My Happy Not-Birthday

      Yesterday was not my birthday – my birthday is next week – but as both my sister and I were in Seaford, Delaware  (I arrived in Seaford this past Thursday, September 26 and returned home to Columbus today), visiting our 99-year-old mother,

…my sister decided that the three of us should celebrate my birthday - or not-birthday - while we were all together.

     My mother still lives in her home with the assistance of two wonderful caregivers.

     Here’s Laura, one of my mom’s “angels.” 

     My not-birthday began with breakfast at  Pizza King, or “PK’s” as it’s known locally, which, besides serving  a great breakfast and a variety of other dishes, 

 ....also makes a fantastic New York-style pizza, as I learned when once during a previous Pizza King visit I, out of curiosity, ordered the cheese pizza . 

     I’ve learned that the fact that Pizza King actually serves great pizza is not well-known among the locals, who mostly go there for the various other yummy offerings,

...including the irresistible desserts.

      PK's happens to be my mom's favorite breakfast eatery and she goes there for breakfast most weekdays and Sundays with friends and/or one of her caregivers after attending daily Mass.
     My mom and Laura at PK's on Friday, the day before my not-birthday.

        My mom and me at Pk's.

      Anyway, my not-birthday yesterday began with a delish breakfast at PK's.

...followed by a trip to Walmart to shop for my not-birthday party supplies.

      Then my sister and mom prepared my not-birthday not-surprises (as I hate surprises),

...by which I was quite not-surprised, which is how I like to be.
    However I was quite touched and, truth, delighted by my cards, gifts, and cake,

...and the  thoughtfulness and love that went into them.

        After I opened my cards and gifts I cut my cake,

...and we all had cake and ice cream in the middle of the morning.

     Later in the afternoon I fixed us a nice dinner of chicken, buttered herbed rice, mushrooms, hot rolls,

...and, of course, more not-birthday cake.

    After dinner, try as my sister and I might, there was no stopping our 99-year-old mother from doing the dishes.

It was a very

not-birthday.