Happy Birthday To Me

13 December 2004
Kwajalein - Republic of the Marshall Islands

Boy, did >>I<< have a birthday!!

Not having the brains God gave little green apples, I somehow thought it would be fun to have an Open House, and invite people to come and see where I live. The idea had originally come tome when I lived in the north end, and had a huge yard and a gorgeous view and the bulk of the party would have been outside. Somehow when I moved, I kept the idea and forgot the details – like size. And the fact that when you have an Open House, you never know how many people are coming, rather a critical detail when you start to buy food and drink.

So – blithely, with the joy of the truly ignorant – I wrote invitations, included the notice in the weekly parish bulletin and worked much too hard to get people to know about the event. I picked my birthday because it was a day off (our weekend here is Sunday and Monday) and that way I didn’t have to worry about what would I do on my birthday. Remember several years ago I gave a concert? Same idea. About a week in advance I suddenly realized I probably should start preparing so I made lists of food and went to the grocery and spend vast amounts of money, found a local lady who does catering and booked some Philippine food (which was wonderful, but as it turned out, yet another layer of superfluous).

Usually the day before a major party is the primary day of preparation, but that was Sunday, which (if you have read my latest missive) is usually a long and busy day for me – five Masses on four islands. However because of the cyclone/typhoon/tropical storm weather this past week (that was exciting) the mission that was supposed to happen earlier had been postponed. A mission is a test of something, usually missile tracking or missile interception of some kind. That’s what we do and why we’re here. Because of the mission, flights to Roi were cancelled, so I could not go to the Mass there or on Third Island. That gave me a whole free afternoon to do more work. And as I was working, with the tv on in the background, I saw a scrolling announcement that there was a small craft alert.

Now when I go over to Ebeye for the evening Mass, it is on a small boat. A very small boat. And even if the marine supervisor was willing to let this boat come in, I wasn’t sure I was willing to go forth. So I made a few phone calls and alerted the church on Ebeye that God had cancelled Mass this day. Which gave me the evening.

Up at 5:30 on my birthday. Well, I was first up at 1 and 1:20 and 2 am. Catherine, my secretary from Lagos, was calling to wish me a Happy Birthday. Calls from Africa tend to cut off, which is what had happened on the earlier rings. And she thought it was 2 in the afternoon. So she was the very first one to wish me a happy day. Anyway, intentionally up at 5:30 and working away – cooking and cleaning and worrying. But after several days of truly extraordinary bad weather, we had clear skies and sunshine. The community band was giving its Christmas concert in the morning and it looked at though the mission might actually get off today. A little after 8 I heard a noise from outside my window, and it was one of my neighbors with a weed whacker, going after the long grass in my yard and the yard next door where no one is living. I went out to say thank you, and found another woman, a friend and parishioner, who was working in my back yard, re-arranging the furniture and cleaning.

When guardian angels appear in your life, don’t interfere. I went down to the local shop to get a couple of last minute missing items, and listen to a few minutes of the music – and when I got back, my miracle ladies had moved inside, and were sweeping and mopping. (Note to John – stay out of the way and keep your mouth shut. WHATEVER they want to do is just fine. Wonderful, even.)

And they did. I continued with cooking and preparation (I cleaned the bathroom – there is only so much one can expect of guardian angels.) And by 2, the place looked great, the pine scented candles were trying to make up for the absence of a live tree, food was in the freezer ready for cooking, and some out, and other dishes in the fridge ready to be served. The catering lady came around 2:30 with the first of two loads of lumpia (think egg roll, but longer and thinner and much tastier, especially with the sauce) and chicken lollipops (take the wing, take out the small bone, and push all the meat down to one end. Bread with crumbs made from rice flour and cook – yum) and a steamed dumpling with sweet dough and pork inside whose name I have forgotten – wonderful.

The Open House went from 2 until 7, and food came in with guests (there is a great island tradition here of bringing food when you come to a party, which means there are a lot more parties!) and I cooked and served – we had chicken livers (which I had marinated) wrapped in bacon, and hot olive baked in cheddar cheese dough, and a hot sausage and cheese dip which is to die for, and the usual nuts and chips and veggies and dips (at least four different kinds that I can remember) and desserts beyond counting. There were four large coolers outside – one with beer and wine, one with soft drinks, one with water and a huge one that simply stored the twelve large bags of ice. Since it was an Open House, I had another cooler and more food upstairs – and it turned out that that was where the kids went to be by themselves – adults were inside and outside in the back yard, where a neighbor had donated table and chairs and someone else brought a tablecloth and Christmas decorations so the whole back yard (which usually looks like a front yard somewhere in Appalachia) was very festive and attractive and where the smokers congregated. Some came with presents too - we have one channel that is called the Roller, and it is devoted to Community announcements and they list birthdays. I don't know how my name got there, but I was the only one with a birthday on the December 13th, so it was really obvious.

Around 6, I was called into the living room. People came and went and one of the things that several people commented on was the interesting mix –people were meeting people they didn’t know, which on a small island I consider something of a triumph. There were a group of Marshallese who had brought a large keyboard and – traditions must be honored – everyone sang a special birthday song (to me) and danced and gave me presents (including cash) – I got a lovely hand-made wall hanging, and a shell necklace with a gorgeous small conch as the centerpiece and a carved crab which is simultaneously beautiful and a little bit scary. We sang and danced for about 40 minutes and it was much more fun than the recorded Christmas stuff.

People wandered off into the night by 8, and my guardian angels stayed to help clean up. I kept saying they should go home but they insisted and who am I to contradict angels? By 8:30 the house was clean, the food had been put away (I have enough food to keep me going for weeks. Which is good, since I don’t think I can afford to buy anything until February.) I sat quietly and opened the presents that had been accumulating, and reveled in the memories. During the day a dear friend from Nigeria had called, and the phone rang at about 9:15, another friend from Lagos.

So now I am one away from sixty, and next year I might well do a concert in celebration. Certainly easier than having another Open House.