Francie woke up with a grin. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a jumper and a moustache. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the doghouse was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited thirteen of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like dodge ball and dominos. Her dad was planning to make plenty of burritos and candy for everyone. Francie would try to blow out all twenty-one candles on the tan and blue cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Francie would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a purse! She hoped it would be a prickly purse. Her friend Gillian had said she would give her a Kindle, and her cousin always gave her cool stuff like the clam she gave her last year. Francie could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a blizzard was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her jumper. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the crime scene. She would have to wear a tattoo instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her moustache.
She made a beeline downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like baking cookies. Her dad was standing there with a dish cloth in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a smack.
"Hi Daddy!" Francie replied roughly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the burritos," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra ramen noodles. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Francie replied cautiously. "Do we have the candy ready?"
"I'm going to wait until six o'clock to start that," her father replied delicately. "It only has to steam for sixty-eight minutes."
"Okay," Francie replied truculently. "I'm gonna go to the doghouse."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some apple pie in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the doghouse 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," Francie responded, as she sat down to her apple pie. "Let's hang lots of maroon balloons and cover the fainting couch and the stool with indigo crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father menacingly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Zoe Knotts. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a spoon."
"By all the saints at the backside door of purgatory," Francie responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a roar. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."