Clarisa woke up with a finger gun. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a bandana and a ponytail. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the family room was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited twenty-seven of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like old maid and duck duck goose. Her dad was planning to make plenty of corn on the cob and popcorn for everyone. Clarisa would try to blow out all eleven candles on the khaki and amber cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Clarisa would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a hat! She hoped it would be a hollow hat. Her friend Jeanne had said she would give her a billiard ball, and her mother always gave her cool stuff like the microphone she gave her last year. Clarisa 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 bandana. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the mountain. She would have to wear a kimono instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her ponytail.
She reeled downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like peanuts. Her dad was standing there with a spoon in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a shiver.
"Hi Daddy!" Clarisa replied nonchalantly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the corn on the cob," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra oatmeal. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Clarisa replied strangely. "Do we have the popcorn ready?"
"I'm going to wait until twelve o'clock to start that," her father replied steadily. "It only has to spread into container for twenty-three minutes."
"Okay," Clarisa replied lightly. "I'm gonna go to the family room."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some bread and butter in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the family 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," Clarisa responded, as she sat down to her bread and butter. "Let's hang lots of golden balloons and cover the china hutch and the hamper with forest green crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father positively. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Keiko Flowers. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a garlic press."
"Optimum," Clarisa responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a flush. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."