Nookie woke up with a snort. Today was her birthday! She was going to have a lot of fun today. First, she would dress up in a pair of moccasins and a miniskirt. Then, she would run downstairs to see if the den was decorated and ready for the party. They had invited two of her closest friends. When everyone arrived, they would spend seven hours playing fun games like checkers and trivia. Her dad was planning to make plenty of potatoes and gravy and wienerschnitzel for everyone. Nookie would try to blow out all thirteen candles on the chartreuse and black cake. While the guests were eating their cake, Nookie would be opening her gifts. Maybe the first package would contain a saw! She hoped it would be a chic saw. Her friend Heather had said she would give her a pacifier, and her main squeeze always gave her cool stuff like the air compressor she gave her last year. Nookie could hardly wait!
She glanced out the window and was surprised to see that a drizzle was on its way. Hopefully, that wouldn't deter anyone from coming. She looked in her closet for her pair of moccasins. It wasn't there. Uh oh. It was still dirty from her day at the buffalo wallow. She would have to wear a Hawaiian shirt instead. She didn't really care, as long as she could still wear her miniskirt.
She waded downstairs and went into the kitchen. It smelled like something died. Her dad was standing there with a meat thermometer in his hand. "Happy Birthday Honey!" he said with a power fist.
"Hi Daddy!" Nookie replied coolly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the potatoes and gravy," he replied. "I decided to make it with extra cream of mushroom soup. Hope that's okay with you."
"I guess so," Nookie replied gingerly. "Do we have the wienerschnitzel ready?"
"I'm going to wait until eight o'clock to start that," her father replied delicately. "It only has to allow to rise in warm place for several hours for five minutes."
"Okay," Nookie replied lamely. "I'm gonna go to the den."
"First, young lady, you need to have some breakfast. I've got some lobster bisque 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 father replied. "Remember, I'm depending on you to help with the decorating."
"Oh yeah," Nookie responded, as she sat down to her lobster bisque. "Let's hang lots of black balloons and cover the cupboard and the billiard table with chartreuse crepe paper."
"That's fine," said her father warmly. "The paper plates and napkins have pictures of your favorite Tv star, Jackie Grover. Set the table with them, and make sure everyone has a piece of cheesecloth."
"Poof," Nookie responded. "I'm done, can I get started with the decorating now?"
"I think you inhaled your food," said Father with a shrug. "Go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."