By Linda Elissalde
I was born February 14, 1941 to Nola Mae and Charles Schmucker. It was a difficult birth so I remained an only child. Some folk refer to February 14 as Valentine’s Day, but in my family it was Linda’s Birthday. It has always been my favorite day of the year. My parents wanted to be sure that I would not be a selfish only child, so they emphasized the concept of sharing. I have been happy to share, BUT not MY birthday.

Mary Raney, Rita Moseley, Sandi Covington and many wonderful folk of Bay Vue United Methodist Church (UMC) hold monthly birthday celebrations for church members at different restaurants on the peninsula. I had the only February birthday for many years. However, we have welcomed some fine, new members to our congregation. Elinor Tinsley and Marie Vratis have birthdays on February 6. (That would be in MY month!) Mary and group planned our birthdays with a delightful luncheon at Tiki Bar. I was going to have to SHARE! (I must rethink the situation.)

We arrived at Tiki on February 6. Lovely flowers and gifts decorated the tables. So many folk joined the festivities. Some from UMC, others were dear friends from exercise class and peninsula neighborhoods. Happy faces welcomed everyone. Marie arrived escorted by her popular grandson Aiden.

Elinor delivered the most beautiful, gracious prayer. Then our fabulous waitresses appeared. Veronica and Rhonda faced myriad orders of two together, three together, and those paying for the birthday celebrants. Sweet ice tea; Non-sweet ice tea; I want the special; I want something else; please take pictures with my IPhone. These ladies never missed a step and took care of everything with charm and style.

It was gifts and cards time after a delicious luncheon. Guess what? There were tons of gifts and cards for all of us. Then came dessert with Rita Moseley’s famous coconut cake. We blew out 3 candles. Attendees gobbled that delicacy down and declared this was the best cake they ever tasted. It took help from everyone to gather our gifts, cards, and carry home pieces of cake. What a glorious luncheon!

Guess what? Sharing a birthday can really be fun. That day was a great lesson. I look forward to sharing future birthdays with Elinor, Marie and (maybe) even more folk.

Happy Birthday to ALL of US!

[Feb-11-2020]