Pie In Your Face

Stepping into my living room is like stepping into a time warp.  With piles of gaily wrapped presents and a small tree (with a couple of decorations), it still looks like Christmas is about to happen.  There are also birthday presents, and I'm not sure whether they are for this year or from last year.  Having Christmas in stages as the players appear does extend the holiday, but when I have to start dusting packages and ribbons it's time to do something.  I have hatched a plot.  Given schedules and distance, the family doesn't often get together for birthdays.  Craig lucks out because his is either within a day or two of or on Thanksgiving.  Deb's is in the middle of summer and coming up here in the heat would be a punishment, not a pleasure.  Pete, whose birthday is in April, is in southern California and the best we northerners can do is wave in his general direction.  Larry, Dave, and Clay clump together in January and February, and therein lies the plot.  I'm coordinating a date for a Birthday Pie-Fest!  (I'm not above bribery.)  All I had to do to lure Dave was say "homemade butterscotch," and he took the bait.  We are all pie lovers and much prefer pie over cake any day.  Deb's favorite is buttermilk pie, and Craig gets very possessive of pecan pie.  My personal delight is lemon meringue.  I'm waiting to hear what Larry would like (I'm guessing apple), and Clay - well, Clay says it is cook's choice.  I recently saw a recipe for a cappuccino ice-cream pie, just for something different, but then there's always the very decadent Banoffee.  It will mean a few days in the kitchen to please everyone, but it's worth it to see the Kids again.  What kind of mother serves her children nothing but pie(s) for dinner?  The kind who wants to clear Christmas out of her living room.