roses . . for Hilda


Yesterday was just a lot of fun. We have looked forward to our friend Hilda's 50th birthday for quite some time and since it was a surprise we focused a good deal of concentration trying to forget that we knew Hilda's birthday was coming. Yesterday I was tempted to tell a tall tale on my blog about Terry and I heading out to Vancouver in the evening to confuse Hilda into thinking . . .well . . perhaps I've been suspicious for no reason. After talking to her last night . . .after the beans were spilled, I realized that might have been a good idea since she is a clever lady and was thinking something was up.


Hilda, Becky and I have been good friends for quite a few years now . . .actually adding them up would hurt this early in the morning, so you'll just have to take my word for it. We were honoured to be on the invitation list. It still seems crazy that we've moved on from being invited to lots of 40th birthdays to 50th birthdays.


John had spoken to me about helping with the flowers. He informed me rather casually that he had ordered up fifty dozen roses, and could I please arrange them. I looked at him rather blankly and said fifteen dozen roses? NO, he said fifty dozen . . .. I continued to look at him blankly and said . . .wow . .John that is a lot of roses. Yes, he had already figured that.




Yesterday I spent the afternoon fancying myself a flower arranger. What a lot of fun. John had brought stainless steel containers and buckets to hold the flowers and I did my best to do them justice. Fortunately help arrived and the little country hall was converted into a beautiful barn style interior.


Hilda had a fabulous time, which of course is the whole point to her party. John had arranged catering, the guest list, the table and chairs, tablecloths, flowers, the cake, the hall, the square dance caller, the menu, the power point slide presentation, the saddles and reins for the decor, the secrets . . . .I would imagine his wife would be a happy girl. Imagine the love that this man feels for his wife . . . just imagine.



John and Hilda have always been a fantastic example to our group of couples. They ooze graciousness and generosity. I'm sure that if the hall could have held more couples, they would have had many more willing to fill the chairs for they have been consistent in their character and friendship for the twenty five years that we've known them.


Don't you just love celebrations? I mentioned to Becky yesterday, that people who celebrate with a group are just wonderful. Everyone is treated to a fantastic evening of fun and friendship with delightful memories to last until the next noteworthy invitation.

When our children got married, we really enjoyed having our friends there because it is the celebration with people you're closest to that puts the icing on the cake.



Hilda was presented with this beautiful hat from her dear friend Laurie. Hilda put it on . . looked at me with a glint in her eye, and said, . .. ."take a picture for Jill" . . . .of course . .. I had planned to . . .



After the meal, we were treated to a square dance. Now, I've actually only done this now twice, but let me tell you, it is just knee slapping fun. The caller managed to keep us in some semblance of order and by the end of the evening my dosey-doeing, promanading and bowing to my partner was second nature.


So, there you go, we had fun on Friday night. This morning we were still chuckling as we recalled conversations. We ate breakfast with my enormous bucket of roses that I took home . .now that's a party favour. Thank you for the invitation John, we had a wonderful time.


Last night was just the perfect example why it is so important to build relationships. If you have an opportunity to be in a close group of friends, count yourself very blessed. We do.

Comments

  1. What a special tribute to a special lady! I agree!
    Hilda, if you read this, happy belated birthday! I can speak from 3 weeks experience now, and so far 50 hasn't been so bad!
    Herb surprised me with a party with friends as well and I agree, sharing with friends is about the most special gift in itself.

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  2. Well, Happy Birthday, Hilda!!!
    50 dozen roses !!! I thought that only happened in the movies!!!
    Wow!
    I would have come just to look at them, and smell them, and see how beautifully you arranged them all!!
    50 dozen is 600 roses.... that's a lot of thorns!!! giggle

    Sounds like you had a great time.
    Your pictures are lovely !!

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  3. I believe I'm still in a state of mild shock with just trying to imagine 50 dozen roses...wow!

    This sounded like a great party for a great lady!

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  4. What a crazy fun idea; square dancing at a 50th party! So much more creative than the usual 50's music sock-hop poodle skirt theme.

    Ms. Fifty and Fabulous wears her "red-ulation" red hat gear with enviable flair! You go girl!

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  5. Wow, now THAT's the way to celebrate your 50th birthday! What a wonderful man John must be to take care of all those arrangements...and 50 dozen roses is way over the top! Thanks for sharing such a special event, and congratulations to Hilda on her 50th. Love the red hat - is anyone out there a card carrying member of the Red Hat Society? From what I've seen, they seem to have a lot of fun.

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  6. What a fun party! I never learned to square dance but it sure looks like a lot of fun! My Mom wanted to teach me when I was a teenager but at the time square dancing wasn't a 'cool' thing to do.(at least not in my teenage mind)
    Happy Birthday(belated) Hilda! Enjoy all those roses!!

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  7. looks and sounds like you all had a very special wonderful time... especially the Birthday girl... or should I say "The Birthday Lady"
    Happy Birthday Hilda

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  8. Wow 50 dozen roses! That's wonderful. The celebration beams with fun. I love the square dancing idea! And yes we so love our celebrations here too! Blessings...
    I guess I'll be heading to lots of 60 year parties now...

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  9. I had a wonderful 50th this year too!!1957 was a good year :)

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  10. It was so much fun! Hilda and John are wonderful people to celebrate with! Thanks to you for recording it so well! I agree with you, celebrating is only fun if there are friends/family to celebrate with you! I look forward to your 50th! I know, I have a couple of years to wait, but it will be so much fun! (oh, and 50 dozen flowers is not overkill! Never too many flowers!)

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  11. Friends are great. I just posted on my blog about friends that I've known for 25 years as well! :) I definitely think God knew what He was doing when he invented friendship. I'd be lost without it.

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  12. Well, I just had to read this again. And my eyes are filled with tears. What a beautiful memory this will be for a very loved woman. My prayers are going up for her, and you all, today.

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