As is the case with most everything involving Brooke, how she chose to spend her birthday was somewhat atypical.
The day began by her making a batch of molasses cookies - not for herself, but for the rest of us. I learned that the last thing that a pastry chef wants as part of their birthday celebration is a birthday cake. In fact, this particular one did not want anything sweet. The cookies were for the rest of us to eat in her honor.
It has become a tradition, since birthday number eighteen, to go shopping at Central Market - with someone else's credit card, of course! Brooke, Erin and Edgar all went shopping for the ingredients for various upcoming culinary endeavors that they have planned. All I know is that when Weber and I got home from running some last minute Christmas errands, the refrigerator was full and the kitchen counter covered with items that were not there when we left. Apparently, the plan did not involve actually using any of these things today because another birthday tradition prevailed - going to see a movie. This has been a part of the birthday celebration for twenty years. It began with going to see the Lion King on her third birthday, the day before Erin was born. This part of the birthday tradition, however, no longer involves me. As the girls will tell you, I can't stay awake through a move. If I go, it becomes a seven, eight, ten dollar nap. How much does a movie cost these days? Also, our taste in movies differs greatly; I don't do science fiction or gratuitous violence, both of which they like.
Last year Brooke began a new birthday tradition - going out to Queen of Sheba for Ethiopian food. I'm not sure how much of this tradition is for the food and how much of it is for the honey wine. . .
. . .wine for which Brooke was carded when she ordered.
She is still at the age where this is insulting rather than flattering.
I am trying to be better about taking pictures of family events. However, I learned this evening that Ethiopian food is not very pretty; neither is documenting people as they eat it. So, out of respect for all those who were at the table, I am only including one photo here.
Warning: To the rest of you who were at dinner tonight, be nice to me because you really don't want me to post the pictures that I have of you :-)
After dinner we came home, enjoyed cookies and coffee (except for the birthday girl) and worked the New York Times crossword puzzle.
Well, to tell the truth, we all started the puzzle together; Brooke and Weber stayed with it t the bitter end - right through "Old King Cole" as the king of verse and outfall being the mouth of a river.
This is the way Brooke wanted to spend her day. I'm not going to argue with the birthday girl. She has always done things her own way. Why try to change that now?
Happy Birthday, Brooke!
