Party, Party, Party

Before we three left home to celebrate Thanksgiving and my 60th birthday with the family of Grant's steady girlfriend, the Gauls; I had a visit from the 11 year old Tahir from next door.  Tahir had been sent over by his mother to make sure I was to be home on Saturday after Thanksgiving, "because we have a special party for you Mark!"  I am charmed.

Tahir and his family moved from Turkey and rented the house next door in 2016.  I noticed Tahir and his younger brother Fatih, riding bikes up and down the sidewalk while I was doing yardwork and struck up a friendship with them.  Inviting the boys to visit our tortoises (Tahir exclaimed, "I Love these Ninja Turtles!").  I had given the boys a good theatrical and dramatically scary American Halloween for the past two years and I have often been surprised by baked treats being delivered to my door by one or both of the boys from their mother, Kubra (she is a fantastically wonderful cook).  In the spirit of the season, I delivered a couple of colorfully wrapped Christmas presents to each of the boys in 2016, and made a point of giving them birthday presents in October and November this year.  The young brothers are appropriately fluent in English, their father Mehmet is pretty good with his English, while Kubra speaks little English.  The boys do most of the translating, but the intentions came across unmistakably clear: Mark, you are our good neighbor and friend, please come to our house at 7 on Saturday for your special party."  I said, I am delighted to enjoy such a treat, may I bring my son Grant with me along with my wife?  It was agreed, they would host us 3 Sunesons for a Turkish feast and and birthday party.

Mehmet, Kubra, Tahir and Fatih welcomed us in to their house (after instructing us to please remove our shoes before entering).  I was directed to a seat of honor on a low table stocked with treats and exotic tastes and surrounded by walls hung with party paraphernalia.   Once again I am charmed.  I made introduction of my family and we were seated and told that in Turkey, close neighbors are also to be considered as family, we were welcomed as such.

My Birthday Cake
Baked by Kubra and served along with Turkish Pastries, Stuffed Breads, Nuts, Fruit, Tea
and the meal was finished with a small cup of Turkish Coffee

We talked of families, those back in Turkey and of ours as well, and they wanted to know about New York City from Grant.  Kubra (through translation) wished to know how Americans brew their tea and coffee [Turks apparently use a 2-chambered tea kettle with loose tea leaves. Americans, we said often opt for a cup in the microwave and a teabag].  The grand treatment continued as I was given a gift of a dress shirt, while my wife received an ultra soft throw blanket and Grant was given long-sleeve knit shirt.  Kubra has studied fashion design, Mehmet, was a pharmacist in Turkey, but took a position in America with a Turkish partner who runs an auto parts supply and rental car business.  "It's the 'American Dream'", Mehmet said with a smile.

Birthday Diner Party with our Turkish Neighbors.
(L to R) Kubra, Sue, Mark, Tahir, Mehmet and Fatih (photo by Grant)

For our part, we offered to be of any assistance we could in translating American culture if they needed such, and Sue offered to work with Kubra on her English skills on Fridays - but so far the two had not gotten together.  Kubra expressed an interest through her husband in perhaps opening a Turkish restaurant or bake shop, a move we would be supportive of, advising her not to make her food "too American", as we counseled her that her customers would want something authentic and out of the ordinary.  She was not sure Turkish food would appeal; based on the samples of her cooking that I've tasted, I am sure that it would be a hit.

We left the home of our neighbors in good cheer and returned to our own unadorned dining room to a low-key wind-down of my birthday celebration by opening a couple of gifts from my family.

Birth party continues in our Dining Room
with the opening of a couple of gifts from my family

What a great cosmic alignment.  With Thanksgiving and 3 birthday parties celebrated to the fullest - time to get ready for Christmas and New Years!

The fun may slow down, but it never ceases around here.  Celebrate good times, good family good neighbors and enjoy the journey.

Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day Cosmic Alignment

Sometimes the stars, moon, sun, calendar, events and people just seem to fall into a wonderful alignment. It could be my lucky day.

If you get those three cherry symbols to line up on your slot machine in the casino - it's called a JACKPOT!

If you get your birthday, Thanksgiving, family, friends and neighbors to fall into a wonderful alignment as I did this past November 23rd - it's called a Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day Cosmic Party Feast Alignment. It was my lucky day! 

On our fridge we always have a picture calendar hanging on the freezer door. Yeah, we have calendar apps on our phones too, but as an old curmudgeon, I like to have the month laid out before me as I open the fridge door to grab a pitcher of OJ.  Besides, phone apps are not for "old people", and as I glance at the November calendar on the fridge I am reminded that I am getting to be an "old people", I'll be 60 on Thursday the 23rd.  And hey, that is also Thanksgiving Day, 2017.  What a coincidence.  How should I handle this upcoming, two-fisted day of food, fun, feting, feasting, family and friends and otherwise fine folks?  Sounds like it could be an alliterative f'in good time, eh?

Anticipation for the  events on the 23rd kept increasing as we got word from son Grant that he would arrange to fly out of New York on Wednesday night and arrive back in Dallas at 5 til midnight.  He'd just started a job as a feature writer for Wall Street 24/7 on October 1, and had no vacation to spend until 6 months on the job, so for him it would be in at the last minute of Wednesday 11/22, Thanksgiving and then quickly back to NY City on Saturday.  The question remained, what takes precedence, Thanksgiving or birthday?  It's my birthday, so I get to decide.

Grant flies home to Garland for Thanskgiving
Then up early on Thursday for the drive to be with
Kaileen and her family near Houston

The precedence problem was not much of a problem; as I see it, what is better than inviting fine folks to your party? Why, being invite to their party of course!  Such was the cosmic alignment of the coming day, Grant's best girl was also flying in from New York to Houston for Thanksgiving with her family, and we were all invited to come on down to share the holiday with them.  I decided to make Thanksgiving the big event and my birthday a lesser hurrah.  Sue baked a couple of pies, pecan and pumpkin, which slept in the backseat along with Grant as we left Garland earlyish morning on Thursday for Thanksgiving with Kaileen and her family north of Houston.  We had done this 3 1/2 hour trip a couple years back and had a fine time with Kaileen's family, including her brother, two grandmothers and a grandfather there. We would stay over Thanksgiving night with them, working off the tryptophan and serotonin stupor, before returning north on Friday.   

Oh Goodie!
It is a Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day Celebration
Pies in the Gaul's kitchen are ready for post-feat serving

Glenda prepared a sumptuous meal for all of us.  The dinner bell was rung in the late afternoon as we gathered to give thanks and then tuck in to the wonderful spread before us, turkey, ham and all of the fixin's with a glass (or two) of wine all around - saving a smidgen of room for Sue's pie desserts.

After the meal has settled a bit, we adjourned to the pool deck where we played a few games of corn-hole, tossing beanbags onto sloped boards and trying to drop our bag through the hole across the patio.  I did not win at corn-hole, even though it was my birthday. 

We stepped out into the mild Houston sunshine and walked along the canals, fountains and sculptures installed in the planned community of The Woodlands, where our hosts, the Gauls, live.  It was a very good afternoon.  After the sun retired, we put sweaters and sweatshirts on, filled our glasses with a Chardonnay and gathered around the patio fire pit for conversation.  To me this was a perfect start to my sixtieth decade; good to have had a good meal, gotten a few jesting age-themed cards, settled in around an open flame with a glass of wine and enjoy everyone there, and especially delighted to see Grant and Kaileen happy together and comfortable amongst their elders.

God bless us everyone! And a joyous Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day to me!