Tanya woke up with a hiccup. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in an Armani suit and a set of braces. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-seven of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend two hours playing fun games like jacks and jacks. Her mom was planning to make plenty of lime sherbet and applesauce for everyone. Tanya would try to blow out all seventeen candles on the metallic red and green cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Tanya would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a picture! She hoped it would be a flaky picture. Her friend Billy had said he would give her a paper towel, and her fiancée always gave her cool stuff like the trash can she gave her last year. Tanya could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a sleet storm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her Armani suit. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the canyon. She would have to wear a dirndl instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her set of braces.
She walked downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like cigars. Her mom was standing there with a wooden spoon in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a belly laugh.
"Hi Mommy!" Tanya replied reluctantly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the lime sherbet," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra parmesan cheese. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Tanya replied brashly. "Do we have the applesauce ready?"
"I'm going to wait until nine o'clock to start that," her mother replied blindly. "It only has to blend for seventy-two minutes."
"Okay," Tanya replied madly. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some ice cream 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," Tanya responded, as she sat down to her ice cream. "Let's hang lots of pink balloons and cover the display case and the carpet with pea green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother sadly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Ethel Eriksson. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a melon baller."
"Never," Tanya responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a pound of the chest. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."