The Countdown: 5 Days

I made Cannoli Cake for my dad today. 

It's always been a bit of a tradition in my house to do that for his birthday - every year when I was little, I would help Mama make Daddy's cake.  The big glass mixing bowl we stirred it in always seemed so big to me back then. I thought it was the biggest bowl ever.

And I loved to eat the filling when she was done.  That was my favorite part.

We haven't made this cake for him for a few years because he was in school again - he's on his fourth major career now.  The apartment we were living in (part time, as we had kept our house and were back and forth) just did not have the space to make such an extensive cake.  It was really, really tiny, and the oven worked differently from the gas stove we have at our house.  Plus, he was busy a lot.  He lived in the library so that he could get all of his work done.  He's amazing - he graduated cum laude and everything.  And it's not like a Masters program is an easy one.

This year, I thought I would surprise him.  He's at work right now, and I've got everything almost done.  The light, fluffy cake is sitting upside down on the rack and cooling.  The orange-hinted ricotta and chocolate chip filling is in the outside refrigerator, waiting to be put in the cake when it's cool.  The orange juice is squeezed, the topping is defrosting (sort of...) in the fridge, and the chocolate chips are waiting to be heated.

I've never made this for him before on my own.  But this is special.  I'm not going to be here for his birthday this year.  I hate that very much, but I have classes that day, and there would be no way for me to get back home from school (even if it is only two and a half hours away) and get back in time for classes the next day. 

So, I thought I would do this for him while I could.  That way, I can still make it special for him even if I'm not with him on his birthday.  That way, this year can still be special, even if I'm so far away.

Just one last thing I have to say before I go finish up the cake - it's directed at a very special person in my life, who amazes me, inspires me to do my best, and pushes me to do better than my best.  

Happy birthday, Daddy.  Even if it's early, I still mean it.  I love you.