1. The Ford Mustang

2. The Rolling Stones self-titled debut album

3. Buffalo Wings

4. The smiley face

5. Acrylic paint

6. Permanent press fabric

7. Diet Pepsi

8. Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts

9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

10. And this man

How is that possible?!!?

* * * * * * * * * *

Dear Johnny,

On behalf of the whole family, I want to wish you the happiest of birthdays on this … your FIFTIETH birthday. I am truly floored. You still don’t look a day older than Benny & Joon to me. Which is now an astonishing 20 years old! (We still need to make that sequel we keep threatening to make, by the way. LOL!)

Anyway, I just wanted to remind you about your party. As requested, we’re keeping things small with only the short list of friends we talked about last month. Ooh, and I found somebody to make that Caribbean Pineapple Upside Down Cake you mentioned. She’s a good friend of mine from school. It sounds amazing and it should complement the “Happy Birthday, Mon!” island theme you finally selected. (Yes, I know. “No surprises, Michele! And this time, I MEAN it!” Blah, blah, blah. Whatever, J.)

Please don’t forget to bring your guitar. I’ll have mine, too, so we can play that duet we used perform together in college. But don’t laugh! I haven’t kept up my playing as well as you have. And I fully expect to suck. But that’s sort of what makes it funny, remember? I mean … as long as we’re both wearing the Rastafarian wigs and all. And I forgot to tell you … Dave got his hands on an old karaoke machine. The kids are going to be so pumped. Tell Lily-Rose that Viv wants to sing Wicked with her. But this time in ENGLISH! 🙂

Have a great day with the kids at the church picnic this afternoon. Sorry it had to fall on your birthday. But we’ll make it up for it in Neil Diamond impersonations tonight! (HAHAHA!)

Can’t wait,

Michele

P.S. I’m wearing the red shoes you sent me from Madrid. You were right. They match my sundress perfectly. Thanks!