1. O.k., o.k……my friend Mary did point out that I saw fit to post the poster for MY birthday party on facebook on Ernie's birthday. Whoops. Sorry Baby…. Anyway….CynthiaFest is a party for everybody Mary…so THERE.
2. Uh….and here's the poster….a particularly great one by my beloved Mark Gerking!
2. Poor Ernie didn't get a birthday present from me because I'm sending him to Nashville this September during the Americana conference and that's going to be his birthday-father's-day-anniversary-and-possibly-christmas present. The boys were quite excited about his birthday though. Owen asked me to take him to Exile to look for some music for Daddy. Once he saw the Joey Ramone solo album he would not look any further. He was quite pleased with himself. When we got home Ernie was in the front yard and Owen couldn't wait any longer to give it to him. Ernie looked at it and then grabbed him and hugged him. They were both wearing the same color blue and it was so beautiful.
3. Leo said he just wanted to make a special card for Ernie to go along with his famous brownies. I told him that sounded perfect. After dinner there was great clunking around in the kitchen as the two guys got everything ready. It was relatively peaceful although every so often you could hear one of them yell, "DUUUDE!" They showed up smiling though, Leo gave his card to Ernie and they both served the brownies (again on my favorite blue willow plates…those boys are brilliant). Ernie…well Ernie cried he was so touched by the two of them. The boys were utterly delighted because they know Ernie's REALLY happy if he cries. Leo had the most beautiful smile…such joy on his face. I think that's what did his father in.
4. Despite not giving Ernie a present he DID get the best possible present—our beloved Jim and Diana Eyre visited! I can NOT possibly tell you how much joy this gave us. It felt so perfectly natural to have them there….the kind of friends where you don't have to finish sentences. We love them so much. I've known them since I was 12….Leo's age! Ernie probably met them 10 or 11 years later when we lived in Michigan. Not only two of our favorite antique dealers….but just two of our very favorite people. We hadn't seen Jim since they moved to California (2004ish maybe??). We were lucky to have Diana visit about four years ago but it has just been WAY too long. I honestly don't have the words to tell you how wonderful it was. I think they are pretty much the only people left in this world that still call me Cindy….and it's just fine with me. I love them so. A slightly blurry picture but I like it just the same because they are in it…. I've had a crush on Jim since I was 12 and I guess I always will.