Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) Members of a surprise birthday gang celebrate Karen Baserman's "Alice in Wonderland" birthday with high tea at Willows Edge Tea Room in Mukilteo. From left, Kathy Volkert (Cheshire Cat), Kathy Armstrong (Mad Hatter), Marilynn Lilly (Queen of Hearts), Delores Griffin (Tweedle-Dee), Karen Baserman (Alice) and Betty Porter (White Rabbit).   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, June 16, 2008 Birthday gang has a knack for surprises By Kristi O'Harran, Herald Columnist Betty Porter of Edmonds is pulling a great prank today via this column. It's her way to "get" her best friends, who surprise one another for each birthday and have no idea they are in today's newspaper. It's not your typical, meet-for-lunch group. Kidnapping is on the menu and it's more delicious if the victim is still in her jammies. Members aren't even safe out of town. Some 10 years ago, six Edmonds women, who go way back as friends to their kids' school days, began meeting for birthday luncheons. Lots of friends do that, but there's such a marvelous twist. They began abducting one another. Someone doing her 5:30 a.m. walk was captured for breakfast. Victims often go along with "bed head" and no makeup. That woman gets back at them by snatching the next birthday girl, in her bathrobe, to visit a funky cafe. Another time the target rode the Seattle Ducks, those amphibious vehicles that take you around town and into the water. The recipient had to wear a duck costume. Someone got to catch and throw fish at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. Once they celebrated a party while the birthday woman got her hair done. The six masterminds who prank one another are Kathy Armstrong, Karen Baserman, Delores Griffin, Marilynn Lilly and Kathy Volkert. "Before you know it, 10 years have passed and the birthday celebrations continue with six of the craziest women I know," Porter said. Most go to bed the night before their birthdays with hair done and makeup on, just in case. "Keep your best bathrobe handy," Porter said. The last party, for Armstrong, was at Chopsticks Restaurant in Everett. The birthday girl, totally surprised, had to dress like Little Red Riding Hood and became part of the evening's show. Each woman holds a special place in Porter's heart: Golfer Karen Baserman helped Porter through her recent retirement from Senior Services of Snohomish County. Baserman is retired from her job as a banking executive and was cognizant of the needs and pitfalls of this new stage of life. Boating buddy Kathy Armstrong, hysterically funny, is the person you want on your planning committee for any event. She always goes the extra mile for helping, organizing and cleaning up and is generous beyond words. Kathy Volkert is the neighborhood welcome wagon. She finds fun in everything and is a willing participant in all things silly. Party planner Marilynn Lilly hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner for 50 people, for Porter's son. A fabulous cook, catching her at home is the trick. She is a frequent traveler. A passionate shopper, Delores Griffin enjoys every party and adds some of the most inspired contributions. She's had successful careers as a nurse and in business and recently returned to nursing in the mental health field. And the group doesn't mind getting up early. For one Porter birthday, they took two ferries and found her on her boat in Port Townsend by 8 a.m. "What a hoot," Porter said. "I was given a flimsy robe to wear to brunch." Last year her birthday seemed unusually sedate, with a lovely dinner at Silver Lake -- then she was blindfolded and rode bumper cars and water boats at Funtasia in Lynnwood. "I came home soaked," Porter said. What was their all-time favorite prank? Kathy Armstrong planned an elaborate bridal shower for Kathy Volkert's daughter. She rented tableware, ordered corsages, and sent the invitations. Tee hee hee. It was actually her surprise birthday party, not a shower at all. The invited guests were all clued in and kept mum. There wasn't even a wedding coming. Armstrong was sent the only invitation to the fake nuptials, to set up the charade. The greatest part of the best-ever surprise party? Armstrong did all the cooking. Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.

1. Everett may add 20,000 residents 2. The cost of dying 3. Heating bills: Will yours get bigger? 4. Boeing, Machinists contract talks underway 5. Option Arm loan program killed Washington Mutual 6. Look into the crystal ball 7. Police believe '91 slaying was drug related 8. Brockman's final chance at glory 9. Students, faculty cheer new school 10. Taxes, U.S. 2 top issues in race 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Shorecrest upsets Meadowdale behind fine defensive effort • 'Free' solution to costly problem? • King's beats Archbishop Murphy, takes over lead in Cascade Conference • One sweet training program • Who says white men can't rap? • Anonymous parent salvages snacks at school • Court move's plans raise questions • Jackson prevails in overtime thriller • Meadowdale's Moore-Taylor runs wild • Paine Field airline service strongly supported by 71 percent of web surv ... • Verizon launches FiOS TV in Washington State • Leisure Time Events - September 2008 • September 2008 • State needs to establish north county campus to meet growing technology ... • Future software programs may be based online • Visit two unusual Paine Field aviation museums for historic and futurist ... • Mothers launch Kids ‘N’ Clay pottery studio to provide children with cre ...