The neighborhood women of the Church Relief Society, whom we call Sisters, invited all the women with October and November birthdays to a birthday luncheon, in true Relief Society fashion.  Mom drove herself up the street to join 20 other birthday girls.  She was so happy to associate with her friends, neighbors, and fellow Sisters.  And she enjoyed the soups—creamy chicken noodle and spicy chicken taco—not to mention the desserts.  Several Sisters stopped by with birthday gifts for Mom, including Barbara R., who brought a small loaf of banana bread (adding walnuts because Mom is “extra special”), Barbara N., who delivered a potted plant, because we all need to be near green living things, and Judy, with a fresh baguette and raspberry freezer jam, which went perfectly with our dinner of pork loin topped with a sweet deglaze of boiled dark stout Guinness and raspberry dressing.  Such events and interactions greatly enrich Mom’s life.