[From Doris] June 16, 2005

Friends and family,

Thanks for your birthday greetings! My June 10th birthday began on Thursday the 9th when a lady arrived at my door with a beautiful potted Oriental Lily. She told me she couldn't find any cosmos. I had no idea why she said that. She was delivering the flowers for her daughter, who lives 100 miles North.

When a friend dropped by later, I opened the door and saw that other friends had left a whole flat of little potted cosmos. Then, when I answered the doorbell later, another friend was offering me a six-pack of cosmos, and saying "Happy Birthday." This went on all the rest of the day with much laughter and joy for me and all involved.

It turns out our son John had grabbed our address book from our computer and mailed nearly everyone in it stating that, for those who wished to join in his fun project, a local garden store chain had cosmos on sale for $1.90 each and whatever people dropped off at our home, he would plant! He had recalled that I once expressed interest in a certain part of the front yard being full of cosmos because I recalled the beauty of a friend's plot of cosmos at her Los Altos home. Thursday evening, he was out turning soil.

I should point out that the address book included email ids for people we wouldn't have intended to email, such as our physician and Meryl Lynch advisor...and that made it all the more delightful when I received birthday greetings from the doctor and the gentleman from Meryl Lynch came by with cosmos!

Early in the evening of Friday, my actual birthday, John counted all of the six-packs that had arrived: 76 (456 individual plants). He took a picture of me with the six packs. Then, just before 9 pm, the "cutoff time" John had declared in his secret email, Lee and Janet drove up, anxiously pointing out that there were still 7 minutes left. They were delighted to find out that the six pack they brought was the 77th on my 77th birthday!

In subsequent days, others brought more cosmos. On Saturday, John started planting. By nightfall, he had planted about 240 plants in the front yard. On Sunday, friends Terry and Carl came and helped John add a few more plants to the front yard and almost all the rest in the back yard. Monday night, I planted a handful in the back (that was satisfying to do a little gardening) and John planted the rest. Our garden looks amazing. Just wait till this summer when they are more fully grown!

Thanks for the Birthday greetings, and for your cards and emails and phone calls and the amazing outpouring of cosmos.

Bob's gift for my Birthday was a bulb-planter, to help John with the task he brought on himself.

John thanks you, too, as your response was even greater than he could have hoped for. A much needed time of blessing for each of us. It totally amazed us. We all thank you very much.

Doris and Bob (and John)