Getting the birthday present right

IT'S A GOOD thing the women in my life are easy when it comes time to buying presents. Sheryl is pretty simple, and Emily goes with the flow.

I can still screw it up. The track record doesn't lie. Fortunately the most recent birthday present was a success, and it's very true that the gift giving is better than receiving.

Emily turned 26 yesterday. What the .... TWENTY SIX? She got some pretty cool birthday presents over the years, and she still has her Barry Sanders No. 20 Detroit Lions jersey we gave her when she turned ... 7? Something like that.

Emily spent her birthday teaching in Macomb, then driving to Quincy for a Quincy Symphony Orchestra practice (she is the guest artist at the Oct. 1 concert, much more on that next week). We are planning on helping her with a major purchase next month, but I wanted to do at least a little something for her big day.

So, as usual, I ran down to the Sweet Apricot in the Maine Center and Sara saved me.We picked out two really cool candles - Emily likes candles. See? Easy Peazy! I met Emily at her QSO practice and gave her the present and she was too busy to look in the bag, but she was happy.

I got home from working at The Whig last night about 11. My phone beeped. It was a text from Emily - "These candles smell amazing! Good job Dad - 10 out of 10, you nailed it!"

Nah, Emily. You've been nailing it for 26 amazing years. Thanks for putting up with your dorky and crazy dad, and I'm glad you had a good birthday.