50th Birthday

 

Deanne asked me what I wanted for my 50th birthday dinner and I said Costco hot dogs and soda.  She rolled her eyes and said, "Come on, what do you really want?"  She just would not believe it, but that is what I really wanted.  I like the hot dogs and all you can drink root beer is never a bad thing, especially when the kids rarely get soda.  We limit them to just water when we hit a fast food establishment for the dollar menu.  That way we can keep our McDonald's tab to around $30 per visit.  It is very entertaining to go through the drive through lanes and order thirty 99 cent double hamburgers and 15 waters, then listen to that awkward pause in the speaker while the otherwise capable order taker tries to figure out if they heard you correctly.  As a side note - Did you know the digital display boards at most of the drive-throughs don't go to double digits?  Little things large families find out....  Anyway, back to my sophisticated birthday dinner.  

After many attempts to get a real answer out of me before I left for work yesterday morning, Deanne was just going to make what she knew I would like.  Then sometime during the day, I received an email wherein she relented to my wishes.  She said it was out of respect and if she told me something like that, she would want me to comply.  But it also might have been a busier day than she anticipated, so the Costco option sounded better and better as the day wore on.  Either way, she was a good sport and a fantastically supportive wife, as always.  I have to disclose here that part of my motivation for the Costco hot dog dinner was to keep her from having to make another large formal meal.  She has done a few of those lately.  

As we sat there eating Deanne asked how many fathers go to Costco for hot dogs and soda with 14 children for their 50th birthday.  That was easy.... just ONE!!

 

The kids were happy.  I was happy.  Mom was happy.  And we didn't get too many stares as the Walker family lined the wall taking up 4 tables.

 

$27.49 - not bad for a dinner for 16. Last time Deanne and I went out, we went to the new Longhorn Steakhouse by our house and  bought the Sirloin for two and I think that was $28.   After I ordered the 15 tube steaks and the chicken bake, I got the usual awkward pause by the cashier. Except this time, since it was not in a drive-through,  I was able to SEE the confused look on the cashiers face while she paused. Then she actually asked if I was kidding.  It was quite comical. 

I splurged on Deanne and bought her the Chicken Bake. 

She is not a big hot dog fan.  See what I mean about her always being supportive?