Bright Spot in Reedley

HAPPY 93RD TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER, DORIS HOFER!

I hope I have enough of her genes so that when I'm 93 I'll be half as beautiful, smart, and witty as she!

Out of respect for the people of Haiti and their grave tragedy, I did not make this post until today, though my mother's birthday was on Monday, January 12th.

When I asked her what she wanted for dinner, she said her favorite dish was tofu stirfry with peanut satay. So, that's exactly what we had! Dessert was our old family birthday favorite--that tantalizing carrot cake you see in front of her, served with quite a few scoops of  vanilla bean ice cream on each piece. M-m-m, eat your heart out people!!

Here's our party:

Mom with our son Matt

Clockwise Mom, my sister Mary, my love Jim, and Matt

Oh, yes, I was there, too. Clockwise Mom, RuthAnne

and Matt

Not able to attend physically, were my sister Fern and her husband Richard in Omaha; our son and his wife, Mark and Andrea, in Ashland; Matt's wife Fati, in Istanbul. Also unable to be there were Mary's son James, his wife Shannon, and their daughter Araya, in Kentucky, where James is in the army and stationed near Louisville. Last and FOR SURE not least was mother's great grandson Nathan Wilkins (Mary's grandson), in Albuquerque. We are world people, so there may not be many of us in the same room at any one time, but we have a good time no matter how many!

By the way, James, Shannon, and Araya celebrated Grandma's birthday in Kentucky by eating brownie sundaes and talking to us by phone at the same time we were having our carrot cake!