The featured picture at the head of this post leaves little doubt that there has been a birthday here at Serendipity Farmhouse. Unlike last year, however, family and friends could not come to join yours truly in the celebration this year. (Click here to see highlights from last year’s SFH Godzilla Birthday Bash.)

In times like these, certain sacrifices must be made, especially by those of us who are older than Godzilla. [Note: Yes, I am older than Godzilla because he first appeared in Ishirō Honda‘s film Godzilla  in 1954. Ergo, I preceded him by several years. Of course, one must remember that my long held belief is that “Godzilla is real and everything else is fake.” Based on that assumption, I must admit that Godzilla is probably older than I am.]

This year, my birthday party was a quiet affair. Beautiful Wife and Mr. Monte dedicated themselves to making it a grand and glorious day despite the fact that we must remain isolated on our vast 1.24 acre estate.

Our next door neighbors outdid themselves with creativity and humor. The large sign on the fence across from my office window was the very first thing I saw at sunrise. Lacking regular sign making materials they improvised with a huge length of sandpaper. The sign spoke for itself as did the bottle of wine. How can one ever forget a birthday when they receive a fine bottle of wine that says, “Happy social distancing!”?

Among my most highly prized gifts of the day was a piece of art that speaks directly and poignantly to the meaning of family and family traditions. Eight of my grandchildren, in simple drawings, illustrated their love for their grandfather and their strong desire to carry on the humor and sentiment of our family culture. These drawings also speak for themselves.

There you have it, dear readers. Through the dark clouds of these uncertain times, so many rays of sunshine and good cheer continue to shine through. A very sincere thank you to all who sent me presents, cards, and other forms of birthday greetings. May God greatly bless each and every one of you!