Tortoise running on tortoise treadmill in the corner here in the office – big sheet of poster paper leaned against the wall, she tries to climb the curve, slides back down. Again and again.
Gamma’s birthday today, she invited 18 people, children and adults. About three haven’t RSVPed yet, we’re hoping they won’t show up. The house is already full of the sounds of Shakira, her favorite artist – the cleaning lady gave her the “Laundry Service” CD. It is a witch party, appropriate for this time of year I gather, at least in some parts of the world.
It was stormy at night but seems to be clearing up.
The lilacs are in bloom, as are other flowers. The helianthus (“caution – may spread uncontrollably” the signs on the pots said) are spreading uncontrollably in the flowerbed in front of the house, much to my surprise. Sometimes I wonder whether I’m truly going senile, or have mad cow disease or something. This has been one of those weeks.
Time to take the tortoise out.
I remember celebrating this day when I was a child by picking flowers and hanging them in a basket from a neighbor’s doorknob, and giving some to my mother. Happy May Day. Go smell a flower.
The secret flower baskets! I recall doing that in the early forties! Wonder what ever happened to that tradition?
Happy Birthday Gamma!
Yes yes: birthday kisses to Gamma from me.
I can just imagine you escaping a noisy house full of children for a cigarette and to take the tortoise for a walk in its tight shorts…
Actually, the tortoise was hiding in her brick house (a house made out of half a cinderblock) from the children, and I was hiding in my car, gluing my fingers together with super glue as I tried to repair the damage I’d done.