30 on the 31st

Dear Molly,

I made you a birthday cake today. It's an applesauce spice cake with cream cheese frosting. It has hearty doses of cinnamon (the good vietnamese kind) and ground ginger. I lit just three candles because I thought 30 would be going over board. Wanna come over and have a bite? It's just 551 miles from D.C. to Berea. You could make it here in time for a cake breakfast.

I suppose that you're not going to come. I suppose that I'm going to have to eat all this cake myself. I'm going to take more than 30 bites, but during those first 30, I'm going to be thinking about this kind of thing:

1. you're pretty nice. most of the time.

2. you're a damn good seamstress.

3. you believe in bulk eating, which I respect.

4. you have a new fancy job that you're rocking (and that might translate into good presents, right?)

5. you have the most beautiful hair east of the mississippi.

6. all that hair is on a spectacularly large head. it's a wonder, that head.

7. you're generous, especially with your sister.

8. you like wind-up toys, which is just funny.

9. you're not afraid of anything, at least I don't think so.

10. you even have a scary birthday, but you've never seemed frightened to me.

11. you're efficient, like a good WASP.

12. you're frugal (also like a good WASP)--some might say cheap, but I'd just wallop them for you.

13. you're a world-class world traveler. wanna take me next time?

14. you're nice. did I already say that?

15. you're actually not that nice, so when you are nice, it seems really real.

16. you got me turned on to yoga, for which I'll be forever grateful.

17. you showed me how to make bunny loaf.

18. you know why bunnies are special.

19. you manage to have a pretty perfect balance between work and everything else.

20. you're really nice to your boyfriend, which is a good model for me to try to emulate.

21. you can hold your liquor.

22. you can sleep anywhere, anytime, even in a booming karaoke joint.

23. you have enormous, but nonetheless rather pretty, feet.

24. you have fabulous taste in shoes, even if they sometimes look a little funny in a size 11.

25. you know where to find a bargain.

26. you are technologically challenged, but it's sort of cute.

27. you have an astounding lack of interest in popular culture.

28. you're practical.

29. you're not swayed by flimsy argument or excessive emotion.

30. but you still manage to be emotionally engaged.

31. you're getting old!

I'm getting full with all this eating. There's still half a cake left. I think you must come and get it. It's not going to travel well.

love,

me, your much older sister who is always grateful that you came along, even if you wrecked my halloween that day in 1980.