Happy Birthday Ursa Major!

[jerseyangel]

Hope you have a very Happy Birthday

[larry mac]

Happy birthday from me too!

best regards, lm

[jennyj]

Happy Birthday

[darlindeb25]

Happy Birthday--did some of the grandkids come to visit????

[confused]

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nikki-uk]

Happy Birthday!!!!!

[Phyllis28]

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

[Lisa]

Ooops, almost missed the party. Happy Birthday Ursa and many more.

[dlp252]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

[elye]

Happy Birthday, Ursula!

Hope you have a wonderful celebration.......

[ravenwoodglass]

I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve it.

[Rachel--24]

Happy Birthday Ursa!

[psawyer]

As usual, I seem to be late to the party.

Happy Birthday!

[blueeyedmanda]

Happy Birthday Ursa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope all is well!!!!!!

[Ursa Major]

Thank you everybody for the birthday wishes.

After some upsets plus obviously getting glutened by something yesterday, I had a sleepless night, with maybe three hours of sleep last night. I woke up early anyway, and decided to clean my house and bake my own cake and cook my own supper, as in the past most years nobody would do a thing for me on my birthday.

But then my husband called, and said he wanted to take me out for supper on my birthday to Swiss Chalet (he didn't give me a choice, which was odd). I told him that they didn't have a lot of things I can eat, and no dessert for me, either. And I'd prefer to eat the pot roast and the German style red cabbage I was going to cook!

He insisted that I could cook that another day. So I gave in but said I wanted to make my own dessert, and I wanted to come home for dessert. And he said he had dessert covered, and to be ready to go out by 7:00 PM sharp.

Something was up, that much was clear. My son called this morning to wish me a happy birthday. But my daughter (the other one living near) didn't call, didn't come rushing in at lunch hour or anything! She is very impulsive, and the 'normal' thing for her to do would have been to either come crashing through the door, yelling something silly like 'Happy Birthday, Mutt putt!" (her adaptation of the German 'Mutti' for me, which a lot of German kids call their mother), or if she had no time (she is a manager at a potato farm and can't always get away) at least call or send an instant message to my cell phone.

So, I thought at least my husband and daughter had some interesting plans. I tried to not be too hopeful, as in the past that only resulted in disappointment.

My husband didn't get home until shortly after seven. He wore a suit today (must have had to meet with a client), but didn't take time to change but immediately rushed me out the door. I told him that his behaviour was rather suspicious, because what was the rush? At that point I sort of thought that he was taking me away so the kids could come in and get dessert ready and surprise me when we got back.

Anyway, we got to Swiss Chalet, and suddenly my husband claimed that somebody had already said to follow them to a table. I told him that wasn't true and was a little upset when he walked into the restaurant. Until I saw my daughter-in-law with her two kids, and my daughter and her husband sitting at a long table in a corner of the restaurant! My son came shortly afterwards, he just got off work then.

My son and his wife got me some mosaic supplies I wanted, and my daughter, her husband and her two sisters and their husbands as well as my husband (even though I already bought myself something in his name for my birthday because he usually forgets) got me a digital photo frame.

It wasn't really what I wanted (every time I looked at those on the Internet I thought they were a waste of money), but they thought I liked high-tech gadgets (which is true, but I wanted a GPS to stop me from getting lost everywhere I go), and so I got the photo frame.

Of course, it will be fun to set it all up and to watch slide shows happening continuously of all my grandchildren. So, it is not something I dislike. I just know how ridiculously expensive they are, and what I could have had instead for the same money.

Anyway, after we all ate, the waitress came out with a chocolate cake with a sparkler on it, and everybody sang 'Happy Birthday'. My daughter and daughter-in-law baked it this afternoon from two gluten-free cake mixes. It looked a little odd with white stuff on it. It was whipping cream, which they unfortunately put on before the cake was completely cooled.

Really, I shouldn't have eaten it. My daughter-in-laws kitchen is gluten haven. Their diet consists mainly of gluten and dairy (they are addicted to both, and I think are all intolerant to both as well). There is no way anything made in that kitchen, stirred with her cooking spoons, baked in her pans etc. is safe for me.

But first of all I was already glutened (I ran to the bathroom three times during the meal, fortunately the bathroom was not too far from our table), and secondly they made an effort, which was sweet of them. Neither one believes in cc, unfortunately. And they won't get another chance for a whole year to serve me cc'd birthday cake. Normally everything gluten-free comes out of my kitchen. Not always prepared by me, but there are no gluten flours in my house, so they can't use them here.

So, I told them how lovely it all was, and what a beautiful surprise, and we all ate lots of that cake, which tasted delicious. Little Abby (eighteen months) got a small piece, and was awfully happy with that.

This afternoon my three other daughters called, and my grandchildren wished me a happy birthday. In fact, my oldest daughter and her five kids did the choir version of happy birthday. And then little Jeremy (3) informed me that in the winter they were going to have another baby. My daughter confirmed that yes, number six was due on December 31st. That will be grandchild number eleven for me!

Now I am up because I am not done running to the bathroom every few minutes (another sleepless night coming up). Still, I had a nicer birthday than I had in many years. And even though the gifts weren't 100% perfect, at least they really tried to give me something they thought I would want, rather than what they would want. And really, now that I have it, I will rather enjoy the cool digital photo frame. Another gadget to play with.

[gfp]

Happy Birthday !!!

Presents are really hard for some people to buy.... this seems like a pretty good one compared to socks or a new hoover!

gotta run to work right now but once again happy birthday...

[Ursa Major]

Happy Birthday !!!

Presents are really hard for some people to buy.... this seems like a pretty good one compared to socks or a new hoover!

gotta run to work right now but once again happy birthday...

Thanks, Steve. Yes, you are right. I think I would have killed somebody if they would have bought me something extremely practical like a vacuum cleaner! But it appears that by now they actually know better.

In the meantime I figured out the frame, and put some pictures on (I made a start, anyway) and it looks really neat, with a calendar and time display on one side, and the slideshow happening on the other side (that was the display I like best....... for now). It is fun and colourful and looks neat. It certainly is a unique gift that won't get boring.

[flourgirl]

Hey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I'm glad that you got to have a celebration. Sorry I'm so late with the congrats, I'm working at a new job, and don't seem to have a lot of energy for much else these days.

I wish for you a wonderful year of constantly improving health, many moments of joy and wonder, peace in your heart and soul, and surrounded daily by love and affection. I wish for you gifts, not just physical but spiritual and emotional, in many forms recieved 100-fold what you give to others. (I always see you here, giving to others). God bless and keep you and give you all you need and more!

[MELINE]

Wish you live just the way you were dreaming. (I hope that thing I wrote makes sense in English.It sure does in Greek....)

[jerseyangel]

Oh Ursa--I was so happy to see that your family made such a sweet effort to give you a nice birthday party. Sounds like they all put a lot of thought into it. Glad you're enjoying your new frame--those do look cool!

Congratulations on grandchild # 11!

[ksymonds84]

Happy Birthday Ursa! Spent the day gardening yesterday so didn't see the thread until today. It's so nice that your family finally made an effort for your birthday, enjoy your new toy!

[Green12]

Happy Birthday, a day late, Ursa!!!!

[gfp]

Thanks, Steve. Yes, you are right. I think I would have killed somebody if they would have bought me something extremely practical like a vacuum cleaner! But it appears that by now they actually know better.

In the meantime I figured out the frame, and put some pictures on (I made a start, anyway) and it looks really neat, with a calendar and time display on one side, and the slideshow happening on the other side (that was the display I like best....... for now). It is fun and colourful and looks neat. It certainly is a unique gift that won't get boring.

I'm terrible myself.... though I sometimes come up with the 'best presents ever' its so random and 90% of the time I just don't have a clue.

Glad you figured it out ... I actually think you'll get a lot of enjoyment seeing the grandkids and all.

I just know how ridiculously expensive they are, and what I could have had instead for the same money.

True but that's why they are 'presents' ...

otherwise you're correct 2.2 hoovers or 100 pairs of socks

Neither one believes in cc, unfortunately. And they won't get another chance for a whole year to serve me cc'd birthday cake.

True but they all must have gone to a tremendous effort....

Once again, best wishes for the coming year....