It’s my wife’s birthday today, and one of my favorite holiday songs is “Merry Christmas, Baby.” The song was originally recorded in 1947 by Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers, featuring the singer and pianist Charles Brown, but my favorite version is by B.B. King. While we already did some major shopping a month ago on the Big Island, I also bought her a Limoges box to honor the day. She’s now Social Security eligible, with a goal of joining me in retirement a few years from now. Two years ago we went to Bora-Bora to celebrate, hoping to make up for a disastrous 50th that put me in the emergency room with a kidney stone. Tahiti was the #1 travel destination on her travel list and where we unexpectedly spent the first night of that memorable trip. When she’s retirement age, we plan to do a world cruise, and will celebrate her birthday as part of that voyage.

Her birthday and Christmas are two favorite days each year, and Limoges box giving is part of both traditions. They come from the porcelain factories in Limoges, France, another memorable trip that we took 15-years ago. Birthday Bear, an American Greetings cardboard toy, will also be part of the celebration that will involve a casual dinner with her daughter & me tonight and a gourmet extravaganza for just the two of us at Nomad.PDX tomorrow evening.

We acknowledge the anniversary of her birthday every month, and the day itself often lingers on for weeks. I know that when it’s time to give our pups their monthly dose of Trifexus medication, it’s appropriate to acknowledge her fractional-birthday. She recently won a “Super Woman” award at work, and was honored with a custom bobble-head. She also drives a classic 2005 Lexus convertible that she will probably keep forever, hopefully like me. Pearls have taken priority over bling, but she’s never disappointed with anything shiny. I give you this background so you’ll better understand this poem done in the spirit of “Merry Christmas, Baby:”

 

Happy Birthday, Baby

 

On the mantle,

Sits birthday bear.

Your birthday suit,

Is ready to wear.

.

We celebrate monthly,

My babe in her Lexus.

With a calendar reminder,

It’ s time for Trifexus.

.

Social Security,

Knocks at your door.

A few more years,

Of work in-store.

.

There’s so much more,

A world to Explore.

With the Super Woman,

That I’ll always adore.

.

The pearly girl,

Longs for an encore.

Daddy’s “Needer Bug,”

Always craves more.

.

She’s my Gemini,

Twice as nice.

More to love,

Double spice.

.

The main gift given,

Months before.

While shopping in,

A Big Island store.

.

Some Angel cream,

A sapphire ring.

Only the song,

Left to sing?

.

A gourmet dinner,

Is yet to come.

The PDX Nomad chef,

Fills your Tum with Yum!

.

Could there yet be,

Another thrill?

The Limoges display,

Has holes to fill.

.

So one more gift,

To make you gay.

A porcelain bag,

Happy Birth Day.

 

copyright 2018 johnstonwrites.com