Let Him Eat Cake

When talking with my parents, I have found they do not always get when I am joking around. I can't really fault them, they're just trying to look out for their little boy, but sometimes they take my failed attempts at humor a little too far. Two Fridays ago was my birthday. It just so happened this year that my birthday fell on the day that most people around here venture back home for Thanksgiving. So when my Dad called me earlier in the week and asked what I was going to be doing, he thought I really meant that I was going to "cry myself to sleep." That was just my way of saying no one was going to be around. I was going to be alone yes, but not necessarily lonely; I'm very good at keeping myself entertained. Well that Friday morning I got a call from Dad saying that he and Mom were going to be at my apartment at quarter to four. They were already in Cincinnati at 9 in the morning, house hunting (upcoming post), and they had their bags packed and my presents in the trunk. So I had to assure them that I was not going to be crying myself to sleep and that there really was no need for them to come since I was heading over there in less than a week anyway for Turkey Day. And as it turned out, one of my friends did stick around long enough Friday night to take me out for dinner, so things turned out pretty good after all.

Also earlier that week, again while I was talking to Dad, I told him in a mocking anger sort of way that I was extremely displeased that Mom did not send me a cake this year. The past few years Mom has been sending me cakes. Typically they are angel food cakes (maybe you'd call them sponge cakes), but last year she managed to send me a vanilla cake that was frosted. These cakes are usually just exceptionally large cupcakes, since I'm the only one around to celebrate, but I think it's sort of comically absurd that Mom actually bakes and sends me a cake through the regular mail. But Dad not catching my mock anger, was concerned that I was going to be sad at not having any cake this year. So Mom got onto Craigslist and found a lady here in town who makes cakes from scratch, and had that lady make me one. When I came home from work Friday night I found the security gate where I live had this giant cake sitting for me. The thing about it was that the lady didn't wrap it. She just sat the cake on a big dish and gave it to the security officer. The cake was impressively large, it was double layer about 4 or 5 inches tall and 9 inches in diameter. It wasn't so tasty as Mom's cakes, which are fantastic although I may be a bit biased, but it was still very good. I've got a picture of it below.

In the end my birthday did turn out to be very good. I got to see a bunch of friends and ate very well all day long. There were a few problems, in particular I did not get one of the presents I wanted, but I want to save that for an upcoming post. Speaking of which, I have a number of posts I want to write up, but I keep having to set them aside for other more pressing matters. Hopefully this upcoming month will have a better showing than this past one.