------BIRTHDAY SURPRISES-----

Dear Friends

Her I go sneaking another Blog in before the “Gorilla Trekking” (sorry Cousin George-smile.) The Gorilla trekking photo’s take some time to pick and get them acceptable for my faithful Blog readers, so for today, let me tell you about my surprisingly special Birthday : On Tues evening I actually had no specific plans, which anyone who knows me is quite unusual. I even planned to work a regular day and just see what the day brought me. No cake, no festivities, just a quiet evening with Michael while I ate “cookie batter”-Ha

I know that that sounds like a plan for potential disaster, or at least disappointment, following the months of Feb. – March- and April, which were littered with Celebration after Celebration. But, somehow it seemed right, so I went with the “eating myself into a diabetic coma” plan, until something else appeared. Which, knowing my affinity for wonderful surprises, did indeed appear.

It was Tues. night the 6th and there was to be an evening Mass at St. Clare’s convent. Michael and I were readying ourselves to attend, when with a knock on the door entered Dr. Sam, a young MD here at St. Francis. He asked me “Is tomorrow your birthday?” “Sure is” I responded in my most Southern drawl. He said “Well, it is mine also and I am going to have a little party and would like you to be my Birthday Buddy “ I am going to BBQ a Goat and we’ll have some music, food and just a few friends to help us celebrate”

See, what surprises God had for me, to taste goat for the first time and co-celebrate with Dr. Sam, who was turning 30 years, almost my age- Ha (times 2 plus 5).


Speaking with Fr. John, prior to Mass, I told him of this coincidence and he announced that tomorrow was both my and Dr. Sam’s Birthday and not to forget to pray for us and greet us..

Dr. Sam has had a very difficult year, having almost died twice! Once following Christmas, from some, as yet, undiagnosed gastro-intestinal illness. Then, again, when he returned to work a month later, in a car accident that destroyed his new (to him) vehicle, but left him unscathed. So Sam had more reason than most to celebrate and I was most willing to celebrate with him.

Attending were Dr. Leonard, a couple other young men I did not know and the three young women Medical students from Holland. So attending were 6 under 30 years of age ( 7, if you count Michael) and me.! I helped prepare the vegetables, with Michael napping on my back (unable to even look at the butchered goat). It was a festive outdoors party and I fear that Michael may have stolen the show from both Sam and myself, as following his nap, he was ready to party, going quite happily from one set of arms to another.

Yes, I ate the goat, though I didn’t find it * “very special” and I’m not going to say the traditional “It tastes just like chicken” either-Ha.

Dr. Sam made a little speech (a very Ugandan thing to do) about his last year and his hopes for this year, then we ate, drank a bit and Michael and I walked home singing “Happy Birthday to me” Michael, being the party animal he is was in the happiest of moods and it was 11pm before he fell asleep.

I was so excited about the great photo’s I and others had taken with my camera, that I couldn’t wait to download them into my computer, but for some strange reason neither computer would recognize that they were on the camera, though I could see them with my own eyes. It was so frustrating! So that others wouldn’t think I was becoming senile in my advanced years, I was even able to make a copy of one of the photos on my printer. I am so glad I did and wish I had printed more, as the next day they did, indeed, disappear from my camera all together. How weird was that! The photo attached of the Birthday Buddies (Sam and Marie) and Baby Michael is the only tangible evidence of our Celebration, but I am grateful to my HP Printer-Scanner-Copier for making that day a visual memory. As well as God, my parents and Dr. Sam for making it a reality.
-------------There I go sounding like I am accepting an award, again. Ha

Bounties of Blessing to my May Birthday Buddies : Dr. Sam, Bill, Robbye, Jeff, and Marilyn. Also Happy Mothers Day to all those who have mothered me (my Mom and Dr. Gladys and wonderful friends).
----------------Marie-----------
* not very special—an inside joke for me, Carol Bill and Robina

Ps O, I received some wonderful phone calls from faithful friends Carol and Carolyn, but the best surprise was from Fr. Louis (Bishop Callist’s sect.) who sang me 2 full verses of Happy Birthday and then told me he had my pre-birthday blog in front of him and he was still laughing at my “latrine” story..