40 presents for 40 years

My sisters have always been creative with my birthday presents throughout my 30's and turning 40 just turned creativity and generousity knobs to 11. I was told on my birthday that there was a package coming for me but it was stuck in Waterloo for a long time, and then moved to the greater Toronto area. It finally arrived on March 11, and I think I made the postal delivery man's day as much as he made mine. I had just come home from Curves and was grumbling to myself about the package and how I didn't have it, and how my sisters went to so much work, and I guessed that Canada Post lost it. I wasn't pleased. Just when I was midway through my silent rant I heard the pounding of a fist on my front door and I turned to see the reflection of the Canada Post truck parked in front of my house. I started yelling "YAAYYYY" as I ran loudly towards the front door. I swung open the door still yelling "yay" and I was clapping and jumping up and down when I saw the big box. The delivery man was laughing. Upon opening the box I found a large envelope with a picture of my sisters and all of the gifts. Also on top was a pink tiara, which I wore for 4 hours!

It took me an hour or more to sort the presents from 1 to 40, open all of them and record what was in each package. It was a box of Food Memories! For example there was a box of Aunt Jemima Pancake mix and some maple syrup. Our Dad made pancakes at the cottage every Saturday morning using this mix and there were always too many leaving a stack to share with the seagulls. There were Chopsticks for a food war. One time I made stir fry for my niece's and nephew and we all ate politely out of our bowls until someone started eating out of the common bowl, and I knocked their food out of their chopsticks and that became the new game. Could you get any food without someone dislodging it from your chopsticks. Another was what I would have called "penny" candy when I was young, but was probably 5cent candy now, and it was purchased from the local corner store called Forwells. A reminder of Candy Day, which was Saturday and the only day we were allowed candy.

Here are all of the wrapped gifts and the flowers that my brother Ted and sister-in-law Kate sent me for my birthday.

These are the unwrapped gifts. I am well stocked for sweet treats, popcorn, pasta, nuts, bread storage, and great pictures of my sisters.

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Here they are, Susie, Nancy and Patti, and all of their hard work. Thank you for all of your generosity and for making my birthday so special, especially since we are so far apart! I love you all, and my brother Ted, sister-in-law Kate, and brother-in-law Henry.