My birthday is on December 30. Yep. Right there between Christmas and New Year's. It would be so easy for an end-of-year birthday to get lost in the midst of all the busyness of the holidays. So it's nice to have friends and family who work hard to make the day special, even in the midst of all the activity surrounding it.
Of course, Doug always wants to do something special for my birthday. I'm usually the one who doesn't want to go out in the cold and would prefer to just stay home and maybe watch a movie or something. That was the plan for this year until my dear friend, Sandy, sent me an e-card with an invitation to go out for supper that night with her and Jim, then come back to their house for cake.
She said the magic word: cake. It was worth going out into the cold for Sandy's chocolate sheet cake.
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| This was what our drive to Jim and Sandy's house looked like. |
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| The Amish were out in their open buggies, making me feel like a wimp. |
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| A waitress at the Italian restaurant snapped this picture of the four of us. |
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After cake and ice cream at Jim and Sandy's house, Jim shared a moment with their cat, Abby.
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Jim and Sandy have a history of celebrating my birthday with dinner followed by chocolate cake and ice cream. Sometimes the dinner is home-cooked in Sandy's kitchen. Sometimes it's shared with her kids or grandkids. Always, it's shared with love. Sandy and Jim are special friends, whose friendship I've enjoyed for some 40 years now. I think it's going to last.
Happy Birthday, Linda. I think it was definitely worth-while to brave the cold in order to celebrate with such good friends. By the way, my daughter's birthday is January 1, so she says her birthday is always a big deal.
ReplyDeleteWell, George, at least your daughter gets fireworks on her birthday. ;)
DeleteIt WAS worthwhile to brave the cold to spend the time with our friends...and to eat that chocolate cake!
Happy Birthday, Linda! You have the best friends and husband, too.
ReplyDeleteLeave it to the Amish to put everything in perspective. LOL I'm always in awe of their lifestyle and practicality.
We HAVE been blessed with good friends, Toni. Another couple drove fifty miles (one way) to see us and celebrate my pre-birthday earlier in the week. And, yes, the Amish do put things into perspective.
DeleteA belated Happy Birthday, dear Linda! I am so glad for that special couple in your life who works at celebrating YOU and your special day! Your pictures of the snow are so pretty. Open buggies in the temperatures that you've been having...the Amish are quite brave. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for the belated birthday wishes, Dianna. We're blessed to have good friends in our lives, for sure.
DeleteHow nice to have such special friends.... That certainly makes one's birthday even more special.... Happy Belated Birthday... AND--Happy New Year!!!!
ReplyDeleteI thought about you last week. We took George's daughter (who lost her husband in November) to Gatlinburg for Christmas.. Kelly had never been to Gatlinburg. We stayed 3 nights --and took her to Elkmont, Ogle Cabin, Greenbriar, and Cades Cove.. We wanted to take her up to Newfound Gap -but the road was closed due to Ice/snow.... It was COLD while we were there --but we think that we were able to bring some JOY to Kelly during this hard holiday season....
Stay WARM these days...
Hugs,
Betsy
That was such a sweet thing you did for Kelly. I'm sure it meant a lot to her. And, yes, I do consider myself blessed to have such good friends.
DeleteI like what the drive to your friends' house looked like, and with a cake in mind, it must have been full of anticipation! :) Good to hear you could celebrate your birthday with people who are close to your heart.
ReplyDeleteThat was a cold and snowy drive, Petra. But I have to admit that it WAS pretty. And the cake was wonderful. Sandy even sent home leftovers with me. Doug and I just finished them off for lunch today.
Deletei am glad you are remembered well. It can be a fast pace through the holidays and forget a few first and last of the year birthdays.I'll fly away is one of my favorites also. I wake usually with a tune and hum all day.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve. I've never really had any complaints about the timing of my birthday. So we share a love of chocolate sheet cakes and "I'll Fly Away." ;)
DeleteHappy belated birthday. Sounds like you have some great friends. Definitely worth keeping.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruth. Jim and Sandy ARE good friends and definitely worth keeping.
DeleteHappy belated Birthday Linda...I think it was definitely worth getting out in the cold to share fellowship and your birthday with good friends. Glad you had a good evening !!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Happytrails. It was a really nice birthday. And we enjoyed a really nice New Year's Eve the next day. That's more social activity than we usually have in a month! ;)
DeleteBelated Happy Birthday! It looks like yall had fun. Friends for 40 years is too be treasured. I am wimpy too when seeing the Amish in snow
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kim. I treasure all my friends, of course; but you're right that a 40-year friendship is a special treasure, for sure.
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