AGED TO PERFECTION

Last Saturday, May 27th, was a special day. It only added to the fun and excitement of the Memorial Holiday Weekend.

Why was this day special? A large group of us celebrated my uncle's 80th birthday. It was exceptionally festive. And a surprise for my uncle. When he entered my cousin, Shawn's house, he was quite caught offguard. Think all the 'sneakiness' paid off. There were probably about 70 people at the event. I hadn't seen some of my cousins since last summer at Lake Tahoe, our annual two week gathering spot. I had to laugh. It seems that the goatee/beard trend is really catching on. Last summer, I was the only one with any beard of sorts. At this birthday gathering, seven of my cousins had either a beard or a goatee. And of course those beards were all sportin' a bit of gray in them. So to my family, I have to say, "Eat crow!" (done in jest) Half of my family can't stand my goatee, if your wondering.

Well, as for the party snacks and drinks, lets say they fell far from lacking. Chips and three or four dips, salsa. We rolled over to spaghetti, deli sandwiches ~ ham or turkey with all the condiments, garlic bread, fruit, and a tossed mixed green salad. As with any of our family gatherings, the drinks were flowing in abundance. Plenty of pop and water for the kids and the designated drivers. For the socializers, several beers and a variety of red and white wines.

Then came the birthday dessert. A variety of ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, and two sheet cakes, loaded with candles. The crowd all belted out a big Happy Birthday tune, rather worth chuckling over as with that large of a group it is next to impossible to get everyone to sing on queue and in tune. And as for those confectionery delights, well they were yummy. One was a white sheet cake with a whipped cream and custard filling, topped with more whip cream frosting and huge strawberries. The second was my favorite and my downfall. I had to cheat and have a piece. It was a white sheet cake, with a chocolate whipped cream, custard filling, smothered with whip cream frosting and huge shards of white and milk chocolate. I had to have an end piece where all the delicious chocolate was placed.

We spent five hours of laughing, chatting, and reminiscing ~ never long enough. Where have all the years gone? As the evening came to a close, my eyes caught a glimpse of something I hadn't noticed during the whole celebration. On the napkins was the phrase, "AGED TO PERFECTION." I found myself pausing momentarily. Then I thought, "How true." We really do improve with age. A bit more handsome or beautiful, a bit more intelligent (or at least we'd like to think that), a bit wiser, a bit more confident, and a bit more accepting of what curves life might still have in store for us. I like to think that we are only as good as we believe ourselves to be, so go for the gusto!