I’m not a party person so this was an exceptional event for me.
And I loved every minute.
Marty and H.o.p. outdid themselves. And H.o.p. really did help. He went down to the studio with Marty in the afternoon and he washed grapes and cherries and trays and he laid out the grapes and cherries on the trays alongside the other food and filled bowls with pretzels and chips. And he cleared away mic stands etc.
There was great food. Lots of food. Antipasto and tabouli and fruits and vegetables. All prepared by Marty. Except for the cake and the fruits and veggies H.o.p. prepared.
Marty got Sasha in to play. And I was torn. I wanted to listen to the music but instead of course spent the time talking with people, and throughout there were multitudes of children (H.o.p.’s cousins) joyously chasing after balloons and jumping and running and having a great time. And Sue Wilkinson and Marty later did a song together (beautiful, I managed to not cry) while H.o.p. leaned on my shoulder, beaming, and my niece, Elizabeth, leaned on my knee.
Sue and Marty also did an incredible rendition of “Happy Birthday”.
I took almost no pictures. I shouldered the camera a few times and realized I would be getting no good pictures as all I wanted to do was mingle and talk with friends and siblings and enjoy nieces and nephews running up with huge smiles and grabbing me by the knees. I love kids manhandling me, by the way. The endorphins soar when the nieces and nephews throw themselves around me like I’m the greatest thing in the world and yell, “Aunt Juli!” I may not be the greatest thing in the world, but they are and thus the rush.
It was suggested at one point I get a pic of H.o.p. with all his cousins who were there (a couple had to leave by this point).
H.o.p. took the opportunity to flash a peace sign at the camera. Top photo of the bunch. I can be as sappy as the next person and I like it that a peace sign managed to get into my birthday photos, especially one brandished by H.o.p. Despite growing up in the 60s, I’ve never brandished a peace sign, but I like it when H.o.p. does, though I’ve never mentioned it to him.
These are the kids in my life–H.o.p. and his cousins–who grant me a great deal of happiness, ever amazing me.
Here’s my oldest niece who’d had to leave with a sibling of hers who wasn’t feeling well. She’s holding her newest sibling, my youngest niece. She’s holding also her new acquisition of a Nikon DSLR.
When the mic was finally free, H.o.p. grabbed it and tried his hand at stand-up comedy.
“You’re a tough crowd!”
Really, growing up with a musician dad and around a studio, he’s far too comfortable with a mic.
A few people read my blog who were present. And I want to thank them for helping me celebrate my 50th. You don’t know how much it meant to me to have you there.
And for the friends and relatives who live at a distance and couldn’t be there, I thought of you often.
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