fantastic fearless focused fun fascinating fifty!

I feel like I had a whole week to celebrate my birthday. It started with Suzanne announcing to the world that I was 50. (Roxanne's comment: oooooooh, you're gunna be in troooublee! You posted her age on facebook for all the world to see, haha ) We certainly got our fill of Suzanne's wonderful birthday cake. It was layer upon layer upon layer of various chocolates. Delicious!
Wednesday morning, I was getting some visitors. By 8:15 I started to see a pattern. *Friend after friend after friend stopped by to bring me a flower. I used up every vase I own and had to get out some water pitchers. Friends were still stopping by at 10:30 at night. There are over 90 flowers on my counter, along with balloons, chocolates and cards. Just to clarify, though, . . . I didn't have 90 visitors. Some brought bouquets. I actually thought it was quite optimistic of my girls to think that there would be 50 flowers, that I actually had that many friends :)

For dinner, we headed out to Organ Stop Pizza, Home of the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. Dave and I used to go there as young adults many decades ago and I thought it would be fun to take the girls there sometime, so that's where we went tonight. When we walked in, I had thoughts that this place might be kind of lame now - catering to retirees. But then, silly me, I realized we were dining with the Whipples. That fact alone changes any social gathering. Ben and the girls put in some musical requests for the organist - "Mr. Roboto", and "My Fair Lady". We never got to hear Mr. Roboto because we ended getting the whole rendition of a Broadway show, including the Overture, I think. Who knows every word to "I Could have Danced all Night"? Lauri does, that's who! She can rock every single word of that musical, with Dave and Debbie coming in with "On the Street Where you Live". Melanie and Ben sang all the Queen songs. You can tell what they're singing here, right? Correct! Bohemian Rhapsody.I was actually inspired with some new ideas for prelude on our church organ for this week. Why have I never thought of Phantom of the Opera on a Sunday morning? And then finish the closing hymn with a dramatic finger run all the way down the keyboard to a dramatic bass note.As if we hadn't eaten enough today, we came home to cake and presents. Brady sent home a gift for me so it seemed like he was here to celebrate with us, too. Melanie made a multi-layers red velvet, chocolate mousse cake with a nut topping. Sadly, there were so many candles burning, and the traditional birthday wishes were taking so long, that a section of nuts caught on fire. I'm choosing not to post pictures of the cake because it just looks like a dangerous ball of fire in our dining room. I almost got a sunburn from it while blowing out the candles.

Thanks everyone. It was a fun day.

*And thanks for the cake, the chocolates, the flowers and the visits - Suzanne, Holly, Sydney, Kristi, Robyn, Virginia, Dodee, Joan, Elaine, Violet, Charlie, Rana, Rebecca, Claire, Lindsey, Peggy, Cindi, Joanne, Holly, Carolyn, Lezlee, Paula, Alicia, Laurie, Leslie, Pam, Deeana, Vicki, Jennifer, Heidi, and Jana, and the mystery doorbell ringer and runner (who ran very very fast!)

I know that's risky naming names for fear I've forgotten someone.

Thanks for all the fun comments on facebook too -- I love you all!