Jeffy's Birthday

     I admit it.  I didn't really think that we had to alter the plan for pizza night, just because it was Jeff's birthday.  I mean, I guess I should have, but I was thinking that we had planned a weekend with our friends with fabulous food and drink, so we didn't ahve to alter pizza night.  Then, the guilt monster started taking over, and I looked at the recipes that were scheduled for that day:  Tomato and Zucchini Turnovers and Felafel.  Hmmm, those didn't really sound like items that Jeff would like to eat.  He is pretty good about trying everything I make and not complaining about it, but it isn't really his "bag" to try all of these recipes.  I decided I should probably alter the evening a little bit to make it more Jeff-Birthday-Friendly.
     Early in the week, I had considered taking him out for pizza.  Shawn, a strange individual at work, went on and on about this new pizza place in Eagan that I needed to try.  This revelation came at 5:02pm, when I was waiting for the state reporting service to send me their last download of the day.  I didn't want to be rude and let him know that I was only listeneing to him to pass the time while waiting for the last electronic file of the day, but he was requiring responses.  Unfortunately, his diatribe ended up sounding like the teacher on the Peanut's Gang specials: wah wah-wah wah wah....  Blah blah blah pizza.  I asked what the name of the joint was, and he responded, but as far as I can recollect, it was "The Italian Pizza Place".  I am not really sure if this was the name of the place or his description of the place, or the words I invented to make up for the siren going off in my head.
     He almost had me convinced to try and find this place.  Especially since he had given me directions, and assured me, even thought I don't think he has any idea where I live, that it should by on my way home (haha), and if I went home first, it should only be 12 minutes to get there.  It was a very persuasive argument.
     I thought about the guest list.  Pam had already declined.  Jennifer had already declined.  Roger and the kids were a wild card.  They didn't usually come without Jennifer.  Jeff had strongly urged the Dahlens at the last pizza night that they should come back the following week for his birthday party.
     By Wednesday, I had decided that, at the very least, we were not going to have the scheduled recipes.  I had gotten a coupon in the mail for Papa Murphy's for new pizzas they had on their menu, and one of them had artichosked and chicken and a garlic sauce.  That soundedc almost excactly like the standartd fare we order from Umbria on the rare occasion we actually order delivered pizza.
     As I was contemplating the next evening while I was at work.  I decided I needed to know difinitively whether people were coming over.  Jennifer had texted me in the morning that she thought that Roger was planning on coming over, since it was Jeff's birthday.  He hadn't contacted me, and I wasn't sure that Paul remembered the invitation from last week.  I decided I needed to take the invitations by the hand and force a response.  I texted Roger and asked if he was planning on coming over tomororw.  He said, "of course!  It's Jeffy's birthday."
     I texted virtually the same message to Paul.  Instead of texting back, he called and asked why I would aske that.  I reminded him that Jeff had asked hnim last week if he would come, and while there was not a neceessarily definite response, I wanted to be certain about whether he and his family were coming or not.  There was a lot of dicussion about it, and without giving me an answer, he asked if I would call him when I got home, so he could discuss with Leslie and come up with some sort of plan.
     I called him when I got home, and he didn't answer.  I had already decided that we were not going to go out for pizza, we were going to have it here.  I gave Jeff the new and improved menu from Papa Murphy's and asked him to pick out the variety that he wanted.  He chose chicken-bacon-artichoke pizza.  It had all of the goodies of our usual Umbria Pizza - artichokes, garlic sauce, and chicken - but with bacon.
     Paul had called me back and said that, yes, they were planning on coming over.  He asked if he needed to make two pizzas.  I told him I didn't think that was necessary, and I warned him that my contribution wasn't going to be of the usual home-made variety, and let him know the reason why, although, he is pretty smart and probably intimated the reason on his own. 
    
     Half-way through my Thursday, our friend Patrick had texted to say that he was planning on coming tonight for Jeff's birthday.  Ok, then.  Since I had already told Paul that he didn't need to make two, and the Liggets sans Jennifer were coming, and Patrick's new fiancee was possibly coming, I figured I had better order two pizzas at Papa Murphy's just to be sure.
     Then, I had a melt-down at work.  It has always been a struggle to get the checks recorded in our system before they have to go to the bank.  I had so many interuptions during the day that I was unable to get all of the checks processed early enough for Jean (the one that goes to the bank) to feel comfortable getting there before the deadline.  She apparently did get there before three, but she got there with only seconds to spare, and she was uncomfortable with the time she was allotted.  She was annoyed and was harping on me about not turning my phone off or sending people away.  My philosphy is: later or tomorrow is going to be just as busy, if not busier, so just address it right away.  She apparently complained to the new CFO, who came to drill me about my procedures.  When I was explaining to him how it works (or doesn't, as the case may be), I found my voice getting higher and shakier until I burst out that I wasn't happy, and this situation that he has put me in just isn't working.
     He asked me if maybe Debi would like to come back to work part time.  HAH!  Let's see, give up unemployment for part-time work for a company that couldn't even bother themselves to thank her for the work she has done for them over the past four years, who didn't even have the decency to inform her supervisor before letting her go, and who didn't really value the position to begin with.  Sounds like a dream offer.  Oh, and all of this for below-market pay!
     I just had to stop by her house on the way to Papa Murphy's to tell her the story.  I knew that she would get a kick out of it.  She did. We giggled together briefly about the craziness of it all.  Then, I dashed off to Papa Murhpy's to get dinner.
     When I was there, I was thinking I should get Ham and Pineapple Pizza for the second pizza.  Jeff really likes the "Hawaiian".  The coupon I had didn't list that pizza as one of the options.  I figured that since it was a ":regular" flavor of pizza, it ought to be cheaper than the fancy flavors on its own.  However, they informed me that it would be TWO DOLLARS MORE!  I just couldn't believe it - they wanted more for ham and pineapple than chicken, artichokes, and bacon?  I couldn't bring myself to do it.  I ordered another "gourmet" pizza - the chicken mediterranean, because I felt I was getting more for my money that way.  Oh, and of course, I had to get the family size on both of them, because it was only two more dollars.
     I did feel guilty about it on the way home, though.  I know that if it were my birthday, Jeff would have spent any amount of money to get exactly the item that he thought I would want.
     When I got to the house, the Dahlens' car was already blocking the driveway.  I bustled my way inside with the pizzas, hoping to keep from missing out on any fun they may be thinking of having without me.  They apparently had just gotten there not too long ago.  As I may have mentioned before, it takes a few trips back and forth from their Honda to get everything inside that they need to have for the two babies.  Paul was already in full swing pizza-man mode.  He had already started preheating the oven and was clearing space for the massive disks of food I was bringing in.
      Roger and the kids showed up at about 6:30, and Patrick was shortly behind.  They all brought presents for Jeff on his birthday.  The Liggetts brought two cases of Diet Mountain Dew and two pounds of skittles.  My husband has an incredible sweet tooth, and cannot resist all of the gooey fruity sweets.
      Patrick brought some cigars that Jeff had left at his house in August, along with a book on how to bury your treasures.  Jeff is a burrier.  He always said that his last words are going to be, "I burried the millions just past the maple tree, over by the....."
     Paul and Leslie got him Noreast beer. It is local brew that they picked up on the way over.
     Paul had made, because of my comment that the wierd pizzas I make really aren't Jeff's bag, a regular pepperoni pizza.  Paul makes the best pepperoni pizza I have ever had.  The crust is always fluffy, with just the right amount of snap o the exterior of the crust.  There is never a shortage of pepperoni on the pizza, and the cheese is binding and tasty without trying to be the star of the show.
     I had a hard time deciding which of the two Papa Murphy's pizza I enjoyed more.  I thought for sure that the chicken-artichoke-bacon would have been my favorite.  What could go wrong there?  Unfortunately, I thought that the artichoke hearts had a little bit of a plastic flavor to them.  The mediterranean pizza, though, had these lovely sun-dried tomatoes that popped in your mouth.  They were sweet but hearty - almost meaty.  That, combined with the garlicky sauce underneath, was sheer harmony.  I think Jeff liked the sun-dried tomato one better, too.
     All in all it was a great evening.  It was great getting to see all four Dahlens for the second week in a row.  It was good to see Patrick, and it was fun having Roger and the kids over.  Jeff got some great gifts and didn't have to suffer through experimental pizza.  We did miss Karen, Jennifer, and Pam, though.