Three more birthdays and an anniversary

TG came home with these on our anniversary

Before July gets away from me -- yes, it is running from me, as fast as its little July feet can carry it -- I must tell you about our June.

As in, the part of June that commenced when Mari and Bob's visit was over.

June used to mean three things to me: our wedding anniversary, the start of summer, and my mother's birthday. In that order.

Our Andrew was in Greece for much of June. Here he is at the Parthenon.

Until Dagny came along, and then our Chad joined the family, hers was the only June birthday in our immediate family.

Had she lived, Mom would have turned eighty-six on June twenty-fifth.

However, branching out on the family tree, there is also our brother-in-law Pierre-Philippe, who turned seventy on June second (he was born in France on the coronation day of Queen Elizabeth II); our sister-in-law Marcia, who turned seventy on June twentieth; and her daughter, our niece Angie, who turned fifty on June twenty-fifth.)

Uncle Chad and Aunt Erica gave her a lava lamp

But in 2014, on June the fourteenth -- Flag Day, and also, Dagny is glad to say, President Trump's birthday -- into the immediate family was born our Dagny.

Then in 2018 our Chad joined the clan by marrying Erica. His birthday is June twenty-sixth.

So it was that not much longer after the door had shut behind our early June houseguests, we were gearing up for Dagny's birthday celebrations.

I wish everyone had a Hungry Howie's

Of necessity, there were two parties: one on her actual birthday, which was a Wednesday, and the real party on the following Saturday.

So that everyone could come and celebrate with us.

On the actual day, as every Wednesday, in the evening we had prayer meeting.

There were many birthday presents

I brought Dagny's birthday balloon right into church with me and planted it (at a low altitude, where it would not be a distraction) beside the pew where she and her mother sit.

After church, we all headed for Waffle House.

More balloons had materialized -- ones that had stayed in Audrey's car during services -- and Dagny brought the whole bunch into the restaurant with her.

Dagny wasn't sure what to make of that stuffed tardigrade

This garnered a great deal of attention and many congratulations from other diners, for the birthday girl.

Waffle House is likely one of the top ten friendliest places on earth. I hope you get to experience having a fine meal at this culinary temple someday.

Example: A while back, TG and I had a meal at our Waffle House on a Sunday afternoon. We were accompanied by our friend Andrea from church, who was spending the afternoon with us.

Her mother saved the day by giving her a big Squishmallow

When our feast was concluded and Margie (we know all of the waitresses by name) approached our table to (we thought) lay down our check, she instead told us:

Your bill has been taken care of.

We all looked around. By whom? When? We asked.

You can't put too much pepperoni on a pizza for me

They're gone already, Margie announced in her forthright way, and left us to ruminate on that random kindness.

Not being required to pay the bill, we left Margie a nice tip instead.

The experience had an impact on me. So much so that, last Christmas (which you will recall fell on a Sunday), we stopped by Waffle House on our way home from church to give a card to Ashley, our favorite waitress.

I consider this to be the OBP (Official Birthday Portrait) ... taken on the day she turned nine

It contained a fifty dollar bill. I only tell you that because we felt we should be thoughtful of her in the same way that an anonymous person had been thoughtful of us.

And it seemed to mean a lot to Ashley (who goes by Ashes) and it was nice to bring a smile to her face on Christmas as she worked her shift at Waffle House.

So anyway, into Waffle House our whole gang trooped at about eight-thirty on the night of Dagny's actual ninth birthday.

There was no shortage of birthday cake

She opened a couple of her presents -- including the ultra-weird and completely unexpected plush tardigrade I got her -- and decided to leave all the rest until her big party.

We had a nice time and Dagny was treated to more Happy Birthday wishes from fellow diners as we left to go, each to our respective homes.

On the following Saturday, Stephanie and Melanie and Allissa and Andrew drove down from North Carolina for the day, and all the rest of us were there except for Andrew and Brittany.

This stuffed corgi belongs to me. Her name is Candy, just like one of the late Queen Elizabeth's favorite corgis.

(Andrew was actually in Greece for a two-week assignment with his unit, refueling and otherwise providing support to the Hellenic Air Force in that country.)

He sent us pictures of himself with his buddies at the Parthenon.

He also told me he got me two rocks from the shore of the Aegean Sea. I asked him to bring me something.

We all had to choose at least one sticker to wear

No I'm serious; I did not want a souvenir that cost anything. I asked for a rock.

I can't wait to see it and best of all, there is another one to go with it. Two Greek rocks.

Anyway at Dagny's Saturday birthday party, the theme was Corgis. She loves Corgi dogs but she can't have one, so the next best thing is Corgi stickers and stuffed Corgis and a Corgi-themed birthday party.

It's not a party without the bucket filled with ice and sodas and waters both still and sparkling

There was no swimming (the kids were not interested on this day) but Audrey ordered enough pizza for everyone to eat their fill.

She'd also ordered a cake from Costco.

Before everyone left at the end of the day, his three daughters gathered around TG and gave him his Father's Day gifts.

Audrey carried the corgi (and friends) theme all the way through

(Erica and Audrey would see him at church on Father's Day, but we had no plans to get together.)

(The next day, Father's Day, June eighteenth, there were dad pictures all over the big table in the church lobby. I brought a portrait of my dad to display with them.)

When Dagny's big birthday party was over on Saturday the seventeenth, she went back to North Carolina to spend a week with her Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Joel, and the tar heel cousins, and go to Vacation Bible School with them.

Allissa was with us for an entire week

When Audrey met Stephanie halfway the following Saturday to get her daughter back, Allissa came home with her and spent a week with us.

It was a busy time.

I should tell you at this point that on June sixteenth, two days after Dagny's birthday but the day before her big birthday party, TG and I celebrated our forty-fourth wedding anniversary.

I got TG this t-shirt for our anniversary

We made plans to go downtown and have dinner at Black Rooster. Their tagline is It's Frenchish.

Frenchish or not, we enjoyed it.

Also TG brought me two massive gold number-four balloons. Forty-four. Four is my favorite number and I am equally enamored of forty-four so that was just about a perfect gift.

My late father's portrait was displayed with those of many other dads at our church on Father's Day

I got him a special t-shirt.

A week or so later, it was time to celebrate Chad's birthday.

For that, he requested that we all go out to Texas Roadhouse.

There was a banner of corgis wearing birthday hats

We hadn't been there in a while, so we were all in one accord that that sounded like a good plan.

Our party were seated immediately with no waiting, which has not happened in several years.

But then again, it was a Monday.

Dagny is all in for present-opening time

We had a delightful time and a delicious meal together, served by a courteous and competent young lady who was as pleasant as she was professional.

Afterwards, we went back to our house for cake and presents. Erica had made a chocolate sheet cake and I once again decided that if there could be only one dessert in the world, for me it would have to be chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

To fully appreciate that sentiment, you would have to know how I feel about banana pudding.

Allissa was with us for Chad's birthday celebration at Texas Roadhouse. Baby Rhett was ecstatic.

But I digress.

Those observations of the June birthdays of our loved ones concluded, we began looking forward to the Fourth of July.

Our church has a supper on the Sunday night before the Fourth, and it's always a great time.

Erica loves to bake cakes and she had a great time making this one for her beloved

This year there was a fantastic hamburger supper with all the appropriate trimmings and sides, plus homemade desserts brought by church members, and everyone enjoyed it to the nth degree.

On the Fourth itself, we again gathered around the pool for a hot July day of swimming and eating.

There were hot dogs and hamburgers done on the grill, barbecue baked beans, potato salad, deviled eggs, cucumber and tomato (both homegrown) salad, and lemon icebox pie.

Dagny goofed around with props at Chad's birthday party

This is the pie (actually it makes two pies) made by combining one fourteen-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, one eight-ounce container of Cool Whip, and one twelve-ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate.

Let the Cool Whip and the lemonade concentrate thaw first.

After whisking those three ingredients together, pour the resulting thick lemony goodness into two six-ounce store-bought graham cracker crusts.

We had simple but sumptuous vittles on the Fourth of July

Or make your own graham cracker crusts if you prefer.

Put the pies in the freezer until time to serve.

Do we live it up or do we live it up?

TG had failed to buy fireworks this year so, as the dusk gathered, he was reduced to lighting some leftover poppers from years when he did buy fireworks, and throwing them into the area over by the privacy fence, and waiting for the bang.

This day rolls around with alarming swiftness each year

That was it for our pyrotechnics ... all noise, no display.

Dagny, sitting beside me on the swing, jumped several times even though she was watching him throw the things. Try as I might, I could not figure that out.

Rizzo paced and growled and fretted and barked and otherwise displayed canine anxiety of the highest order.

Rizzo would join this queue in a heartbeat

He's one of those dogs that despises fireworks. All that evening -- and for several evenings before and after the Fourth -- he glommed onto me and whined and carried on and looked as though he was going to cry.

Two or three times I had to move his crate to the TV room at bedtime, put him in it, and put a blanket over the top before he would quiet down.

Our friend Andrea from church gave us the cucumbers and TG grew the tomatoes

Sweetness -- my cat -- never lifted a whisker, on any evening. She is apparently immune to any variety of fireworks-induced panic.

I wish I had her blood pressure.

TG and me after church on the second of July

After darkness fell we went inside and watched the fireworks display from Washington DC.

Happy Birthday, America.

So now it's come around to mid-July, and even if you are not here, the heat and humidity is.

August is knocking at the door; sooner or later it will have to be let in.

We will be ready.

And that is all for now.

=0=0=0=

Happy Wednesday

Comments

[Ginny Hartzler]

You are always celebrating something, what a wonderful family you have! Tell Dagny I love her nails. I'm going to make this pie! I sure learned something weirdly and wonderfully new when I studied about Tardigrades!! Why did you choose that for her present? You would not have to worry that she already had it, or that someone else would give her one! I love Corgis! By the way, there is a calming spray you can get at the pet stores. One for cats and one for dogs. My hairdresser tells me that work wonderfully! She used it on her dog on the Fourth. I love your little wooden gnome, and the one with the dangling legs wearing polka dot shoes! The pizza looks so good! And what a perfectly lovely photo of you & TG!!

[Mari]

There is a whole lot of fun and excitement in this post!
Happy Birthday to Dagny and Chad. Happy Anniversary to you two wonderful people! (the t-shirt is perfect)
I love the random act of kindness and your own in return. Those acts last long in a persons heart.
The corgi party - how cute is that? I can't believe you found all those decorations.
Alissa is growing up far too fast. Such a pretty girl!
And Andrew in Greece? Ooooh - I think a rock or two is perfect.
Happy July!

[Lori]

Happy belated Anniversary to you and TG and happy belated Birthday to all. I had to smile because when I was the same age I asked my grandmother for a lava lamp for my birthday also and it was almost identical to Dagney's. I didn't know they still made them. How lucky to have a Waffle House. When we lived in Florida we went often. The big guy would sometime wake me up at 1-2 in the morning and ask if I wanted to go and I always did. lol I loved their BLT's and chili. That is awesome that you pay kindness forward like you did. I always do the same. A big tip can really make someones day and it feels so good to be able to do that. Loved all the pictures. You all look fabulous and the food and cakes are making me hungry. Enjoy the rest of the month!!

[Jennifer]

@Ginny ... I am so into the seasonal gnome thing, I just can't get enough of them! It surprises me a little bit because I never wanted them before a few years ago, but now I love them so much. They're so witty. YES do make those pies because one, they can be done and in the freezer in about seven minutes, and two, it is a seriously delicious pie. Not remotely healthy, but just as a treat once in a while. Chad pronounced it "the perfect summer dessert." And tardigrades are just amazing! I wasn't looking for a tardigrade plushy but just happened to see one online and knew I had to get it for her! Corgis are adorable and I did not know about the calming spray. I will get some for sure. Happy July, Ginny! xoxo

@Mari ... I love that you said, those acts last long in a person's heart. Isn't that the truth? I remember kindnesses done to me fifty years ago. And even longer ago than that. And the opportunities are everywhere. Isn't Allissa gorgeous? It's going to be unbearable in a few years when she's full-grown. Corgis are the bomb and I don't know where Audrey got those decorations but I would bet on Amazon, hahahaha! Happy July to you too xoxo

@Lori ... Isn't that lava lamp adorable? I didn't know they still made them either! And Waffle House ... just almost too good to be true. The one that is "ours" is due to be shut down for four months, for a total remodel. The waitresses told us that they will be working at various other WaHos in the area and that we must try to find them! Haahaha! The best part is that after the remodel, they don't look any different, only spruced up and better. They don't need to change a thing except in my opinion their coffee is awful, haaahaha! Happy July to you and the Big Guy! xoxo

[Jeanette]

Well, happy belated birthday to Dagney, Chad and your mom in heaven! (And Pres Trump, too) And Happy 44th Anniversary to you and TG! I love the t-shirt you got him! That lemon pie sounds like the perfect dessert I am going to bring on our vacation. Delicious and easy! We have the exact same calendar that you showed and Rich changes it every night before bed. It is a great help to keeping our days straight these days! Enjoy the rest of July! XO

[Jeanette]

Oh and I forgot to tell you. We sell a CBD treat for dogs and cats that is wonderful for calming during thunderstorns and fireworks. Big seller this time of year. If you want to look it up it's at Getsunmed.com and is called Chillin' Out.

[Jennifer]

@Jeanette ... do you and Rich go to bed after midnight? Oh I hope so because I have a terrible superstition about changing a calendar even one minute early, haahaaha! But I do love that little calendar. Thanks for the tip about the treats and I certainly will look it up and get some for Rizzo. His suffering was really hard to see. Yes do make that pie! I am not sure how well it will travel but if you're going someplace where you have a kitchen, the ingredients are easy to get! xoxo

[AC]

There’s a lot there, but you have evoked a memory of 44. When I was coaching girls’ softball way back when, my daughter was #4 so I adopted 44.

[Jennifer]

@AC ... well that's very cool! I think four is such a charming number. Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

[Barwitzki]

Thank you for your wonderful photos of the beautiful family celebrations.
Birthdays, wedding anniversaries... so beautiful. My daughter's birthday is also in June :-)) Great time partying in the garden, which we did.
That their celebration was sponsored by an unknown is a nice event...yes, it's thought-provoking.
do good.
Happy 44th wedding anniversary. Your outfit for July 2nd is great... I love the blue dress with the red shoes and the white bag. Thanks a lot for the very nice pictures.
A warm greeting from Viola

[Bijous]

That is a lot of celebrating you've been doing. I think Corgi's are so cute. I miss our friend Betty's blog and seeing photos of her Corgi. And I going to admit that every time I pass a squishmallow at a store, I have to squeeze it. They are the softest thing on Earth!

All that food looks yummy. All three of my grandchildren's birthdays are in August, so I'm going to be seeing a lot of cake next month. My daughter makes the most beautiful themed cakes for them each year, so I can't wait to see what they will be this year. I do know that the middle child is getting something with horses, since she's obsessed with them.

Have a great weekend, my friend!

[Carla TePaske]

Hello,
Happy Anniversary!!! Happy Birthday's to all!!!
As always I loved catching up with you and your beautiful family.
My boys loved lava lamps at that age too. ;-) And goodness I love birthday girls nails. Fun, Fun!

I also love your red sandals. :-)
Happy July and Summer,
Carla

[Donna]

Happy 44th Anniversary!! And Happy 9th Birthday to Dagny! Goodness, time is flying by!
LOVE the photo of Dagny with her eyes wide, looking at her gift! Lolol...too cute!
We don't do fireworks here...a backyard neighbor nearly set our house on fire when his swirly-something firecracker landed on our roof! It's just too dry her by July 4th.
Love that salad and I bet those cakes were delicious!
You have a Gorgeous family, sweet Jenny!
hugs
Donna

[Jennifer]

@Viola ... Do good indeed! That's the message and best of all, it doesn't have to cost anything! Thank you for the compliments on my outfit. I worked hard on that one, haha! Found the dress several weeks out and lost a few pounds to feel confident in it. I already had the shoes and purse, but I bought the American flag pin this year to wear on the patriotic holidays! It's sparkly and just big enough. Isn't June a lovely month for babies? I had no June babies but one in May and that's almost as good. A belated but no less sincere Happy Birthday to your daughter. It's so nice that you visited and I will swing by and see you later! xoxo

@Bijoux ... Ugh I miss Betty and Winslow too, so much. I think of her often and breathe a prayer that she's doing well. Which I'm sure she is. But corgis! Cutest breed ever! Dagny is obsessed with them, and with Squishmallows, which you're right, are so soft. You sure will be seeing a lot of cake in August. Best pace yourself. Our Ember, age three, is deeply into all things horsey. I bought her a corral and some lovely horse toys on her third birthday in December. She gets it from her mom, who loves to ride! Have a nice weekend! xoxo

@Donna ... girl isn't it the truth, time so fleeting! Dagny NINE? I remember when you sent not one but TWO precious packages full of gifts when she was born. Such a blessing you have always been, to so many. I meant to tell you the last time I commented on your blog, I'm so glad that Ruth is doing better. My sister is still fighting her cancer but we are cautiously optimistic. Ugh a firecracker on your roof in a dry season is terrifying. I'm glad there's been a cease fire called, haaaha! Love you girl xoxo

[Charlotte]

I loved your lemon pie recipe! I have been really enjoying reading your blog since I found it a couple of months ago.

[Leilani Schuck Weatherington]

Thanks for visiting my blog. I have really enjoyed reading yours. If you go to this link you might understand why we do not have a cat to eat the mice...
https://leiweedit.blogspot.com/2018/10/another-fine-mess.html

[debbi]

Hi there Jenny! Glad to see this new post and the BEST PART is that picture of you and TG.....love your complimentary red/white/blue outfits! You look gorgeous in that dress and oh my goodness......those sure are pretty shoes, bright red and so dainty! Love the pretty brooch/pin and the lil white pocketbook too. love all the pictures and all the fun on this post......all the happy birthdays and good food. Happy happy anniversary to y'all! Please tell Dagny that I also COLLECT lava lamps....and so far I have 4. I know she will love hers. Looks like she loved all her birthday presents and that is a cute picture of her outside with her balloon, pretty dress. Cant wait to see your rocks from the Aegean sea! We also put drinks of all kinds in a big bucket for when we have family/company here. Fun!! Your 4th of July sounded fun too....and yesterday I bought all the ingredients to make that yummy sounding lemon pie!! Maybe make it tomorrow. Last night they didn't have ANY FROZEN LEMONDADE AT ALL......so we went back today to a different store and found it, yay! Again, happy anniversary and also happy birthdays to all who had one! LOL Take care and STAY COOL in this awful heat. Hugs! Oh yes.....PS!! I almost DID BUY THOSE DOGS at the antique shop, they were so cute!!!!!

[Gayla]

Wonderful June memories! I think your family knows how to celebrate life! That's a treasure that will continue far far into the future generations! Your party for the birthday girl sounds just perfect. You always find the coolest gift! Enjoy July...

[Jennifer]

@Charlotte ... well how nice to "meet" you! I hope you will continue to read! I think that the next time I make that pie, I'm going to use frozen limeade! The family are crazy about this recipe and best of all, in about six minutes you have made delectable pies! Great if you have something coming up and the night before, you're tired but still need to make a dessert! Have a great rest of the week! xoxo

@Leilani ... I really did enjoy reading your blog and I've bookmarked it. Put a fork on the noodles, as it were. I saw that you'd told a commenter that you don't blog all that often so I will be patient. Have a great rest of the week! xoxo

@debbi ... I'm so glad you're going to make the pie! I know that you and Mr. Front Porch and Fairy Granddaughter will enjoy it! Next time I'm making it in lime flavor! Yes that outfit was well planned, was it not? Haaahaaa! I found the dress in May and left it hanging on the closet door to remind me to watch my calories so that I could not just wear it to church on July 2, but really WEAR it, if you know what I mean! I already had the shoes and purse but I bought the flag pin special. So sparkly! I will tell Dagny about your lava lamp collection! She will be intrigued. Stay cool during these dog days, my friend! xoxo

@Gayla ... We are laying low as much as possible for this July has been a scorcher! But I love summer. Wish I could hang out with you on that wide front porch with the blue ceiling, and talk about everything and nothing! Happy rest of the week to you! xoxo

[Bon]

Just catching up on your posts and got a good laugh when I saw the shirt you got TG, too funny.