Penelope woke up with a cringe. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a gas mask and a tool belt. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the front porch was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited nineteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like chess and solitaire. Her mom was planning to make plenty of chocolate-covered ants and egg rolls for everyone. Penelope would try to blow out all four candles on the chocolate brown and lavender cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Penelope would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a vase! She hoped it would be a gleaming vase. Her friend Howard had said he would give her a bugle, and her grandpa always gave her cool stuff like the pom-pom she gave her last year. Penelope could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a pelting rainstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her gas mask. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the stream. She would have to wear a kilt instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her tool belt.
She whirled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like sea mist. Her mom was standing there with a food processor in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a wink.
"Hi Mommy!" Penelope replied grimly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the chocolate-covered ants," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra cracker crumbs. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Penelope replied hungrily. "Do we have the egg rolls ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," her mother replied charmingly. "It only has to shake for seventy-five minutes."
"Okay," Penelope replied unabashedly. "I'm gonna go to the front porch."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cookies in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the front porch 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," Penelope responded, as she sat down to her cookies. "Let's hang lots of brown balloons and cover the dresser and the buffet with black crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother sagely. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Gloria Friezbergen. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a slotted spoon."
"Crackers," Penelope responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a stiff upper lip. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."