I twisted and turned last night not getting the best of sleep wondering what my birthday would bring. My 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays were spent very quietly. I remember getting cards mostly from family.
Today I got up, had my breakfast with the men at my table and nothing was said. I looked in the menu at the back to see if my name appeared there but no such luck. I thought it would just be another day until I went out to my car and I could not believe my eyes: someone had put a banner on the side of the car wishing me Happy Birthday. Had it been the staff in Parkwood Manor? There were also three balloons attached to the windshield wiper with elastic bands. And to top it off, someone had drawn faces with a magic marker. I went back into the building to get my list of things I had to do and pick up. I thanked Eva for the surprise, however she showed no idea what I was talking about. I retrieved my list and headed for McDonald’s for my coffee break and possibly a meet-up with my morning coffee klatch who were there full of surprises. They told me that Craig had got up early and came to my car and planted the poster and balloons. I thanked them profusely.
What a surprise! To think that someone would go out of their way to make my birthday memorable. At noon hour I received an apology from one of the people at the front desk for not publishing my name in the menu. The director said that my name had been forgotten and that the residents at lunch hour would sing Happy Birthday to me and one other person with the same birthday.
I walked back to McDonald’s in the afternoon because the sun was shining with little chance of rain. Craig, Carmen and Dianne were there which is unusual because my afternoon coffee klatch people were there as well. (I recognized Craig’s van out in the parking lot) Anyhow they came with a birthday cake, strawberries and cheese. Craig put 80 candles on the cake, but as we got into it, Craig realized we could set off the fire alarm system – so he reduced them to eight making it more symbolic. I blew out the candles while they were taking pictures with their iPhones or iPads.
We stayed there until I had to leave for dinner. I walked home and checked my e-mail as I usually do. Lo and behold a message from Mary Ellen, my daughter from Nanaimo wishing me a happy birthday. She said in her e-mail that a present would be coming in the mail for me. I also received birthday greetings earlier from my daughter and son-in-law from Texas.
What a day it has been! And I will remember this for a long long time. Thanks to all who really cared about my eightieth birthday.
