Loretta woke up with a hoot. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a ribbon and a pith helmet. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the tool shed was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited eleven of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend four hours playing fun games like blackjack and red light green light. Her mom was planning to make plenty of pancakes and egg rolls for everyone. Loretta would try to blow out all seven candles on the sparkly and lavender cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Loretta would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a fishhook! She hoped it would be a puzzling fishhook. Her friend Justin had said he would give her a coupon, and her mom always gave her cool stuff like the contract she gave her last year. Loretta could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a hailstorm was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her ribbon. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the seashore. She would have to wear a ponytail instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her pith helmet.
She walked downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like nail polish. Her mom was standing there with a turkey baster in her hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" she said with a curtsey.
"Hi Mommy!" Loretta replied properly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the pancakes," she replied. "I decided to make it with extra pâté de foie gras. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Loretta replied intensely. "Do we have the egg rolls ready?"
"I'm going to wait until five o'clock to start that," her mother replied swiftly. "It only has to boil for thirty-one minutes."
"Okay," Loretta replied violently. "I'm gonna go to the tool shed."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some cornbread in the skillet for you."
"Can't I just take a peek at the tool shed 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," Loretta responded, as she sat down to her cornbread. "Let's hang lots of terra cotta balloons and cover the coat rack and the casket with red crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her mother narrowly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite singer, Jennifer Orwell. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a strainer."
"Aye," Loretta responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Mother with a gasp. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."