My Report of My 63rd Birthday -- June 11, 2017

I just returned to Hannibal after spending my 63rd birthday at my Mom’s last night and today on our farm near Madison, MO and I just got through unloading my car and unpacking. To my great surprise, while I was at my Mom’s, my two youngest sisters, Angela and Alicia, made the trip up from near the Jefferson City area to surprise me. We had blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream and Angela brought brownies that she had made, and I brought some of those back with me, along with some blackberry pie and watermelon chunks that Alicia had brought. I opened up, I think, a record 10 birthday cards, one from my Rolla college friend, Kim Simon, my two children, Johnathan & Holly, my Aunts Ferne & Jane, my five siblings Diane, Chris, Rochelle, Angela, Alicia, and finally, my special Mother. They were all funny (except the sentimental card that Rochelle sent me—it was very special) and the senders included many humorous comments that we all found very funny. As usual, during our visit, the four of us retold old stories and shared many new ones with each other, including one that Angela and Alicia had not heard about our patriotic cow, Red, which they found very hilarious**. So, for the first time in many years, I spent my birthday with some of my family members and I had a great time. As usual, Angela, Alicia, and I snapped quite a few photos to remember the occasion. AND, I want to thank ALL of my many Facebook friends for their special birthday wishes that also made this birthday of mine a very special one. And now, I’m getting into the hot shower and then enjoy a cup of coffee and sit down in my Captain’s Chair and rest my weary body. Thanks again, everyone!!!!! **I feel that I should TRY to explain the true story that Angela and Alicia found hilarious. During our time growing up on the farm, my brother, Chris, and I had a steady job doing chores that did not pay too well. One of these jobs was milking the Guernsey cow, Bonnie, for our household supply of milk. To keep her company in the pasture, Bonnie had her Jersey cow friend, Red, and they both had calves on a regular basis to keep Bonnie’s milk supply flowing. While Bonnie kept our family in milk, Red’s responsibility was to provide milk for both of their calves. The two calves were kept in the lot behind our “milk parlor” and Red always was led through the milk parlor to reach that lot and she learned to push the loosely hinged door open by herself with her head to reach those two calves that she knew to feed. At some point, Chris and I stood at attention, side by side, as Red slowly walked through the milk parlor, getting ready to push that door open, and we sang to her the following patriotic song: “Do your duty for America Do your duty for America Do your duty for America So America CAN BE FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (I really and seriously think that Red came to expect Chris and me to sing that silly song.)