Puttin on the Ritz~Spanish Style...Ole!

I love birthdays even when they’re not mine because I adore celebrating my loved ones and spoiling them. Planning surprises fills me with joy.

So, with my mother’s upcoming BIG birthday, I wanted to do something special.  Grand.  But she said she didn’t want a party.  Now really, who doesn’t want a party?  So, I accepted her preference for, well, let’s just say a nano-second.  Then good sense kicked in.  Since when do I listen to her anyway?

Mom is entering the next decade of life: Ninety. Isn’t that something to celebrate?  And she is someone special to celebrate, birthday or not.  So, what am I supposed to do?  Listen like a good daughter?  Give her a Hallmark card, a kiss on the cheek and say with enthusiasm, “Happy Birthday, Mom!”

Not happening.

Something this fabulous and joyous needs fanfare and if not from me, then from whom?

But she insisted she didn’t want a party.  And in my heart of hearts, I just couldn’t ignore this birthday. 

Mom and I are studying Spanish together and during a recent Spanish class, I suddenly had a thought. One of those ah-ha moments.  Wouldn’t it be fun to have a little surprise fiesta for her. Nothing big or fancy since 

I had already done that for her 70^th birthday, but something celebratory.

So, I contacted the professor and he agreed.  Fortunately at our next gathering, my mother was late.  No woman ever cancels her beauty appointment for anything or anyone.  More women have cancelled their doctor’s appointments rather than missing having cut and color.  And today was no exception. Mom was being dolled up.

So, as the Head Instigator, unanimously selected by an anonymous vote of three: me, myself and I, the conspiracy began to unfold in class with her absence.  I asked the class what they thought about having an impromptu party and they embraced the idea.  Other than my mother, who doesn’t love a reason to celebrate?  

One gal suggested that she would bring music.  The teacher said he would teach us how to sing, LAS MAÑANITAS, the Mexican Happy Birthday song.  I sing completely off key, so he may regret his kindness.  Maybe I’ll take pity on the great guy and bring ear plugs.  Or maybe I’ll just lip sync like I did in 7^th grade chorus.

Another gal planned to cut strips of paper for all the students to write birthday wishes which would then be rolled length-wise and tied with colorful ribbons and placed in a bowl.

At this point, my mind was spinning.  So, now we have music and messages, but that alone doesn’t make a party.  The conference room is bare, and at the very least, boring. Plain.  Simple.  Tables, chairs and a large write-on - wipe-off board. Ho-hum.

I can’t have a party for the Queen of Razzle Dazzle in a bare and boring room.  Not happening.

Off to the party store I flew.  I only had a few hours to plan this mini extravaganza.  I purchased pink, yellow, orange, violet and turquoise table cloths with matching balloons with complimentary ribbons that would be set in the middle of the table.  Since the theme is Mexico, I had to have a piñata, right?  But not a bull.  My mother is too feminine for Toro.  I found a darling paper mache piñata box topped with tissue paper flowers. Perfect!  It would make a great center piece on the table of goodies.

Pinata

The party was beginning to take form, but there were several problems.  I just couldn’t imagine the logistics of my plan. How do I drive with balloons in the car?  Talk about no visibility. Where would I keep the cake that would read, FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS HELENE!   I can’t keep the sheet cake in the frig. because she would see it and if a friend had room in theirs, I would have to impose upon my friend to bring it.  Then, there is the cutting of the cake.  After a few pieces, the knife is always covered with cake and frosting, so I’d need paper towels, a glass with water to clean the knife after each cut and paper towels to clean up.  What a mess.

Okay that won’t work.  Fortunately my mother loves Dunkin Donuts and I’d select them in all shapes and colors. They would look festive on the brightly colored trays, matching all of the decorations.

Speaking of decorations, where could I hide them? Where would I put the piñata, table cloths, paper plates without her discovering them?   So, I got sneaky.  What choice did I have? The only logical choice: In my car, of course~where else?!

 And so began the hiding of all things fiesta in the trunk of my car which is now loaded with all the party supplies. I hope the piñata won’t get crushed rolling around with all my boxes of teaching tools with each jerk of the brake as I drive to all the homes of my students prior to the party.

Back to the conference room:

Picture the classroom pre-surprise party:  Five tables pushed together.  Non-descript room, but great people and professor.  Most of the Spanish students have a place card on the table in front of themselves with their names written clearly.  While this helps us remember the names of our fellow classmates, I thought it would be more fun to jazz things up a bit…without my mother’s knowledge of course.

During one of the first sessions we attended, the professor asked us to describe ourselves.  Mind you, my mother hadn’t taken a Spanish class in seventy-six years.  So, she said only two words:  Fiesta Animal ~Party Animal.  You can imagine the roar of laughter that ensued.  When you think of a ninety year old woman, you certainly don’t picture her calling herself a party animal!  It was a hoot and after that she became the unsinkable Molly Brown, Mame mixed with a healthy dash of Mae West.

Get the picture?

So on one day, I brought a card which said:  CEO ~ Trouble-Maker International and placed it in front of her.  She couldn’t understand why everyone was laughing until she turned the card around and gave me a sharp elbow to the ribs.  In front of me was a card which read: Intern in Training.  The class roared.

At the surprise party, I will have a rhinestone crown and a devil's horn headband in her place at the table with a sign that reads:  Sugar and Spice, but sometimes Naughty and Nice!

Anyway, the Surprise Party is tomorrow and I am so excited to do a little something special for my mother.  Just do me a favor.  Don’t tell!  It’s a secret!  Ssssshhhhh!