Twenty second

Ah, the old jokes have begun. The cracks about the candle factories and fire extinguishers.

The thing is, those jokes are only funny when you are still young.  So they were really funny this year, at least to those of us who were making them about Alisa.   Not so much to Alisa, who does not appreciate how  young and beautiful and full of potential she still is.

The really funny moment came when Alisa opened her mouth, and something that I say ALL THE TIME, came out of it.  It has begun!  She is slowly but surely turning into HER mother, just as I am turning into mine.  You can't help it.  It is inevitable. If you are lucky, you have a mother who starts out as, and remains throughout your life, the voice inside your head.  Does that mean I can stop nagging her now?

don't waste

your time

on me

You're already

the voice inside

my head

At any rate, we had a lovely dinner and a lovely cake that was a new recipe that I had never tried before and will never try again.  It was nasty.  I do believe I owe her a better birthday cake.

You are never too old to make a wish and blow out candles.  Only I think that instead of the birthday person getting to make a wish for what they want, the mother of the birthday person should get to make a wish. Mothers know best after all.

I don't know what she wished for, but I would have wished for her good health, safety in her travels, hard work,  (even though she has already had quite a bit of that this year),  cheerfulness, good fortune, and plenty of beach time in the sun. Also, I would wish that she would go to church once in a while.  Oh, well, no matter where she winds up, I am awfully glad she is mine.  Twenty two years went by way too fast, but having Alisa for all those years has been a wonderful adventure, and I can't wait to see where she goes next.