A Birthday Surprise Revisited PennyD!
from old photography books, magazines, newspapers, and today a letter
This is a "Twice Told Tuesday" told thrice, this year on Sunday. A story told to you in 2009 by a very special guest and reprinted because it and the subjects are two of my favorites. This post is a forever favorite. On our birthdays our thoughts turn to our Mothers. Without them we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't be the people we have become. A remembrance, a birthday celebration and another year PennyD!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PENELOPE DREADFUL/FAMILY CURATOR
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Dear Daughter,
Miss Penelope and your Shades and Curator fans want to share this special day with you. A Curator, as you have learned, is a person responsible for managing, organizing and preserving historical and treasured items. You have always been good at keeping things. You certainly have the experience for this since you've hung on to friends, animals, letters, pictures, clothes, and even an old pork chop bone which we found under your bed. I wonder what the history of that bone would have been? I hate to imagine.
As far as Miss Penelope is concerned, I am sure she was first born during the many childhood books you read and the stories which you heard from your Grandma Arline. In fact, sometimes I believe you are talking about your Grandma and all the adventures she had and the men who had been in her life.
I will never be sorry now that I dumped 5 large boxes of Mama's pictures and letters on you when I moved to Arizona.
I think Mama knew that her life in the early 1900's would be of interest to others in this day and age. Mama would be thrilled that you have shared her life with others in such a unique way.
Have a Great Birthday and never stop your writing as you continue to enrich and entertain others.
Love Mom
Mom is the beautiful Suzanne. Denise Levenick (Penelope Dreadful and The Family Curator) is her daughter.
Your happy birthday now is here.
I hope you're well and hearty! If I lived near you, my dear,
I'd surprise you with a party.
Happy Birthday BFF from all your fans!
We lift our glasses!
We lift our glasses!
And as good as this story, was Denise's response:
Sources:Photograph:
Denise & Mom. 2009. Digital Image. Anonymous. Acquired from Denise Levenick's Facebook page. 2009.
The Family Curator woke with a start and the realization, "Hooray, it's my birthday!" quickly followed by the horrid thought, "will anyone remember???"
Junior, the cat, looked up from his nest in the covers and blinked in reply, "We’ll see."
Although the sky was just beginning to show the first signs of dawn, the Curator sprang from bed to retrieve a cup of morning brew from the kitchen. In a few minutes, she was back in bed with cat and coffee, cruising the internet for the day's news.
WorldVitalRecords.com FREE for three days! at GeneaMusings
Blog Type Spotlight – Crafts and Charts Blogs at GeneaBloggers
Twice Told Tuesday - A Birthday Story at Shades of the Departed
That sounds interesting, the Curator thought. It’s my birthday too, I’d like to read a little birthday story.
But before she could click through to the page, the telephone rang. It was her good friend Penny Dreadful.
“Well, I never,” said Penny breathlessly. “Have you seen Shades yet today? Can you even believe it?”
Without waiting for the Curator’s reply, Penny went on, “How in the world did footnoteMaven and Mom get in cahoots? I can scarcely believe it.
The Curator was understandably confused. What in the world was Penny talking about? Quickly logging on to Shades, she discovered the article in question and shrieked in surprise as she read the headline, “This is a Twice Told Tuesday with a twist. . . Happy Birthday to You. . Penelope Dreadful/Family Curator,” and then with tears streaming down cheeks, the Curator read on, “Dear Daughter. . .”
“Penny,” she said to her friend, “how do you think this happened? How did Mom connect with footnoteMaven to publish this story today?”
“I can’t even imagine,” replied Penny. “The Maven doesn’t know anything about the pork chop. I have never mentioned it to anyone, and if you didn’t tell her, and Denise didn’t tell her, it had to have been Mom. She never was very good with secrets, but this time she surprised us all.”
“She certainly did. Mom isn’t on Facebook, she doesn’t Tweet and she managed to trump us all with her tech savvy. Pretty soon we may be seeing her on Blogger.”
~~~
Dear footnoteMaven and Mom, and all my geneablogging friends,
Thank you for a WONDERFUL birthday surprise. I am truly overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness and love. This gift is destined to be remembered and preserved in the family archives, thank you.
xoxo, Denise/FamilyCurator/Penny