Today is Tom's 50th birthday, which certainly deserves a party, except that we are on drive-the-kids-back-and-forth to-the-track-meet duty. So the big party will be saved for next weekend, when I take him on a whirlwind overnight date to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Tonight's celebration will be limited to an appetizer tray of Stilton, olives, and sliced dates; lobsters; some sort of pretty salad; fresh bread; lemon gelato, poached pears, and raspberry sauce . . . a meal that will be birthday-like in deliciousness but also quick to compile during the moments when I am not driving around sweaty high schoolers in subzero temperatures.