Dear Family, Friends, and Diary,
Ten years ago, for her 70th, Gabby and I threw Marianne a great big birthday party. For her 80th, we figured there was no way to top that and, besides, she didn't want it. Instead, it was a week of low-key greetings, well-wishes, and celebration, starting with last weekend with the little family.
Unfortunately, our week started with a gift from Kaiser Permanente. The doctors gave her a Mediport, a gadget to make future blood samples and infusions less complicated and painful. It was her third or fourth visit to the day-surgery facility in the last couple months, a routine we'd like to stop. While she slept, I found a patio to wait in, another routine I'll be glad to stop.
Truthfully, the rest of the week is a bit of a blur. We both failed to take enough pictures to provide accurate memories, but maybe that's what happens in one's ninth decade. I'll do my best from week-old memories.
Tuesday was rest and recovery. A few birthday cards had arrived already, nice anachronisms in this day of electronic communication. On Wednesday, neighbor Geri came back for an in-person visit, something even more rare than snail-mail cards. A photo-op missed.
By Thursday, electronic greeting were starting. We'll try to summarize below. The highlight of the day was a dinner out between Marianne and her sister Katinka and, afterwards, birthday greetings from brother-in-law Rubin, nephew Henry, and his son Zaiden. All opportunities for pictures. All missed. Oops.
Friday celebrations started with Dana and Pat hosting Marianne at La Boulangerie, where they all had health food, healthy enough anyway. Here are the pictures of the laughing friends: ------------. (My fault since I did visit with them on my way to a "Geezer Lunch" of my own. Pictures next time, I promise.)
In the evening, we had our regular "game zoom" with Jen, Brian, and Geoff and here I did remember to get a screenshot. Not great photography, but at least it is an official record. (By the way, those puffy creatures behind Geoff are grandsons Sean and Ryan in their Halloween costumes. I guess they are ready for street demonstrations?)
Saturday, the 25th, the real birthday, was filled with decorations, gifts, flowers (thanks Gabby), calls, and messages*.
For in-person celebration, we started with a walk down to the Sellands, where we surprised them with cake and candles. Both in their 90s, mobility would have been a problem for cake at our house and they predate the age of (most) electronic communication. Moving our little party to their place made both them and us feel birthday-special.
Dana and Bob joined us for dinner out. We shared stories of getting old and surviving the current political environment. I'm not sure this qualifies as "celebration", but we managed to smile throughout. And we got a picture record.
*We'd also like to thank everyone who gave their best wishes electronically, so here goes:
- phone calls from Gabby, Sam, Ava, Tom and Kate, Chris, Rita, others?
- Texts, emails, and messages from Adrienne, Ovilee, Rita, Gaylene, Barbara, Annie, Chin and Peter, Kathleen and Tom, Henry, Katinka, Fidi, Dale, Tari, Klarika, Pat and Dana
- Facebook posts from Sid, Barb, Marilyn, two Lisas. (There may have been others, but it is impossible to review who did what, when. Not a good system.)
On Sunday, we had another remote family gathering with our monthly "Cousins' Zoom". This wasn't technically a birthday party, but Maryetta, Kathleen, and Tom all offered good wishes. The conversation topics were as-usual: medical status, political grieving, kids' and grandkids' activities, and discussion of cousins not in attendance. Some we have lost track of (Joe, Phil, the Franks) and a couple older ones were reported to be doing the best they can in facilities. Meanwhile, Tim the youngest of my cousins, was just missing, presumably in Portugal. Where are you?
With that, I'll end with some color: flowers from our garden and a picture-in-progress from our house artist. We will do our best to focus on art and flowers as we continue into this new era. More decade-celebrations in our future? Why not?
Stay tuned,
John and Marianne