It is 12:00 midnight, April 28, 2007. Kate was born this day, 23 years ago.
I sent her an email today asking her some birthday questions, and in true form I got this wonderful reply:
A list of my favorite things? Like, ever? Hehehe okay, here goes:
My Favorite Things (in no particular order)
Huge fluffy down comforters
Wearing corduroy overalls in the privacy of my backyard
The sea
Beating Jeremy at Scrabble without cheating
Successful baking endeavors
Big, old trees
Sloths!
Islands
Netflix
Honey
Barbara Kingslover
Growing stevia
Ireland
The painting Mom is doing for me!!!
Selkies and mermaids
All the kids in my life
Meyer lemons
Annual garlic festivals
The play "The Skriker" by Caryl Churchill
Soup
Squirrels
Sushi
Really captivating nonfiction
Kittens walking on my face
Not having TV
Full moons
Owning lots of books (I derive great satisfaction from this)
Nature documentaries
Free-form poetry
Using food in the shower, like avocado masks, brown sugar exfoliators
Spoken word performance
Thunder
Nostalgic music that is crappy but makes you emotional anyway
Fishmarkets, Greenmarkets
Progressive children's literature
The unusually large earthworms in my garden
Painting the walls crazy colors
Rosy childhood memories
Okay, I've been making this list for like half an hour, i need to stop. ;)
A special birthday memory: You know, at this point it's hard for me to separate the memories from the pictures. But I definitely remember how badly I wanted to pull that plastic ballerina off the cake and play with it. I also have vivid memories of homemade gifts from Anna and Helga, and how I watched you (Mom) to know how to appreciate them. Oh! That fabulous party where we all slept in sleeping bags in the basement! Camping with Bo and Tom and Lindsay in the rain, being rescued by Dad's ominous headlights; the fabulous Fifteen photoshot, of course. Two years ago, only a few months after I met Jeremy, he and a few friends threw a surprise party for me, complete with homemade decorations and a cake they baked themselves.
What do I hope to do on my birthday? Well, for starters, I'm delighted to have two of the most important people in my life, Jeremy and Alexandra, with me to celebrate. Jeremy and I are going to start off the morning by visiting the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens (weather permitting), where they are celebrating Sakura Matsuri, the annual cherry blossom festival. Not yet sure what the evening will bring, but I'm certain it will involve delicious dinner and caramel cake (yes, I'm baking it for myself!) and laughing with the ones I love.
I hope not to be rained on, or to eat the whole cake myself.
And of course I will miss you all! So many of you have been present for my birthdays in the past, and made me feel that much more special with your kindness and love. I'm grateful for every birthday that passes, and all the days in between, with this fabulous family.
K
My Favorite Things (in no particular order)
Huge fluffy down comforters
Wearing corduroy overalls in the privacy of my backyard
The sea
Beating Jeremy at Scrabble without cheating
Successful baking endeavors
Big, old trees
Sloths!
Islands
Netflix
Honey
Barbara Kingslover
Growing stevia
Ireland
The painting Mom is doing for me!!!
Selkies and mermaids
All the kids in my life
Meyer lemons
Annual garlic festivals
The play "The Skriker" by Caryl Churchill
Soup
Squirrels
Sushi
Really captivating nonfiction
Kittens walking on my face
Not having TV
Full moons
Owning lots of books (I derive great satisfaction from this)
Nature documentaries
Free-form poetry
Using food in the shower, like avocado masks, brown sugar exfoliators
Spoken word performance
Thunder
Nostalgic music that is crappy but makes you emotional anyway
Fishmarkets, Greenmarkets
Progressive children's literature
The unusually large earthworms in my garden
Painting the walls crazy colors
Rosy childhood memories
Okay, I've been making this list for like half an hour, i need to stop. ;)
A special birthday memory: You know, at this point it's hard for me to separate the memories from the pictures. But I definitely remember how badly I wanted to pull that plastic ballerina off the cake and play with it. I also have vivid memories of homemade gifts from Anna and Helga, and how I watched you (Mom) to know how to appreciate them. Oh! That fabulous party where we all slept in sleeping bags in the basement! Camping with Bo and Tom and Lindsay in the rain, being rescued by Dad's ominous headlights; the fabulous Fifteen photoshot, of course. Two years ago, only a few months after I met Jeremy, he and a few friends threw a surprise party for me, complete with homemade decorations and a cake they baked themselves.
What do I hope to do on my birthday? Well, for starters, I'm delighted to have two of the most important people in my life, Jeremy and Alexandra, with me to celebrate. Jeremy and I are going to start off the morning by visiting the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens (weather permitting), where they are celebrating Sakura Matsuri, the annual cherry blossom festival. Not yet sure what the evening will bring, but I'm certain it will involve delicious dinner and caramel cake (yes, I'm baking it for myself!) and laughing with the ones I love.
I hope not to be rained on, or to eat the whole cake myself.
And of course I will miss you all! So many of you have been present for my birthdays in the past, and made me feel that much more special with your kindness and love. I'm grateful for every birthday that passes, and all the days in between, with this fabulous family.
K
****************
Now this is a girl who knows what she likes, enjoys life to it's fullest and remembers every detail!
So all hail Botanical Gardens and caramel cake enjoyed with Jeremy and Alexandra! You are indeed special and very much loved by your family in GA/CA and TN, Kate. We wish you the best life has to offer, and today, we wish you a Happy, Happy Birthday!
May God always bless you.
Mom
3 comments:
I am sure Northcroft should have been on that list. What a list of
wonderful things that make you
happy. I enjoyed thinking of you as
I read the list and smiling.
The Queen
Kate, In my estimation, every day has been a birthday for you. You have made it so! Enjoy every day and much love from Aunt Judy and Uncle Louis.
Nana - you're absolutely right about the mountains. And canning food. And picking blackberries...and finding creepy stills in the backwoods...and seeing bear cubs...oh no, you've got me started again!
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