Friday 23 March 2018

The Fun Has Begun!

The two weeks I was talking about here are over. I have now been around for half a century plus one day. 
The fun has begun yesterday and will extend all through Monday - if you count the week off that O.K. and I will enjoy together next week, even longer. And if you count Easter, which will be spent partly with my folks and partly with O.K.'s, there is no end in sight to celebrating!

I worked all day yesterday, spending the day on the 9th floor of my client's office building (I've showed you the view from there before). At 6:00 sharply, my last meeting for the day was over, and I rushed home. At 6:23 I arrived at my flat, hair wet from the sleety rain that had surprised me on the 20-minute walk home.
At 6:30, the doorbell rang and my first guest arrived.

As the Big Birthday Bash is going to happen on Sunday, I kept things deliberately modest yesterday. I only asked my immediate family over so that we could clink glasses on me. My sister and my parents brought flowers and savoury snacks while I provided the champagne.
The doorbell rang again, and a couple of neighbours brought flowers. Of course I asked them in for a glass of champagne, too. And then, the best of all possible birthday surprises happened when the doorbell rang once more to reveal O.K., who had spent more than 2 hours on the very busy motorway just to celebrate my birthday with me!

I had really had no idea that he was coming; we both knew it was a week night and he'd be here for the weekend. More flowers!

We were all happily chatting away, drinking champagne and nibbling snacks, occasionally interrupted by a phone call. All day already at work, every time I came back to my desk I found that my (private) mobile phone showed new messages of people who had been trying to reach me, thinking I was having the day off.

The flowers, the cards, the presents, the lovely, lovely people - it was rather overwhelming. Every year I am surprised and immensely grateful for having so many people in my life who like me and show their friendship and appreciation by being in touch, sending cards, ringing or visiting. Some of you, my dear friends here in blogland, have sent me cards and presents, too - that is so wonderful! Thank you, all of you!


Today, I left work earlier than usual to do some badly needed window cleaning. Much as I like all sorts of house work (and I really do like ironing), I detest window cleaning. The reason is that they never turn out as good as I want them, and with my eyesight going from bad to worse, it is even more difficult to make a proper job of it. Anyway, it is done now, and I have time to write this post before I'll meet my Mum at the Music Hall for a concert. We are going to see our favourite live band, three men from Vienna who play only their own compositions on two guitars and a violin. I told you about them before and have posted a video of them playing, for instance here. I am looking forward to an evening of great live music.

Tomorrow, my relatives from Yorkshire (and elsewhere in England) will be arriving, as well as O.K. We are going to meet them at the airport and spend the rest of the day with them. Then there is the Big Birthday Bash on Sunday - more on that after the event :-)

Let me end this post with a picture of the prize I have prepared for the winning team of my very own pub quiz: six piccolo bottles of champagne, decorated with hearts cut out of the same paper used for my invitation cards.


As I have said, The Fun Has Begun!!!

24 comments:

  1. I do hope you have a wonderful and memorable week end - one that will leave memories for the rest of your life. Happy Birthday.

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    1. Thank you, Pat! So kind of you to comment on here when I know it is a particularly difficult time for you.

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  2. To reach a half century is an achievement worth marking. By the sound of it this weekend will be very special. Enjoy!

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    1. Thank you, Neil! Yes, it will be special in many ways, and I hope everybody else will enjoy it as much as I do.

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  3. Happy Birthday, dear Meike! Happy Birthday and weekend, and week and happy birthday year! Congratulations for all you have achieved this first half century, and best wishes for all the joy that will come in the next fifty years!

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    1. Thank you, Kristi! Yes, here's to the next 50 years!!

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  4. You deserve every single bit of love and appreciation you have been shown! I love all of your cards and flowers. Enjoy the rest of the celebrations!

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    1. Thank you, Jennifer, that is so kind! We've been having a lovely afternoon and evening with the relatives from England. Now it is time to get a few hours of sleep before the next part tomorrow!

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  5. Please add my happy birthday wishes for your 50th. The "Big 5-0" as we say here, is indeed a milestone and, believe me, it only gets better. Hope you have many, many more.

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    1. Thank you, Jill! The last year was my worst in a lomg time, health-wise, so I am confident it will indeed get better.

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  6. What a wonderful time you are having! It makes me so happy to read of your joy. I vaguely remember turning 50 - haha- I had two teenagers that year! Yikes. Wishing you all the best!!

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    1. Thank you, Nan! We did indeed have a wonderful time, and now O.K. and I are ready for our 3-day spa break, and then Easter celebrations with our families.

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  7. I spy my little card and tiny present on the left side! :-)
    I really love that you made those hearts from the same as your wallpaper, so clever!
    Happy Birthday celebration!

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    1. Thank you, Kay! My Big Birthday Bash was fabulous - I have just paid the bill and think it was worth every cent :-)

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  8. Many happy returns Meike, I hope your day was wonderful and that you have a lovely party on Sunday with all your friends and family. :)

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    1. Thank you, Karen! Every minute of the last few days was wonderful, and the party definitely the best I ever had. Hard to top...!

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  9. Hope all went well with the celebrations, and I hope your Easter week ahead will be good, too!

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    1. Thank you, Monica! The celebrations were all great, it was so good to see the family from England, too. Now we are ready for our spa break, get some rest :-)

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  10. Been slow reading blog posts this week so this is a belated congratulations and I hope the weekend was perfect :)

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    1. Thank you, Fi! It was perfect in my opinion - even the weather played along. There will be several posts to catch up with events when I am back home after Easter.

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  11. I hope it's all been wonderful, Meike! I haven't been getting around to blogs lately so I'm sorry for not congratulating you before. The gifts and flowers are a wonderful sight - and how fantastic of O.K. to brave hours of traffic. I hope you're enjoying the spa - or perhaps you're now back home for Easter! So I had better wish you a happy Easter too!

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    1. Thank you, Jenny! Everything was great - even the weather played along! I came back yesterday and will leave again later today for the rest of the long Easter weekend.

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  12. I'm so glad that everything went so well for you Meike. Unfortunately my comment only comes after the party because I was hors de combat from your birthday until this Tuesday. I hope that the year ahead is a Really Good One for you - particularly for your health.

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    1. Thank you, Graham! I hope you are better now after your latest stint in hospital. My health really has not been the best as of late, but I am optimistic about the next months following my operation.

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