Birthday Weekend

On Saturday, 22 March, I turned 57.

O.K. had arrived the evening before, and so when I woke up on Saturday, of course he was the first person to wish me a Happy Birthday.

Having a birthday is fun! Especially if the day starts with spring sunshine and birdsong, and presents brought right to your bed by the man you love :-)

After our first mug of coffee, we got ready to go out for breakfast at a café in town. Apart from New Year's Day and one or two other occasions throughout the year, we do not have booze for breakfast, but we had a glass of prosecco each on that day.

Tummies well filled, we strolled across the sunlit market square and bought flowers for the party venue. Next stop was the bakery where I had ordered savoury food and a cake. We carried those things to the gatehouse, and O.K. had a little tour of the place - it was the first time he was inside, since he had not been at either the party last autumn nor my sister's in January.

In the meantime, I did the flowers, and we went back to my place, where we rested for a bit; I replied to messages on my phone and emails and then prepared some more food for the evening's buffet.

I had ordered a giant Brezel (typical Swabian food) from the bakery.

Usually, a regular Brezel is eaten just as it is, or with butter. But for a party Brezel, all sorts of things can go on it.

My colour scheme was supposed to be yellow and pale blue, but there weren't any pale blue flowers, so I opted for these freesias to go with the yellow tulips.

We both changed into more party-like outfits and were back at the gatehouse a little after 5:00 pm, which gave us plenty of time for the final preparations before the party officially started at 6:00 pm.

My guests started to arrive, bearing flowers, gifts and (my sister and my Mum) contributions to the buffet.

Originally, I had invited about 20 friends and family, some of which I already knew weren't coming, mostly for health-related reasons. I still expected there to be 14 of us, but I didn't know there were going to be two surprise guests - only my sister knew: My cousin and his wife! Now, that may not sound all that surprising, but let me explain: They live in Paris, and the last time I saw my cousin was in 2022 when he came for my Dad's funeral. The last time I saw his wife was even longer ago. My uncle, about whose death I wrote in February, was his Dad. They had just been at the village where my aunt (his Mum) still lives, to help sorting things in the house etc., and were on their way back to Paris, stopping in Ludwigsburg just for the one night, and putting in a surprise appearance at my party.

When I saw my cousing walking in, for a moment I was so overwhelmed that I had to cry a little.

And remember how I also told you about our closest childhood friends, a pair of sisters as well, who lived next door in the terraced house, and how two years ago we rekindled the old friendship, and they went to the Heaven 17 concert with us? Anyway, the two sisters and their husbands were also there (not as a surprise, this time!), and the four of us re-created a photo from our childhood, trying to assume the same poses we took back then, when the youngest of our quartet was only 4, and the oldest 8. This was fun, and I would love to show you the old and new picture to compare, but the others don't want to be published on my blog.

Anyway, it was a good party, and we left with the last guest at about 1:30 am. I was in bed at around 2:15 am but, as is usually the case after such an event, didn't sleep much.

We got up early again on Sunday (23 March) and were at my Mum's for 9:00 am, because my cousin and his wife were going to pop in there before starting on the long drive to Paris. It was so good to catch up with them.

My sister, O.K. and I then went to the gatehouse to clean and put everything back in order. It took the three of us only a couple of hours, and after we had taken everything that was mine (much of the drinks were left, and of course there were my presents and flowers) back to my place in O.K.'s car, I had a nap - actually, I was on my bed for about 1 1/2 hours, drifting in an out of sleep.

But I felt rested enough afterwards to arrange the flowers and presents and take these pictures:

Of course I did not leave all bouquets on the coffee table, I just put them there for the photo, but now one is in the kitchen, another one in the study, and one in my tiny hallway.

We had coffee and leftover cake, and then set off for a sunset walk across the field, briefly stopping at the cemetery where I left a small heart-shaped natural rock at my Dad's bird.

By the time we were back, it was dark, and I prepared a light and quick evening meal for us while O.K. packed his bag. 

After he left for the long drive home, I spent the rest of the evening on the settee, watching the news first and then a Danish series I have recently started on. Once I knew that O.K. had arrived home safely, I went to bed, happy after such a great birthday weekend.