Gillian woke up with a cheer. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of safety glasses and a hair net. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the pool room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited two of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend five hours playing fun games like bridge and Monopoly. Her mom was planning to make plenty of chicken chow mein and pie a la mode for everyone. Gillian would try to blow out all fifteen candles on the violet and amber cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Gillian would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a pickle! She hoped it would be a leather pickle. Her friend José had said he would give her an antenna, and her aunt always gave her cool stuff like the kite she gave her last year. Gillian could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a blizzard was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of safety glasses. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the veld. She would have to wear a surgical mask instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her hair net.
She skittered downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like orange peel. Her mom was standing there with a bare foot in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a hug.
"Hi Mommy!" Gillian replied neatly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the chicken chow mein," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra blue cheese. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Gillian replied deliberately. "Do we have the pie a la mode ready?"
"I'm going to wait until twelve o'clock to start that," her mother replied lovingly. "It only has to boil for thirty minutes."
"Okay," Gillian replied deftly. "I'm gonna go to the pool room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some mashed potatoes in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the pool room 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," Gillian responded, as she sat down to her mashed potatoes. "Let's hang lots of emerald green balloons and cover the cash register and the hatstand with teal crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother cunningly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Marybel Berkshire. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a strainer."
"My gosh," Gillian responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a kiss. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."