Ling woke up with a backward glance. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of culottes and a shirt. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the solarium was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend six hours playing fun games like poker and checkers. Her dad was planning to make plenty of tuna casserole and prune pudding for everyone. Ling would try to blow out all twenty-five candles on the rose and yellow cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Ling would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bottle of perfume! She hoped it would be a crusty bottle of perfume. Her friend Seema had said she would give her a potato, and her friend always gave her cool stuff like the fire hose she gave her last year. Ling could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a snowstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of culottes. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the path. She would have to wear a sombrero instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her shirt.
She tumbled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like gardenias. Her dad was standing there with a grater in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a coo.
"Hi Daddy!" Ling replied daintily. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the tuna casserole," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra fresh basil. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Ling replied perkily. "Do we have the prune pudding ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her father replied confidently. "It only has to poach lightly for five minutes."
"Okay," Ling replied speedily. "I'm gonna go to the solarium."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some tortillas in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the solarium first?" she begged.
"It looks just like it always does," her father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Ling responded, as she sat down to her tortillas. "Let's hang lots of striped balloons and cover the computer and the safe with rose crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father quickly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Rachel Gifford. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a basting brush."
"Zap," Ling responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a bow. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."