A signal event! Rachael turned twenty-one! Who would have thought such a thing could have happened so quickly! It seems like days ago that her place at the table was on my lap. She refused to have her own chair, but did agree to have her own plate. So when the table was set, there were always two plates right next to one another in one place, and one chair for that spot. Now I have trouble corralling her to even eat for dinner with me at all. In years past, Rebecca and I have prepared a big dinner for family and friends on Rachael’s birthday, but this year she preferred to go out and rooty toot with her friends. Fancy that! Everyone (with the possible exception of said friends) was disappointed. The next day, Auntie Pauline invited Aunt Dakki, Rebecca, me, and Rachael (of course), for ice cream and cake to celebrate the event. Rachael, who had declined to have a party even on a different day, seemed pleased about this. Here is the Birthday Cake with the proper number of candles – the yellow each representing five years, and the blue, one year.
Thinking back to my 21st birthday, I recall that I went out to the local pizzeria with my friend Shelley, and ordered 7-Up because (a) I didn’t really like the other options, and (b) I was embarrassed to show my ID and have a fuss made. Having dinner with my parents would never in a million years have occurred to me as an option. So I guess Rachael is not that unusual!
