Spooky-Kookey Halloween & Carolyne’s Birthday! (Saturday 10/31/09)

We had so hoped to be in Santa Rosalia to celebrate Carolyne’s birthday with all the cruising kids (minus ‘Don Quixote’ who has unfortunately headed further south already). However, the winds have been so snotty lately and the large swells that are accompanying the northerlies are not becoming. We’ve been held up in the inner harbor of San Fracisquito for 6 nights now! I was in a quandary as to how in the world to make a fun Halloween birthday for our 10 year old. Our food supplies are thinning (fresh produce, forget it!) and we have no gifts. At least we’re at anchorage with one kid boat, I thought.

I don’t know why I was so worried about it. First, the folks on the SSB radio in the morning brightened Carolyne’s day with sweet and funny birthday greetings form various vessels anchored or underway from California, throughout the Sea of Cortez, all the way down to Puerto Vallarta. She was grinning ear-to-ear by 7:30am. Secondly, a “School Holiday” was declared... that was a bonus! Next, I made a special breakfast of Coconut French Toast... Carolyne was gracious and I am still perfecting the recipe. Then what? Diane on ‘Gemini’ gave me a homemade ricotta cheese recipe she had and I got the idea for lasagna, as I had all the other stuff (including mozzarella cheese!)... what luck! I found a Black Forest Cake recipe and discovered that I had the ingredients for that, too... well, an improvised version, at any rate. Homemade pressure cooker bread and EUREKA!... the recipe for the beginnings of a birthday feast!  The winds were too blustery to have the party in our cockpit, so Les and Diane on ‘Gemini’ offered to host the party aboard their 42 footer. ‘Third Day’ brought mouth-watering homemade garlic foccacia bread and Halloween popcorn with hidden candy corns... and candy treats! Diane made a fresh salad, peanut butter cookies and had colorful balloons decorating the cabin.

Carolyne dressed up in as a witch, Amy a gypsy, Jason a pirate, and Tim a... well, a Tim. The party was phenomenal... good food, good friends, good times! Even without a real birthday gift (her new harmonica and how-to-play-it book is being held by friends in Santa Rosalia) she seemed to have such fun. Did Carolyne cry or throw a fit or even act disappointed? NO! She was so happy to be the center of attention and have a get-together with a pretty cake and balloons. A few small gifts were given... tokens that made her feel so special. We sang Happy Birthday to her and she beamed. I am so proud of my boat kid(s)!

For the grand finale, Carolyne had a sleep-over with 12 year old Amy off ‘Third Day’. Popcorn, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, good friend and giggles... Happy Birthday my little Halloween brujita!