Last one Standing

Not all sibling relationships are harmonious. I have gone for years with out uttering a word to my siblings. To some people this would be an ideal relationship, to other people it would be a nightmare. It all depends on the sort of relationship you have with your siblings.

My brother and I have figured this whole sibling relationship out. The goal is to be the last one standing. As far as we know we are the only two left.  The youngest brother passed on a little over a year ago  and the oldest sister is presumed to have passed on.  We are not entirely sure if she was eaten by wild dogs or just went to commune with the nature.  Either way, I am not going camping anytime soon, (I read Wytches,  I know what to expect.)

There are rules to being the last wizard standing.  (Wizard, sibling... Same thing) It is much like the assassins guild, it is going to take a fair amount of planning and elegance.  You can't just up and knife them in the spleen, you have to get away cleanly also with nothing linking you to that life exipiration date.  That is where elegance and planning come into play. 

My brother and I have a birthday in the same month and this latest attempt on both our parts was perfect. Birthday gifts are the gifts that keep on giving.  It was the if I give you the tools, you will do it your self, in a Darwin Awards sort of way plan that both of us had, that left me laughing at our genius. 

For my birthday my brother sent me a grow your own mushroom kit and assured me that they were edible. It could be considered a thoughtful gift, considering my love for cooking and love for mushrooms, or it could be a subtle way of me poisoning myself, because after all, he didn't make me eat the mushroom, just gave me to the tools to grow it.  It would be my fault, because every one knows you just don't eat random mushrooms.  Clever my brother is. 

For his birthday I got him nunchucks and a set of sais. I could be the best sister in the world, because I know that he needs to embrace his inner Ninja Turtle and the only way to do that is to be armed like a Ninja Turtle.  Or I could be devious and have given him instruments of bodily destruction that if he tries to use them, he could hurt himself.  Sneaky I am.  

I feel like it was a stalemate this round, both of us will survive these gifts, but it has given me some new ideas for the next gift giving holiday.  I am hoping this is a long drawn out game of last wizard standing, because the best part is seeing what the next move is. 

No Such Thing as a Bad Card

There is something wonderful about receiving a birthday card in the mail.  It shows that the person was thinking of you and that they took the time to show you in a tangible way.  It shows that you are valued and can turn a bad day into something better. 

There is no such thing as a bad card.  One of my best friends decided to test that theory and send me the exact number of cards to the number of birthday years I was celebrating  over the period of my birthday month. I had no idea what I was in for.

There are a whole lot more cheesy birthday cards than I had ever expected.  I received cards with cats on them, cards with words of flattery and plenty of cake and good wishes.  There was glitter and humor and then really puny stuff.  I am pretty sure the cards all ranged from the good, the bad and the ugly cliche. There came a point that my husband asked if birthday cards were my thing because he was getting tired of finding them tucked in odd areas of the house. 

The best thing about the cards is not in the volume that I received or in the quality of their cheese, but in the fact that my friend took the time to write a personal message in each and every one of the cards that she sent.  Some of the cards had random thoughts that were in her head and other talked about past adventure, but all of the cards received that personal touch. It is that personal touch that made it awesome. It didn't matter if she sent one card or thirty four it was the gift of prose that made me smile from my head to my toes. 

Savoring Conversations

I love having conversations with my father. Having a conversation with my father at times is like waiting for a comedian to deliver a punch line.  I never know where the conversation is going to go, and it always leaves me laughing and sometimes banging my head on a hard surface.

Dad: I wanted pancakes for dinner but I wanted them savory.  More dinner like, less breakfast like,

Me: Did you put bacon or sausage in it?

Dad: Nah, I had pepper jack cheese and put about half a cup in the batter.

Me: Pepper Jack Cheese?

Dad: Yep, I didn't want it too spicy just wanted it savory.

Me: How did that turn out? 

Dad: It wasn't  that bad. The pepper jack was really subtle and you could hardly taste it.

Me: I could see how that would work some what.  I am thinking cheddar bay biscuits.  Pancakes have all the same components. 

Dad: I think that if I do it again I won't use cinnamon pancake mix.