Jeri woke up with a shiver. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of tights and a pair of pantaloons. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the atrium was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited sixteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend three hours playing fun games like baseball and trivia. Her dad was planning to make plenty of roast turkey and oyster on the half-shell for everyone. Jeri would try to blow out all two candles on the violet and sparkly cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Jeri would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a bottle of painkillers! She hoped it would be a heavy bottle of painkillers. Her friend Charlotte had said she would give her a Happy Meal, and her fiancée always gave her cool stuff like the rubber chicken she gave her last year. Jeri could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that an ice storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of tights. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the prairie. She would have to wear a pair of cycling shorts instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pair of pantaloons.
She galumphed downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like basil. Her dad was standing there with a slotted spoon in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a furrowed brow.
"Hi Daddy!" Jeri replied grandly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the roast turkey," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra lima beans. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Jeri replied lickety-split. "Do we have the oyster on the half-shell ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eleven o'clock to start that," her father replied frantically. "It only has to roast for forty-one minutes."
"Okay," Jeri replied ignobly. "I'm gonna go to the atrium."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some Hamburger Helper in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the atrium 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," Jeri responded, as she sat down to her Hamburger Helper. "Let's hang lots of jet black balloons and cover the table and the safe with pea green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father trustingly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Andie Osaka. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a turkey baster."
"The joke's on me," Jeri responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a hoot. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."