While paused in Tucson as Temporary Bachelor Man, I recently had a birthday come and go with minimal associated excitement.  This was the plan; we’d have a small party when I got back to Vermont with Temporary Bachelorette Woman and her trusty sidekick.  So I didn’t think much about my birthday until today, when I received the most incredible hand-made birthday card in the mail.

Our friend Lou W (a sweet lady who, along with her husband Larry have hosted us several times at their home in Ohio) makes cards for every occasion.  She has an incredible home office which is stuffed with every sort of rubber stamp, paper, ribbon, glue, lace, stencil, and paper punch that you can imagine.  All of this is neatly organized for efficient card-making whenever the occasion should arise.  Emma, being a “crafty” sort of kid, likes to go down into the basement office and make things under Lou’s direction.

Lou’s card for my birthday was so special I felt it deserved public recognition, so here it is:

ABOVE:  As received.  Note the ribbon at the bottom.  Pull this, and the top illustration flips backward to reveal …

“Keep on rolling”.  Pull again on the ribbon and it becomes …

… a hand drawn illustration of a little trailer parked in the sun.  Pull again on the ribbon, and you find …

… encouragement?  Recognition?  Perhaps both! And the arrow directs you to continue the Road Trip by opening the card at last.

Inside, signatures of Lou & Larry, their daughter Loren and soon-to-be son-in-law Mike, and some surprise bonuses!  I had directed our friends Bert & Janie Gildart to Lou & Larry’s home for the finest courtesy parking in Ohio, and they arrived to find “Artist@Large” Michael Depraida courtesy parking as well.  You can see their signatures as well.  All are wonderful friends we made while traveling in our Airstream.

We’ll see you all soon.  I know we’re going to intersect with the Gildarts in late September, in Virginia, and we’ll see Michael at the next Alumapalooza if we don’t run into him earlier while out west this winter.

Finally, on the very back, Lou’s personal stamp and a bit of advice.  Lou, you didn’t have to tell me!  This one’s a keeper.  Thanks to you, and everyone else, for a really special birthday card. Now it feels like my birthday.