What an Easy and Mellow Way to Turn 74

Witness the wonderful "personalized" chocolate cake Jim Breeden made for my birthday along with one of his gourmet meals:  to say it was Caesar Salad with chicken does not convey the rich taste, with home-made croutons, and all.
It was the climax of my eating my way through my turning 74, with kind and sweet friends helping me slip through this happy pause in what Gary Gach wished will be my "Happy Continuation."
For the subliminal level that was connected with food:  Thank you, Martha and Carrie, for the candle stuck on a pint of hard-to-find Three Twins Cardamon ice cream. Thank you, Dana, Bud, and Doris, for brunch at the restaurant at the south end of the Ferry Building: artichoke, chard, and gruyere cheese omelet.  Thank you to the two Pauls for dinner at the Pacific Cafe:  salmon bisque, halibut parmesan, and Mitchell's strawberry ice cream.  Thank you, Fred, for dinner at that French restaurant near Laguna Honda Hospital:  onion soup, flounder with capers, and floating island (meringue).   And in all those places, with all those meals, wonderful conversation.