NO MORE BIRTHDAYS

Today's my birthday--whether I like it or not. In recent years, I've said I'm not having them anymore but someone always remembers. Ray's children did--though they couldn't be here on the day, they came in for five days--through yesterday (the reason I haven't been online!). There are twelve cards sitting atop my entertainment unit and several small gifts (body wash and lotion, a lovely necklace with matching earrings, and a large loaf of pumpkin bread)arrived on my back doorstep. My children called. Ray presented me with flowers and a new tiny teddy bear.

No one will allow me to forget this day.

Mama told me she worked on the farm all day that January day--gathering eggs, washing clothes (by hand in a washtub with rub board), and hung them out to dry on the line. She went into labor about an hour before Daddy arrived home from one of his three part-time jobs, and by the time Dr. Barnes was called to Grandmother's home to deliver me, it was beginning to snow. It seldom snowed in that part of East Texas--but it welcomed my birth on that day.

January is named for the Roman God Janus. He was two-faced--one looking backward (don't we all do that from time to time?), and the other facing forward (the way we should look ahead). The Anglo Saxons called it the month of the wolf because back then packs of wild wolves attacked their villages.

No wolves around here. Only our loan coyote who saunters down the street and up the ice-plant covered slopes when he sees the opporunity to flush out breakfast. I like coyotes, always have. If I had seen her/him today I would have counted it as good luck.

Weather gal predicted rain. We got a mist but just enough to cancel my request--train ride to the beach for lunch and shopping. Ray gave me a rain (what a pun!) check for the next sunny day.

My birthday parade was rained on. That gives me another just cause to cancel future birthdays. Agree?