June 9, 2010

Earl is 62 years old today. Lots of folks get dressed up and go to a fancy restaurant and order an expensive and elegant meal. However, as part of  our tradition, we celebrate his special day with The Tacky Birthday Celebration.

The tradition started about ten years ago, when we were first dating.  I used to work second shift, Earl worked first. I took the day off from work to put together a very inexpensive dinner, complete with melamine dinner ware, plastic wine glasses, and cheap wine and perfect weather.  It was supposed to be a joke. 

What I didn't count on was the local farmers fertilizing their fields...the stink of  fresh cow manure wafted down from the hills behind us and settled in the valley where our house sits. And if that wasn't enough, huge truckloads of the stuff was being driven past the house.  No amount of citronella candles could mask the odor.  Earl couldn't stop laughing and declared it the best birthday celebration ever. 

Nowadays, we just bring the party inside but the tradition lives on.