Happy Birthday

BIRTHDAY ONE - SURPIRSE
  I have never  been  one that  makes a big fuss about  birthdays,  probably because  I am useless when it comes to birthdays  I can remember  that  it is someone's  birthday,  on the  day   of their birthday I will phone,  them talk to them,  and  still forget to wish  them  and this is including  my sisters  and  my "bestest"  friend........  but my friend  Judy......  well  she  just  loves  birthdays........  and  I mean  she  just LOVES BIRTHDAYS.....  I  mean  just  LOVES BIRTHDAYS......... 

And  so  this  year  I  decided  to  give  her  a  surprise  birthday  party......  as  I  met  friends  I  invited  them  to  the  party,  a  surprise  party  at the  farm,  Saturday  at  4o'clock...............  in the  end  I  forgot  how  many  people  I  had  invited  so  when  it  came  around  to  catering.........  well  I  took  my  best  guess  and  worked  on  that.
Kayla  and  I  worked  all  Saturday,  making  salads,   frying  sausage  and  crumbed chicken ,   decorating  platters  of  cold  meats,  and  of  course  the  only   thing  that  I  knew  Judy  would  not  resist........ could not resist   the  one  thing  that  I  knew  would  get  her  over..................Mararoni  and  Cheese  or  as  she  calls  it  "Mac and Cheese"............
On  Saturday  afternoon  I  phoned  Judy  and  invited  her  to supper  I  know that  she  just  loves  macaroni  and  cheese  so  I  told  her  that  I  had  got  "a  little  carried  away"  and  made  too  much  and  would  they come  over  and  help  me...............  little  did  she  know  just  how  much  more  I  had  made ..................  and  I  also  know  that  hubby  Wayne  is  not  too  keen  on  pasta.......and  I  know  he  is  on a  diet,  so  invited  him  for  sausage  and  salad...............  and  the  stage  was  set...............
The  timing  was  slightly  out,  because  I  few  other  people  arrived  just  before  them  so  Wayne  told  me  later  as  they were   coming  down  the long   drive  way that  leads  to  the  farm,  she  saw  the  cars  and  wondered  who  else  was  coming  over ................  SURPRISE ...........    and  she  just  loved  it,   she  then  understood  why  Wayne  had  told  her  to  change  before  she  came  over..........  but she  said  no   why  should  she  because  we  are  almost  family......... 
Altogether  30  people  arrived,  the  evening  was  beautiful,  the  boys  spent  the  afternoon  playing  some  ball games..........  a  boy  thing  I  am  sure......  the  girls  spent  the  time  in  "deep"  conversation.................
and   Judy  well  Judy  just  loves  macaroni  and  cheese  what  can  I  say................ and  then  on Sunday  her  actual birthday  we  went  through  to Her Majesteas  Salon  for  lunch...... 

BIRTHDAY TWO -  ITS A STRIKE......

Then  two  weeks  later  it  was  Meghan's  turn  Judy's  daughter  and  she  wanted  to  go  Ten Pin  Bowling  so  on Saturday afternoon  we  loaded  up  8  of  her  friends  and  some  of the  youth  and  off  we  went....... Do  you  have  any  idea  at  all  how  much  noice  8  screaming  12  year  old  girls  can  make............  some  of  them  had  never  played  before  and  the fact  that  the  ball  was  not  a  dangerous  object  flying  in the  reverse  direction of the  bowling  alley  was  for  these  girls  reason  to  celebrate...... and  the  way  they  celebrate  is  be  SCREAMING  there  glee...............  but  it  was  great  fun  to  watch  them   and  great  fun  to  hear  there  delight  and  when  others  started  to complain  about the  noise  the  owner  said ............  tough  everyone  is  allowed  to  enjoy themselves............  The  biggest  scream  of  the  day  came  when  the  birthday  cake  was  revealed........................

and  the  picture  on the  cake  was  JAKE   from  the Twilight  series.......  talk  about  teenage  hormones..........  oh  no  wait........  that  was  me  screaming.. ..........  Judy  ,  Diane  and  I  were  arguing  about  what  part of the  cake  we  were  going  to  eat........................
BIRTHDAY THREE  18 AT  LAST

And  then  it  was  Matthew's  turn  Judy's  and  Wayne's son  he  was  turning  18  and  we  have  been  planning  this  party  for  months,  it  went  from  a  massive  party  in a  hall,  to  a  lunch  in a  restaurant,  to  what  Matthew  wanted  a  Sunday  afternoon  lunch  at  home  with  all the  people  that  he  loves  around  him...........  smart  boy  that  Matthew...................

The  day  started  very  overcast  and  a  chilly  and  since  it  was  an  outside  function  we  started  to stress but  by the time we needed  to  set  up  the  sun  was  shining  and  it  had  warmed  up  a  lot..........  What  a  fantastic  afternoon  full of  friends,  laughter,  and  a whole  load  of  love .......................
What  more  can  can  we  ask  for.........................

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE

My Baby is 17 Today

 Happy  Birthday  to  you,  happy  birthday  to  you  happy  birthday  dear  Kayla  happy  birthday  to  you ..

I  cannot  believe  that  my  baby  is  17  years  old  today,  it  really  seems  like  yesterday  when  she  was  born,  because  I  was  having  a  ceasear,  they  had  done  a  lung  function  test  on  her   in  the  morning,  and  the  doctor  phoned  be  to  come  in,  as  he  had  decided  to do it  that  night,   I  am  not  sure  whether  the  fact  that  the  following  weekend  was  Easter,  and that  he  was  away..........  had  anything  to  do with it.............  I  like  to  think  not........  When  he  phoned  I  was  still at  work........  yes  I  know .......even  he  couldn't  believe  it,  in  fact  they  had  given  me a  surprise  stock  party  that  day.........  I skidded    into the  hospital  at  7.30pm   the  deadline,  luckily I  had  not  eaten  anything  since  lunch,  and  at  9.05,  we  were  blessed  with  a  daughter.  Although  contrary  to  hospital  policy  my  eldest  daughter  then  10  was  the  first  to  hold her...........  and they  have  had  a  special  bond  ever  since. 

  We wanted  to  name  her Megan,  but she  decided  that  she  liked  the  name  Kayla-Jean  and  told  everyone  that  was  her  name,  so  I  really  didn't  have  the  heart  to change  it.  And  so  we  became  the  three  K's  Karen,  Kira-Lynn  and  Kayla -Jean...........  post  is  still a  problem......  and  my  daughters  favourite  saying  is  "  Mom  I am  the  other  one".......  am  still mixing  the  names  up.
Well  life  had  been  an  adventure  with  her  ever  since.................  the  second  night  in  hospital  a  water  pipe  broke  and  being  the  only  person  who  was  not  given  a  sleeping  pill,  I  helped  the nurses  move  everyone  to  other  wards,  I  wheeled  babies  out   of  the  nursery  that  had  under  floor  heating  into  the ICU..............    the  next  day  I  got  a bouquet  of  flowers  to  thank  me  for  my  help..............  This  might  seem  a  lot  to  do  after  a  ceasear,  but  with  both  my  children  I  only  put  on  5kg  because  I  had  morning  sickness,  from  week  two,  until  I   was willingly torn  open  and  they  were  removed........... and  life  with  Kayla  has  been  hectic  ever since.
At  6  months  she  had  blocked  tear  ducts,  at  15  months  she  had  to  have  her  tonsils  removed,  and  then  at  18  months  it  was  discovered  that she was  CHD  she  had  no  hip  bone  on  her  right   side,  something  the  pediatrician  should  have  picked  up......................  from  that  day  until  she  walked  I never  took   a  photo  of  her.  She  had  six  months  in  a  cast  from  under  her  arm  pits  to  her  ankles,  with  a  big  stick  in  the  middle,  for  six  months  after  that  is  was  hydro  therapy,  physio,  therapy,  occupational  therapy...........  and  still she  would  not  walk,  and  then  one  day  i  decided  to  put  her  in  a nursery  school  ,  and  within  3  weeks  she  was  walking  because  she  wanted  to  play  with the  children  outside............ 
At  six  we  were  told  that  the  hip  had  still not  grown  and  so  Kayla  went  into  hospital  for  her 13th  operation.......  she  still hates  people  with  masks  on .............. they  moved  her  pelvic  bone  around  to  give  her  a  false  hip.........  today  apart  from  a  small  scar,  and  the fact  that  it  aches  a  little  when it  is  cold,  and  no  matter  how  hard  the  dance  teacher  tried,  she  cannot  do  the  splits..........  you  would  never  know.........  she  does  not  even  limp.........  medicine  is  amazing.........
She  has  kept  us  on  our  toes  ever  since,  she  has  no  fear..........  she  will  try  anything,  and  everything, she  is  a  true  comedian,  can  alter  her accent  at  a heart  beat...................    loves  everyone  and  everything,  and  wants  to  study  to be  an  occupational  therapist,  when  she  finishes  school  next  year, and  I  am  sure  that  life  with  Kayla  will continue  to  be  hectic........  just  the  way  I  like  it ...........  Happy  Birthday  my  girl...........  can't  wait  to  take  you  on the  Elephant  Adventure  tomorrow.......Life  is  good.............

Happy 50th Birthday

Yesterday was my friends 50th birthday, i cannot believe it, we have been friends for 37 years............................. .. i can remember the first time we met like it was yesterday, we met the first year at high school it was initiation day and we had to do all weird things like put one of our shoes in a big pile and then try to find it, we had to carry a pet in a match box, we had to wear our hats the wrong way round, we survived the day together and have been friends ever since, we were always the "smartest" kids in school i suppose today we would have been in the "nerd" group, it was either her or I who were top in the class in every subject, i remember she was the first one to get a TV and we would rush to her house in the afternoon sometimes so that i could watch the repeat, over the years as our own lives became complicated by husbands, children and careers, we have had times when communications were reduced to a few times a year but we never lost touch with one another....... and is that not what a true friend is, to be there when they need you, to just be there when the other is in trouble................

Now we speak to one another daily, we have over the past 4 or 5 years grown closer than ever before, i must admit we have sometimes, on the "odd" occasion, no longer been the goody two shoes from school, we have on occasion been very creative, but that is another story, which i doubt i will ever tell, if we have not heard from one another by lunch time we start getting withdrawal systems, it is almost like we compliment one another, like Jeckel and Hyde ..... like Laurel and Hardy ..... like Abbot and Costello ........... like night and day ........ like sunrise and sunset, we are completed different from one another and yet just the same .............we don't need to explain we just know what kind of day the other is having by the word HELLO .............. and that says it all. We have similar outlooks on life we have similar moral values and more that that we serve the same Lord. ................. what more could you ask for in a friend ................ The bible says better to have a good friend when you fall than to be alone...............

I always rag her at this time of the year, because she is now older than me by a whole 45 days, but she is now 50 a quarter of a century she is REALLY old and i am only 49 and 320 days which now feels like much younger that her.

Her daughter gave her a surprise birthday party on Sunday and for me it was like going to one of my own family functions, catching up with her brothers, the sister and brother in laws, the nieces and the nephews and the great nieces, her son and daughter and their "better" halves what an amazing time it was.

There is nothing like a get together of people who know one another well, there are no airs and graces, there is no need to be someone else, you can just be you.......... warts and all.

When i was 16 i had a major crush on my friend's brother, but he seemed to be so much older, married with children, and now it is like we are the same age, as you grow older the age gap just seems to disappear.

Much fun was had by all, as usual you had the "You should have , i could have , why didn't you tribe there .......... but it always amazes me how the people with the biggest mouths do the least work. I was so proud of what her daughter did, everything was done with love no everything was done with LOVE and isn't that what family is all about.................

HAPPY BIRTHDAY my special friend, may you have many more, and i hope that i NEVER catch up with you................... well at least not for another 45 days anyway ......................................

Childrens birthday parties

Last weekend i helped to arrange a 21st birthday party, which was fantastic, we partied until
1 o'clock the following morning, we laughed, we danced, we mingled, without a single drop of alcohol being consumed by anyone, we were all high on life, and it was amazing. On the way to the party, my daughter said to me, that it would be over by 10 o'clock because there was no drinking, this had been a specific request from the really exceptional young man who was turning 21, he had insisted that there was to be no alcohol at his party, i think that his father really abused alcohol at some time, and he did not want to put temptation in his path, even the champagne we toasted with was alcohol free.
We had a young DJ, playing the music, who while not the best in the world kept everyone on the dance floor, the food was absolutely amazing, the highlight for me was the small video clip of this young man, from birth to this, his 21st birthday, it absolutely left everyone with tears in their eyes, and as much as i tried............................. because i did not have water resistant mascara on................... even I went through 4 tissues.
What an amazing example this young man set to the youth group to show that you do not need drugs and alcohol to make a party tick.

This week i went to a 6 year olds birthday party, and the alcohol flowed like water, my niece was more than a little concerned about the fact that so many people were drinking, she was really angry that people were drinking so much at her daughters party, she was worried that her mom would drink too much and embarress herself, my heart went out to her, as all she wanted was a quiet afternoon party for her beautiful 6 year old daughters birthday party...................... she had gone to so much trouble, there was games for all the children, there were sweets, of every colour shape and size, there was hamburgers and hotdogs....her concern was would it be ruined by people drinking..........................
It really got me thinking about people and their lives, in all fairness, who has too much to drink at a 6 year olds birthday party.............................. what kind of example are we setting in the minds of these small children, what example of life are we giving them that they will take into their teen years and beyond..............................................
Surely a 6 year olds party is about playing games, and eating too much cake and spilling cold drink all over, and laughter and ballons, and the blowing out of candles, and the opening of presents, and being the centre of attention for the day, since when did childrens birghday parties become, bottles of wine and whisky, what is it that we as adults need, do we drink to dim the pain of live, do we drink to forget the problems, that we have, do we drink to face our responsibilites, is life so hard, is it so difficult that we cannot even think of someone else even a six year old on her special day on her birthday, have we become so selfish that we can not do this even for an afternoon.................................................

Life is about friendship

Hi there, wow what a hectic few days, yesterday was a friend's birthday so we went there for supper, and what really was laid on my heart was what a joyous affair, people coming in and out, it was an almost rotation supper as soon as you had finished your supper you took your plate and made room for the next person who arrived, there was lots of laughter and it really was one of those times that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, that....... it what life is all about it is all about relationships it not about how much you have, what car you drive or how many bedrooms your house has, it is about how many people phone you on your birthday, or how many people just pop in to say hello, life is about how many true friends you have.
Everyone ate far to much they were feeling somewhat bloated and i had read an article about how a teaspoon of honey, with some cinnaman, in some boiling water was good for flatulance (wind), well what a topic that turned out to be.
I regaled a time, when i had flatulated, and it was so bad that my youngest daughter had her head out of the window, gasping for breath, A friend was rolling about holding her stomach obviously because she did not want to lose control of the release valve, she has the same problem, we laughed about how the car becomes a vent vehicle , the minute you are inside and no one else can hear you, and you just have to let "IT" go because youhave been holding it in all day so when you get in the car, it is like an opera with a smell......................
There is a little old lady in our church who not only falls asleep every Sunday, to the extent that she has even been known to fall off the pew, but she also had a problem with her "O" ring but being a wooden pew whenever she lets one slip there is a vibration that runs along the entire length of the pew, have you ever tried looking the minister in the face when he at the most critical part of her service, when you are shaking with laughter.....................
Life is Good