Still Smiling

I have to admit, I was completely overwhelmed by the well-wishes, e-cards, phone calls and visits I had yesterday in celebration of the big 3-4. The day started off snuggling with Rees - then the phone rang. It was my dad. He instructed Scott to wake me up so he could be the first to wish me a happy birthday. After that, there was a steady stream of good thoughts sent my way.

M & K took Scott and I out to lunch at the best new place in town, the Garden of Good Eatin'. I feasted on chicken and dumplings, fresh squash, carrots, cornbread and buttermilk pie. YUM! I guess you could say Southern food was the theme of the day. My mom and dad made my favorite smothered steak with fresh green beans and rice, and Scott made a bananna pudding confection to die for. Then came the presents. The ever-fabulous Lee Brothers Southern cookbook (that includes a chocolate grits ice cream), a book by Madeline author Harry Bemelmans, called Hotel Bemelmans, and the New Yorker Magazine's collection of food writing. I'm set for the summer.

The best present, however was the touching tribute from my sister who lives in China. I'm not sure how to top what she wrote about me...Thanks sis! We are off to Austin to see Jack Kerouac's On the Road scroll at the Ransom Center. Hooray for summer!! Hooray for birthdays!