A Happy Birthday

Darling Dakki is ninety!!!!  And very spry, especially given that her lifestyle totally defies modern wisdom regarding a safe  conveyance to a healthy old age. Her main exercise (for the last fifty years at least) has been getting up, walking to the breakfast table, then to her car, driving to church, then again to the table to read her newspaper and books, do the crossword, etc., until she finally ambles back to bed.  And her diet gives hope to all.  She seldom eats a vegetable and eschews salad or anything green altogether.  She has stated that she is aging so well because she is preserved in sugar!  I think this may be true.  On the other hand, although she does not really have any of the typically espoused healthy habits, she also doesn’t have any of typically condemned bad habits.  And she is kind and loving.  This last must be her secret.

I wanted to give her a party on her actual birthday, and as she seems to prefer going to lunch over dinner, lunch it was.  Most of the people I would normally invite are working during the day, thus unable to come and easing the party preparation trauma.  Rebecca and I used to have huge parties for birthdays and name days, but I never have tried to manage one on my own, and I would probably collapse if I were to attempt it.  So this petite assembly was perfect.  Pauline is a sine qua non at any family event, and Samos and Joseph are two Dakki favorites.  I, of course,am a main favorite.  At least, I like to think so.  

 The menu was pretty retro, as is Dakki herself, and what could be more retro than a pineapple upside down cake.  Judging by her recipe photo, Betty Crocker's can of pineapple had more discs than mine did.  This was a mini disappointment, but then I don't know if another would have fit on.  Betty had eight!  Hers must have been smaller. 

  A typical Dakki pose -- waiting for more tea!

  

Poor Samos injured his leg at work, so the  departing guests made an interesting display of modern (and retro, of course) caneware.