Thursday, January 19, 2012

six decades of celebrations...

I arrived on January 19, 1952
at 12:12 am...
weighing 7 lbs. 13 oz. 

That would be sixty years ago today!


I have a few cards that were sent to mark the occasion of my arrival way back then...
including this one that says..
Love from Uncle, Aunt and Cousins at Ninga.
I must find out who that might have been.

I also have a wee baby book that Mom kept for me.
I know that my first visitors were my cousins...
Lorraine and Bobby Fast and Marilyn Baerg.
How fitting!



Other than a few snapshots...
I know little of those early years.

But birthdays were always meant to be celebrated...
and that was usually a family affair.
The cake was the same every year...
an old-fashioned golden layer cake...
with plum preserves between the layers...
and smothered in seven-minute frosting.
I can almost taste it!

Having a birthday in January definitely had it's disadvantages.
Birthday parties were cancelled due to a snowstorms.

 
Sweet sixteen arrived in no time.
It can't have been all that memorable...
since I have no recollection of that particular birthday.

One that I will never forget however...
was my 20th birthday.  
I was newly married...
and we moved into my parents house for the month of January while they went to Australia.
It seemed like a good idea at the outset.
We would look after the dairy farm...
and my four younger siblings in their absence.
My little brother was six at the time.
January 19th marked the beginning one of the most devastating ice-storms to hit our area...ever. 


How's that for a nice birthday picture?
I think I wore my dad's coveralls and lived in the barn for a week straight.
For many days we had no power (72 1/2 hours to be exact).
And when the electricity returned...
the house was without water as all the pipes had frozen underground.
Oh yes...that was a birthday I would sooner forget!


My 30th was celebrated in Hawaii.
Pierre...our Swiss exchange student...looked after the farm.
My sister and brother-in-law moved in with our children while we were away.


It was difficult to turn 40 without anyone noticing.
I'm not sure anyone ever admitted to placing that sign on our lawn...
but I think I can thank my sisters.


My 50th was celebrated with 50 friends...
a surprise orchestrated by my hubby.
We rode a motor coach together to our destination...
my first 'seniors bus tour'!

It's been fun celebrating birthdays with the grands this past decade.


I still remember how excited these two were the day they had me over for a surprise birthday dinner.
As for the handsome gentleman seated on the chair in front of us...
it was the card the girls gave me.
We were on our way to Hawaii...
and so they thought I needed a themed card.
I still have it...of course!

Last year my birthday came and went while we were in Kenya...

...at this lovely spot near Mombassa, actually.
And how am I celebrating my 60th birthday?
I have no idea...
really.
I have a good friend who is also having her 60th birthday...shortly.
 Our husbands have collaborated and are whisking us away for a few days...
and that's where we will be by the time this post is published.
(It seems we have left a blizzard behind at home!)

I'll be back...
when the party is over!

47 comments:

  1. Happy, Happy 60th. (It kinda' grows on ya' after a bit) Isn't that birth announcement the sweetest keepsake ever? Enjoy your big day.

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  2. Happy Birthday, Judy! I thought of you this morning and the fun you'll be having with your good friend Marg. I pray that both of you will find the next ten years as exciting and engaging as the last ten!

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  3. Happy Birthday Judy!
    I enjoyed scrolling through the photos, especially love the sweet baby your Mom is holding :-)
    I know from following your blog that you enjoy life, I hope you continue to do so for many more years!

    Birthday Hugs!!!

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  4. One thing we can count on with you, Judy, is that you have a well documented life. You were born to be a historian! Enjoy the party!

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  5. Happy 6Oth Birthday Birthday Judy! It's wonderful that you have such detailed birthday memories and pictures. Hope that you're having the time of your life wherever you are. Happy Birthday!

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  6. Happy 60th girl..I know the party will be fun no matter where it is.
    Such precious photos!

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  7. I'm so glad it is you that is away during the bizzard and you can honestly tell the story of ...when we were your age....and of course if was so much worse.

    Happy Happy Birthday dear Judy. I love the post and feel so happy that I finally know you! Even if it did take almost till you were 60.

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  8. Happy 60 years Judy - have a great time!

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  9. Happy 60th Birthday to you! Enjoy your time away :)

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  10. Happy 60th! I'm sure you're enjoying a fun party somewhere even if it's not sunny and warm...because the US and Canada look wintery today, much like many of your birthdays of years gone by.

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  11. Can you hear me singing Happy Birthday? While I,m in the shower???
    We started with a grand prelude and now we will continue on...
    Hoping we can continue to celebrate with more health over the coming years....
    One true friend you,ve been over 40 years.

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  12. Happy Birthday Judy! I'm not far behind you..:) Have a wonderful day, I think from your past birthdays that someone must have something pretty special planned for you!!

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  13. Happy Birthday Judy! What a fun post to see pictures of you along the way. Whatever you do today...enjoy and celebrate well.
    I pray that God will give you many more great years.....maybe not 60 more...but many:):)

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  14. Happy Birthday Judy! What a fun post to see pictures of you along the way. Whatever you do today...enjoy and celebrate well.
    I pray that God will give you many more great years.....maybe not 60 more...but many:):)

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  15. Congrats Judy!!! (so, in other words there is no point stopping by to surprise you... because you are not there anyway?? - If we could even make it out that far!!) Wishing you many more wonderful years ahead and enjoy your big day :)

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  16. Happy Birthday Judy! What a fun post this is. Enjoy your birthday trip with your friends.

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  17. Oh what fun all these great photos and memories are. Well...except for that ice storm! Wowzers that looked awful but I do love the photo!!
    Have fun today grills!!

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  18. Wishing you a wonderful birthday getaway! I love how you shared a few of the highlights of the last six decades of your life. Why does that sound so old when you don't seem old at all? Hope you have the best time celebrating, and just maybe you will share bits of it with us.

    By the way, here in the East Coast, it is sunny and 40 degrees.

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  19. HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY Judy! I love your post with all those great photos and what an amazing house behind your 40th birthday banner!

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  20. Happy Birthday, Judy.
    You have had some memorable birthdays and it's been fun to read about them. Enjoy your time away as you celebrate this special day.

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  21. Happy Birthday, Judy.
    You have had some memorable birthdays and it's been fun to read about them. Enjoy your time away as you celebrate this special day.

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  22. Happy 60th Judy!! I hope you are having the best celebration ever!! Congratulations on your new decade - my sister is there ahead of me and she says it's great!!

    (seven-minute frosting was always on my birthday cakes too)

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  23. Happy birthday Judy! Enjoy your trip, we are enjoying the snow. Okay, some of us are lol.

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  24. Happy Birthday! Hope you are having a wonderful time!

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  25. Happy, happy birthday Judy! I know you and Marg are laughing your way through the fun things your hubbys have planned for you. Have a wonderful time. I'm sure this will become one of your best birthday memories.

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  26. Congrats on your big day! Wishing you many more years of health & happiness.

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  27. A very happy 60th birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day.

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  28. Happy Birthday Judy. I hope you're having a lovely time, wherever you are.

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  29. Happy Birthday! What a great way to chronicle your life! Thanks for sharing.

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  30. Happy 60th Birthday, Judy. I loved this roll call of birthdays to remember.

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  31. Happy 60th birthday, Judy! I hope you and Marg will be the time of your life wherever your husband's have whisked you away to. Enjoy & celebrate!!

    PS: You look so much like your Mom! That was a very sweet photo of you as a babe in her arms :)

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  32. shirley reimer bertheletteJanuary 19, 2012 at 8:06 PM

    JUDY !!JUDY!!!! HAVE A SNAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!! WOW !! STILL FOREVER YOUNG :) ENJOY!!!

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  33. Happy Birthday, Judy! As daunting as these big birthdays begin to sound, they are so much to be thankful for! Wishing you a new decade filled with more joy than you can imagine. Enjoy your time away!

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  34. What a beautiful birthday post. Happy, happy 60th!

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  35. Happy Birthday LOVELY Lady!!! What a MARVELOUS Birthday Post!!!

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  36. What a great birthday review! Getting out of your crazy weather right now was probably the best birthday present! Happy Belated Birthday!

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  37. Happy 60th Birthday! Cheers to you for the next 60! I hope you have a wonderful time! Enjoy your special day!

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  38. Happy birthday, Judy--I celebrated my 60th birthday on the 16th of January so I guess we are almost twins. I enjoy reading your blog and the great recipes.
    Mary Ann from Pa

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  39. Happy 60th Birthday, Judy! Wishing you many more blessed years! I sure love reading your blog! Keep it up!

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  40. Happy Happy Birthday Judy!!!! So we're just a few weeks apart and I can identify with almost everything in your awesome post (including the baby card - I have one just like it - isn't that crazy?) We just came back early this morning from a wonderful warm and sunny vacation in Mexico to celebrate my big day. Hope you are are somewhere warm and sunny too! Can't wait to hear who is with you - I have a few ideas!
    Hugs.....

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  41. Happy Happy Birthday Judy!!!! So we're just a few weeks apart and I can identify with almost everything in your awesome post (including the baby card - I have one just like it - isn't that crazy?) We just came back early this morning from a wonderful warm and sunny vacation in Mexico to celebrate my big day. Hope you are are somewhere warm and sunny too! Can't wait to hear who is with you - I have a few ideas!
    Hugs.....

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  42. Happy Birthday, Judy, and I hope you are having a fabulous time at the mystery location with your best friend and your husbands. It's such fun to remember these milestones in life and have photos to prove it.

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  43. MANY happy returns!!!

    Anthea

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  44. Wow I have missed a lot of goings on here. Love the trip down memory lane. You are a stunning looking woman Judy. Your just getting more classy as the years roll by. I hope you are some where nice and warm right now.

    Happy Birthday and a blessed year to you!

    The noodles look amazing

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  45. Judy, I've just caught up reading your posts, and I can tell that you and Marg had a wonderful birthday celebration.

    I will be celebrating that same birthday this summer. 1952 must have been a very good year.

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson