Nettie woke up with a pucker. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a diamond bracelet and a kimono. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the conservatory was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like rummy and battleship. Her mom was planning to make plenty of fried chicken and oatmeal for everyone. Nettie would try to blow out all thirteen candles on the golden and rose cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Nettie would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a mop! She hoped it would be a golden mop. Her friend Harry had said he would give her a bottle, and her sister-in-law always gave her cool stuff like the coloring book she gave her last year. Nettie could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a lightning storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her diamond bracelet. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the bog. She would have to wear a gun belt instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her kimono.
She ran downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Band-Aids. Her mom was standing there with an electric mixer in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a chuckle.
"Hi Mommy!" Nettie replied automatically. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fried chicken," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra thyme. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Nettie replied lamely. "Do we have the oatmeal ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her mother replied surreptitiously. "It only has to slow cook for eight minutes."
"Okay," Nettie replied sourly. "I'm gonna go to the conservatory."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some pie a la mode in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the conservatory 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," Nettie responded, as she sat down to her pie a la mode. "Let's hang lots of sparkly balloons and cover the computer and the stairway with teal crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother thoughtfully. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Terri Bates. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a candy thermometer."
"Feh," Nettie responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a belch. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."