Happy Birthday, Mom

Happy 90th Birthday, Mom. For a gal born back on 2-20-20, you're doing OK, and your children and grandchildren love you a lot.

So, that being the case, why am I going to be in Grand Cayman on your birthday? Well, it's like this.....I wasn't thinking. Hopefully you'll not hold it against me for the next twenty or thirty years, although you remain convinced I turned that piece of furniture from your first house into kindling sometime back in the 60's, so I'm not expecting forgiveness anytime soon. Then there was the time I launched your 64 Buick convertible through a wall at the Big Boy restaurant. That was always my problem, not paying attention to what gear I was in, but boys will be boys. I think the steam coming out of the garage after driving home (what, you expected me to stay and answer questions?) was the giveaway - that and the radiator having intercourse with the fan. Then there were the many nights when I came home after curfew, and you had to call off dear old dad from wanting to relocated my butt somewhere up around my shoulder blades.

So, dear old Mother, try and have a happy birthday without me. Seems to me I missed your 80th as well, but I promise to be there when Willard Scott calls out your name and puts your face on a Smucker's jar label. You certainly don't look 90, and hopefully your genes are my genes as well. If so, I plan to live long and allow MY children forget about my birthday too. I hope your grandson comes by and visits - he has little excuse not to, living there in Indianpolis just five miles away. I know my much younger brother will be there, continuing to drive you to the hairdresser and grocery when needed, and of course there are the folks from church who care for you, and the Butler Alumni Association who cares for your checkbook. So, dear Mother, you are in good hands.

I have asked your grand-daughter to drive from St. Louis and visit as my emissary and give you a surrogate hug. I will promise to send you a postcard from Haiti, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica and Grand Cayman, and each night raise a glass in your honor. It's the least I could do.

Happy 90th birthday, Katie - you've earned it many times over.

Love,

John David