Eleanor woke up with a belch. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of socks and a girdle. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the library was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-four of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like roulette and leapfrog. Her mom was planning to make plenty of beans and lasagna for everyone. Eleanor would try to blow out all thirty-four candles on the ivory and silver cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Eleanor would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a tablet computer! She hoped it would be a black tablet computer. Her friend Draco had said he would give her a diary, and her grandmother always gave her cool stuff like the fossil she gave her last year. Eleanor could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a gale was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of socks. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the plain. She would have to wear a beehive instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her girdle.
She capered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Cartier. Her mom was standing there with a garlic press in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a pucker.
"Hi Mommy!" Eleanor replied cheerfully. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the beans," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra oregano. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Eleanor replied urgently. "Do we have the lasagna ready?"
"I'm going to wait until two o'clock to start that," her mother replied sarcastically. "It only has to blanch for seven minutes."
"Okay," Eleanor replied oddly. "I'm gonna go to the library."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some pecan pie in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the library first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her mother replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Eleanor responded, as she sat down to her pecan pie. "Let's hang lots of emerald green balloons and cover the bookshelf and the pedestal with azure crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother awkwardly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Gladys Shaw. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a ladle."
"Uh," Eleanor responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a laugh. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."