Speaking of birthday cakes which I did in my previous post has gotten me thinking about life’s pleasant surprises. Recently, one of mine was a birthday cake homemade by my nephew’s wife Melane when we all went up to the New Hamsphire Maple Weekend in March. Yes – homemade and delicious! It took me completely by surprise. That has prompted a positive stream of consciousness for me as I pondered some other pleasant surprises in my life – a kiss in a silo, an off-key serenade from a boy in college, a handmade beaded necklace from my nieces, a congratulatory note from my sister, a note from my dad on my sixteenth birthday, a watermelon boat my sister-in-law made for a surprise party my family…