the directions.

Anyway, when I found out Brittany and her kids were going to be here for my birthday, I sent her a copy of the recipe and asked if she would make it for my birthday.  She did.  And it was sooooo good!

The family insisted on the whole ration of candles to top the cake.  Not only was there barely room to place them all, but that amount of candles were putting out a fair amount of heat.  I had picked up a lighter with a long nozzle at the dollar store earlier that day so no one would get burnt fingers trying to light the candles.  An alarm sounded at the cash register to alert the clerk to the possibility a minor was trying to purchase the lighter.  She looked at me and said, "I assume you are over 18?"   I told her, "Just a bit.  I'll be 73 tomorrow."  The she came back with, "Not too much over 18,  though."

Was I able to blow all those candles out with just one breath?  You bet I did!  And am looking forward to my wish coming true.   (Smoke filled the kitchen but fortunately, the smoke alarm didn't go off.) 

The celebration continued all day Sunday (my ACTUAL birthday on the 2nd) as I spent the time with my Primary kids and friends who dropped in during the evening with small gifts.  It was a good celebration.  One that pointed me in a positive direction for the remaining 20 months before I TRULY retire for real on my 20th anniversary with United on August 7, 2020.

Wish me luck...and "many more"....