Millie woke up with a raspberry. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a blazer and a badge. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirty of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend eight hours playing fun games like musical chairs and old maid. Her mom was planning to make plenty of fondue and lasagna for everyone. Millie would try to blow out all eight candles on the red and chocolate brown cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Millie would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a cactus plant! She hoped it would be an olive drab cactus plant. Her friend Oscar had said he would give her a clock, and her wife always gave her cool stuff like the bedpan she gave her last year. Millie could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a bit of precipitation was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her blazer. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the landfill. She would have to wear a hearing aid instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her badge.
She climbed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like pencil shavings. Her mom was standing there with a basting brush in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a snuffle.
"Hi Mommy!" Millie replied intensely. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the fondue," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra lime juice. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Millie replied sarcastically. "Do we have the lasagna ready?"
"I'm going to wait until twelve o'clock to start that," her mother replied rapidly. "It only has to smoke for nine minutes."
"Okay," Millie replied flightily. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cherries jubilee in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the den 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," Millie responded, as she sat down to her cherries jubilee. "Let's hang lots of rose balloons and cover the TV and the hatstand with golden crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother crossly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Charlene Rossi. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a potato masher."
"I beg your pardon," Millie responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a shrug. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."