Tammy's Birthday
Lubec’s American Legion, Post 65, open year-round, is one of our favorite organizations. The Legion is open to everybody, member or guest. There are three branches of membership: Veterans, Sons of Veterans, Daughters of Veterans. I am a Son, born in the Bremerton, Washington Navy Yard December 18, 1944. Anyone can be a guest at the Legion. Any member can sign in the guest; both remain inside the Legion.
The Daughters are known as the Women’s Auxiliary. The Women’s Auxiliary is the most active branch of Post 65. The Auxiliary women usually sit at one of the big, round six-foot tables. They literally hold “round table” discussions while chatting and enjoying a beverage. They talk of present and future activities for the Auxiliary. They all are good friends and know each other’s strengths and plan accordingly.
A Surprise for Tammy
About a month ago, during one of their round tables, someone remarked that Tammy, a Daughter, was having her 60th birthday. They also noted that Tammy, always quiet, didn’t want it to be known or to have her birthday celebrated. Obviously, this called for a surprise birthday party at the Legion.
Well, the best night to have a Legion birthday is on a Saturday night. And, to have the party be a surprise, the party was planned for September 12, a week or so before Tammy’s birthday.
Tammy loves Nature’s birds and animals, maintaining 14 hummingbird feeders during the summer with help from her gardens. Tammy, a sweet person by nature, does not like sweets.
A Meatloaf Birthday Cake
The Auxiliary ladies would not be denied. Morgan, West Quoddy Station’s Head Gardener, makes and decorates the best cakes, particularly for Legion events. It was decided that Morgan would make a meatloaf cake with whipped mashed potato frosting, finished off with florets of broccoli and potato.
Morgan showed off her creativity and outdid herself, producing a two-layer cake, each layer having two layers of meatloaf. Morgan knocked it out of the park! There was also chocolate cake and gingerbread.
Saturday Night at the Legion
Patricia and I arrived at 5:30 just as the first part of Tammy’s birthday celebration was winding down. We had just missed the lobster and steamer feed that had started about an hour before. Candi, the bartender, who also works at West Quoddy Station, provided us with two boiled lobsters and a couple of pounds of steamers to take home.
Ordering our drinks, we joined everyone celebrating Tammy’s birthday.
Tammy wore a tiara over her ball hat. She graced the room as she opened her gifts and talked with each of us. We visited and chatted with each other. This was Saturday night at the Legion, all of us acting as if this was our party, not just Tammy’s.
Once again, Lubec’s sense of community predominated, bringing us all together.
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