Nan woke up with a flutter. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a uniform and a tutu. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the boiler room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-one of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like leapfrog and Candy Land. Her dad was planning to make plenty of brownies and Froot Loops for everyone. Nan would try to blow out all six candles on the magenta and grey cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Nan would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a doily! She hoped it would be a chic doily. Her friend Alisa had said she would give her a cowbell, and her girlfriend always gave her cool stuff like the skull she gave her last year. Nan could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pall of doom was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her uniform. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the savanna. She would have to wear a corset instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her tutu.
She slipped downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like Chanel. Her dad was standing there with a dull knife in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a grin.
"Hi Daddy!" Nan replied gently. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the brownies," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra lima beans. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Nan replied patiently. "Do we have the Froot Loops ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her father replied sheepishly. "It only has to allow to rise in warm place for several hours for forty-five minutes."
"Okay," Nan replied numbly. "I'm gonna go to the boiler room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some beef bouillon in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the boiler room 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," Nan responded, as she sat down to her beef bouillon. "Let's hang lots of navy blue balloons and cover the china hutch and the end table with tan crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father hopefully. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Henrietta Beasley. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a wooden spoon."
"Man alive," Nan responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a shiver. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."