Jeannette's BIG 5-0 (for Jeannette and Femke)

On February 3rd, our dear friend, Jeannette, turned 50 and celebrated with family and friends big-time at one of our favorite places, La Caponnière.  It so happens that I did a post on this delightful war-bunker-made-wine-bar 3 years ago.  We LOVE that place.

Anyway, lucky us to be in on this YUGE birthday celebration just a 10-minute walk from our apartment.  Like in America, if not more so, the BIG 5-0 is super huge here.

The images that follow are for YOU, Jeannette (and wife Femke).  You really did turn 50, and here's the proof.

Here's the birthday girl!

We got there early enough to watch the entrance being transformed before our eyes.

Private Party Only for that festive evening.

Jeannette's mom was already there, so we sat with her to keep each other company.

It was special that we had previously met her.

No need to introduce you to everyone.  Jeannette knows who they are!

But that's Femke with Jeannette's mom (top-right).

And that's Femke's dad with Jeannette's mom (bottom-left).

Femke, the wife extraordinaire, was everywhere, making it happen.
(No, she does not normally hide behind her hair, in case you wondered.)

Jeannette's dad and Femke's mom have both crossed over The Big Bridge.

But Femke gained a step-mom and step-brother who are like her own.

We spent a lot of time with Femke's dad and step-brother

(while Jeannette strutted about).

And with Femke's step-mom.  I fell in love with them all!

But back to The Birthday Girl.  Miss Flutterby for the evening, of course.

She was good at making the rounds.
I just wish I had spent time with her gay brother (middle-left).

Family.  Friends.  Co-workers.  

And Gifts, of course.

The Dutch call this gezellig.  The English cozy is as close as it gets.

But it's more than cozy.  It's...gezellig.

Special friends, Liesbeth and Ank, we had also met previously.

But former ex (brunette) and now wife (blonde) we had heard about but never met till then.

Don't you love how everyone can get along and celebrate together!

We knew children would come...6 of them.

They had their own party at the other end of the bunker.

But it was Maarten we wanted to finally meet:  Jeannette's godson.

He's Jeannette's godson but he belongs to Femke.

It's because he wants to be a famous chef just like her!

He's had many challenges in his 9 years but has been loved to death through them all.

La Caponnière.  A wine and tasting room for the soul.

And with the extra food catered in, you couldn't have asked for more.

Except for the Birthday Song!


I wasn't fast enough on the draw to catch the entire song, but THIS is the Dutch way.

More GEZELLIG you cannot get!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, again, JEANNETTE.
Let this one last a long time.

[Apologies for the poor quality of most of these images, for which I did not use flash in low light.
But hopefully you get the gist?] 

She-Who-Begins-Her-Sunset-Years

YUP! Donica celebrated her BIG 5-0 last month while we were in Europe. So we waited till this past Saturday, when we were back in Atlanta, to celebrate with her family and my kids.

It was my gift to her and the family to order the whole meal and cake so that no one would have to do anything. And it was wonderful.

The twin nephews came down from Tennessee with the family and helped devour the BBQ from Shane's Rib Shack. You don't get much better BBQ than that: pulled pork and chicken, ribs, corn on the cob, potato salad, slaw and baked beans. Oh yes, and unsweetened tea. Welcome to the South!

Believe it or not, Donica barely got both candles blown out in one breath! Maybe she shouldn't have made such a big wish?

But little Joey confirmed her carrot-cake choice, with cream-cheese frosting, of course. Exactly what a diabetic wants and needs. But who's asking! She can have anything she wants for her BIG 5-0!

It was family time for everyone who could come.

Including my son Mark...

...and daughter Amy, who (along with Dennis still in LA) gave Donica a fabulous pop-art, Andy-Warhol-style photo collage of wedding pics. A keepsake to last forever!

Can you believe that I had the foresight to keep MY BIG 5-0 banner from 13 years ago (before I knew Donica!) and used it for HER birthday. And everybody signed it! I think that's cool! I'm so glad I thought of it! :)

The party started at 2p at cousin Theresa's house on Swan Lake. It's such a great place for reunioning because there's so much to do...besides talking....



...and fishing...let alone eating!

Then Uncle Joe took some of us for a pontoon boat ride around the lake, like he always loves to do, so I got in some photography time, much to my delight.

The geese skipped all over the lake, in celebration...

...and the dragonflies hung on for dear life. Time is just too brief, you know.

It wasn't just another birthday. This one will change her forever because NOW she is a legitimate AARP card-holder! HA! Congratulations, Donica!! Here's the photo album of your day!