Tag: Birthdays

Meritage

Although I love chocolate, my favorite dessert is crème brûleée. I don’t order it often, and have made it once, so I decided for my birthday to Google “best place in the Twin Cities for crème brûlée” and the Meritage popped up as number one. 

The Hamm building in St. Paul, where Meritage is housed.

My birthday, the first day of spring, was a beautiful, sunny day. Gary and I decided to go to the Meritage for lunch, on our way to Como Park Conservatory where we were going to take in the sight and smells of spring flowers.

I was impressed with the Meritage, a French restaurant in St. Paul, near Rice Park. Although we had trouble finding the door to enter, once inside a man who seemed to be in charge apologized for the difficulty in finding our way in. In the summertime the door on the street is unlocked, but in the winter they keep that door closed for warmth and redirect you with signs to an interior entrance. 

Inside the Meritage restaurant.

The Meritage is a small, intimate restaurant in a historic building, with old wood, mirrors and a wall of windows. We requested to be seated by the window, looking out at the Landmark Center. There was a fresh tulip on each table and a server came around with fresh bread served from a basket. Our waitress was friendly and very good. We told her it was my birthday and we were at the Meritage to try their crème brûlée. She said she’d set two aside. 

For lunch we split an omelet, which was delicious, and then our waitress brought out our much anticipated crème brûlée. She had placed one lit birthday candle on the side of my plate, which was a fun, added touch. I was so excited to taste the crème brûlée and it did not disappoint either one of us. It was excellent. 

Crème Brûlée with birthday candle.

After such a pleasant experience, we got our bill and the waitress had listed my dessert as complimentary. What a great birthday surprise. 

Como Park Conservatory with spring flowers.

One time I made crème brûlée, with a friend. The two of us would cook together occasionally, trying different recipes…and crème brûlée was one of them. I must say ours turned out well… and was very tasty… and we had fun in the process… but I’m not inclined to make it on my own. I’m happy to know about this wonderful little spot in St. Paul with the best crème brûlée in the Twin Cities.

First Ride of the Season

Last Friday, temperatures were in the 50’s and the sun was shining bright and it felt like spring had finally sprung.  I went on my first bike ride of the season around our “country block” which is 9.3 miles. We start at our house and ride north, then east, then south, then west back home…we are out of town within a mile so we are mostly riding in the country, on paved roads. It felt wonderful.

The name of the bike is Verve, made by Trek.

The best part of this first ride of the season…I was on my new electric bike! I was surprised on my birthday when I unwrapped a box with a picture of this bike I’ve wanted for a season or two. We picked it up in town on Friday. The bike is a beautiful coral color. I’m excited and I look forward to this biking season. Thank you Gary.

Ruby Red

Today was my mother’s birthday. She would have been 96 years old. She died 10 years ago, in March 2009.

Ruby.
I’m not sure the date of this photo, but I like it.
I noticed she has a flower in her hair.

I wrote this note to her for her birthday in 1997.

Dear Mom,

You are a very special person and you are my mother. Thank you for the gift of life. My life has been blessed in many ways and you have stood up for me many times along the way. I know you have always wanted what was best for me. It’s nice to have come from a stable home. 
 
You have been through many hard times, losing your mom at a young age, losing a baby and then losing your husband at age 50. I’m sure you have suffered more than we know. You have become very strong through it all and have taught me to be strong.
 
You have always been surrounded by many friends and that’s a blessing. Thanks for modeling the importance of friendships.
 
I was proud of the house on McKinley Street. It was special knowing dad built it. You always kept it looking beautiful, as you did your townhouse and your apartment in the retirement center. You are great at keeping your house in order. I know I picked up your organizational skills. You are also a good cook. I don’t think I picked up that skill. I wish I could make a roast like you do.
 
I have pleasant memories of our driving and camping vacations and the great times up at the trailer on Farm Island Lake. Thank you for those opportunities to enjoy God’s creation.
 
         I love God’s ideas of families and always enjoyed the Christmas Eve and Easter celebrations with the extended family. I am glad to have shared them with my cousins and grandparents. Thank you for participating in those get -togethers. 
 
You’ve been a grandgrandmother. Thanks for loving and caring for our children and being so very supportive of them. 

Happy Birthday Mom. I love you.
Ruby Red

I wrote this poem after she died in March 2009.

Red was her color
Ruby was her name
Never much recognition
Never much fame
 
But she was a faithful mother,
A grandmother, a friend
Loved and cared by many 
Generous to the end.
 
She surrounded herself with beauty
Both natural and man made
She had a green thumb for growing,
An eye for things that stayed.
 
From the house on McKinley
To the apartment at Meadowbrook
She kept her place beautiful 
It was always fun to look.
 
Her fun sense of adventure 
Took her on many fine trips
And hours of playing bridge
Kept her mind sharp and crisp.
 
Being with family and friends
Made her most content
She had much joy in remembering
Those times were well spent.
 
So here’s to Ruby
Whose color was red
God blessed her life to 86
An active life she led.


 
 
 
 
 

Happy Birthday Zoey!

It is my grand-daughter’s third birthday today, October 10. My son and his wife were married three years ago but recently had a more traditional wedding to renew their vows and incorporate traditions from Lobolo, an African wedding ceremony, and American wedding ceremonies, including a big reception. Unfortunately we were unable to attend.

Here is photo of their two beautiful children all dressed up for the special occasion.

Ezra – 18 months old.
Zoey – 3 years old on October 10.

 

And another photo from that special day…

Tim, Andrea and her parents.

Birthday Celebrations

My birthday is in March. I met a friend for dinner last night. We usually walk, but the wind was so strong we decided to have dinner instead and she surprised me with birthday blessings. It was special and we had fun. When I threw a birthday party for myself a few years ago I handed out this quote by Henry J. M. Nouwen:

Celebrating Being Alive

“Birthdays are so important. On our birthdays we celebrate being alive. On our birthdays people can say to us, “Thank you for being!” Birthday presents are signs of our families’ and friends’ joy that we are part of their lives. Little children often look forward to their birthdays for months. Their birthdays are their big days, when they are the center of attention and all their friends come to celebrate.

We should never forget our birthdays or the birthdays of those who are close to us. Birthdays keep us childlike. They remind us that what is important is not what we do or accomplish, not what we have or who we know, but that we are, here and now. On birthdays let us be grateful for the gift of life.”

 

A Very Special Birthday Card

envelope-clipart-cliparti1_envelope-clip-art_05I sent a card off in the mail this week. I went to the post office to get it stamped and the clerk warned me it would cost extra because it was so thick. I responded it’s OK, I expected that. Then I told him it is a birthday card that I send to my childhood friend and we’ve been sending it back and forth to each other since 1979. That’s 37 years! It began during the push for recycling and the card suggested we save it and send it back to the recipient on her birthday the following year. So we did. We keep adding cardstock for room to write our birthday greetings, thus its thickness.

One year it fell out of her mail box on to the street and vehicles ran over it before she was able to retrieve it. Some of the writing is smeared  but most of it is intact.

It’s very special, she’s very special, and we have lots of happy memories together, growing up living across the street from each other.

Happy Birthday Diane.