Much as he tried to deny it, 2013 was the year Larry turned 60. He truly was in denial. Up until the last minute, he refused to talk about it. He wouldn't allow me to plan a party, wouldn't discuss a preferred cake or desired gifts, and shut me out when I tried to plan a special outing for the day. Because December is the busy season at the Postal Service, we couldn't even consider a trip for the occasion. What to do, what to do? He forced me, forced me I say, into getting devious.
Determined to do something special (whether he wanted it or not!), I racked my brain to come up with something that would involve friends and family spread all across the country. It occurred to me that I could ask his friends and family members to send him birthday cards, the goal being 60 cards received. He would be totally surprised - and what could be more perfect for a postal employee than birthday greetings through the mail? I sent over 100 requests out, hoping for a 60% return. The message read as follows:
Hi, friends! I have a favor to ask. Larry's 60th birthday is this Sunday, December 8th. His friends and family are so far-flung, yet I'd like to find a way for you to help him celebrate. My idea is to flood him with birthday cards. (Appropriate for a postal employee, don't you think?!) I need your help to make it happen. Could you mail him a birthday card this week? I'll collect them and present them to him in a dramatic fashion on Sunday. He'll be blown away!
Send your card to:
Larry Bates
2726 NW Cannon Way
Portland, OR 97229
Thanks for helping make his day special!
In the end, he received 67 cards! I hid them all until his big day.
I had some other surprises planned, as well. The day before his birthday, I took his car in for detailing. He received this, his big gift, a day early, but he didn't seem to mind!
And that night, when he went in to work, he found an Edible Arrangement waiting for him. He and his coworkers must have enjoyed it, since it looked like this when he brought it home!
In the meantime, a few days before the big event, Larry decided he wanted his day to include a road trip to Mt. Angel, a town about an hour from Portland founded by German settlers in the 1880's. Many of the buildings are Bavarian in appearance and it is the site of the state's largest Oktoberfest.
The weekend of Larry's birthday, however, Mt. Angel was hosting its annual Hazelnut Festival. The festival pavilion was filled with booths featuring food, gifts, crafts, wines, and baked goods from local and regional vendors. We did a fair amount of Christmas shopping, tasted local beers and wines, and even saw St. Nicholas!
After the festival, we had dinner at The Glockenspiel Restaurant. This town centerpiece features an outdoor working glockenspiel, which, at several times throughout the day, presents a public show for all to see and enjoy, and inside, authentic German food and decor.
Dinner was delicious, filling, and very generously portioned. We all took leftovers home. Lucky us!
Ever devious, I conspired with the waitstaff to put sparklers (the number 60) atop Larry's strudel. (My friend, Patsy, found them in Hawaii and brought them back to me from her trip - perfect timing!)
Back home again, I scurried into the house to set the stage for Larry's arrival. Friends Paul and Gail Parker had delivered a beautiful winter floral arrangement: white roses and tulips amid winter greenery. It made the perfect backdrop to Larry's pile of cards. Needless to say, he was, indeed, blown away.
Cake and a few more gifts were the perfect ending to a busy day filled with surprises.
By the way, those 67 cards are now covering the doors to Larry's home office. Amazingly, there was only one duplicate. Can you find it?
Happy 60th Birthday, Larry! And many thanks to all the folks who made it happen!
