[Soft*Silver]

this has been such a special birthday for me..I turned 54 this year and I am experiencing a "sense" of this upcoming year. Something mighty fine. A tide turning. The harvest of my work. The reward of my patience. Its all in this year.

Amiyesiam and Kobi, thank you for starting birthday threads for me. Very sweet and I appreciate it very much.

I just came home from my family's gathering they held for me. We have decided my birthday will, from now on, be a reminder of what good is to come...the theme will be picnic! We had fried chicken and potato salad and fruit salad with whipped cream and cake and chips and big dill pickles. Oh, and red checkered napkins, tableclothes and papertowels. It didnt matter that it was in the single digits outside or that we had snow up above our knee caps to plow thru. Inside, we were laughing about campgrounds we visited together and swimming holes where we lost our bottoms or our tops ..or both...lol. We talked of gardens and canning and then of our children growing like weeds....

birthdays are not just about the person's birth, but of the family growing by one. I sat amongst them and felt their love.

I am home....and here on BFP, I am home too...thank you all for the birthday wishes...