Happy Birthday, Sweetheart

Happy Birthday to You!!

This is the way the Cheesecake Factory gave good wishes to Shirley this evening... A single candle sure lit up that second blob of whipped cream!

Our waiter brought a large group of other servers to sing Happy Birthday to her... there were more than I could catch in this photo.  I believe it was the first time in her life that she was ever serenaded at a restaurant and it was fun to catch the smile on her face.

To me Shirley has the most perfect and beautiful smile of anyone in the world!  Smiling is one of her best qualities... and she does it so honestly wonderful.  I am truly blessed to have such a cheerful and loveable partner.  She has it all over Mona Lisa!  Pure happiness.

We started celebrating her birthday about two weeks ago when I got caught twice in the same day trying to secretly buy her birthday presents... so I just gave them to her early so she could enjoy them right away.  She always wants to know how far she has just walked... so a GPS watch/heart monitor was a hit.  And before I could pay for the set of pan pastels, she walked into the Opus Art Store and caught me at the cashier looking guilty. 

But today, which is actually her birthday, she didn't really get to call the shots to make it her day.  We had weeks ago made plans to drive to Seattle today so that I could catch a plane to Mexico early on the 25th... and she would get three days to be super-granny to Maizy and Lulu as well as get first views of our kids new digs on Bainbridge Island.  I will return on Wednesday afternoon and we will be back together again... and life will go on. 

Since my flight is pretty early, we thought best not to risk the unknown timing to get to the airport from our son's new home, so to take a room near the airport seemed like a better option... plus an old friend from our Loma Linda days was also coming to Seattle today.  Fred Knopper was in high school when I worked with his dad Martin in the LLU School of Health.  He used to come by the office after school and liked to visit with me after quitting time.  He liked art, photography and video stuff... so he thought my job was pretty cool.  Not long after we left LLU he pursued his dreams and today is leading out at It Is Written at Thousand Oaks California.  The photo above is Fred and his wife Judy.

Their son Chris and wife April also joined us at the Cheesecake Factory... they too have a new home not far from Shelby's... in Port Orchard and their parents are here to check it out just like we are!  I think it is fantastic that our kids are not worried about the housing slump... and are doing their part help to get the economy back on its feet again. As I was shooting their photo I had an accidental capture with my iPhone camera...

Usually I dump these kind of shots... the camera moves and goes off when you don't expect it.  But I really liked the colors and the shapes in this accidental shot... even  if it doesn't do justice to Chris and April!  I think I would like to try this in a large pastel or acrylic piece.  Pretty cool, eh?  ...or do you think I've gone over the edge?  Where is it written that all photos or art have to be in focus and have sharp, clear images?  Some of the best art requires that the viewer complete the work with their own imagination filling in the missing parts.  So loosen up and what do you see?  Try rotating it... if you have a laptop or iPad.

Which brings up another Apple product about to runaway... you gotta check out Mac Air!!!  I played with one today in the Apple Store at Bel Square.  Pretty awesome.