Welcome. Come on in for a cup of tea or coffee. You are very welcome and I have most beverages. Today I want to tell you the secret I have been keeping the last month that I would have loved to share but couldn’t risk it in case my Mum happened to read my blog.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that my Mum turned 90 on Thursday. For each of her special birthdays from 50 onwards I have always organised a party and special cards but what could I do this year for a woman that is not a party person (unless it is with her close friends) when all these friends live in Sydney where Mum lived until six years ago when she moved up here. I could organise a party with the many people she has met since being up here but none have replaced those special friendships that she forged so long ago.
Sadly her two longest friends (one from her primary school days and the other from high school) are mentally not in a position that they can travel. Her primary school friend however, rang her on three consecutive days to wish her a happy birthday. That is some bond they have formed that Mum’s birthday is still remembered when most else has been forgotten. I did invite two of her marginally younger friends to come up from Sydney and share the celebrations with us. My big quanderry was what should I do – should I tell her that they were coming and give her the joy of anticipating for a month beforehand. At 90 you don’t have that much to look forward to. And what if the unmentionable happened – she wouldn’t have known that her friends loved her and were coming. Would the shock kill her – she has an enlarged heart – would it be too much to take. Or should it be a surprise. I love surprises and it won out. It was hard though as three times in this period she said to me that her regret was that she wasn’t well enough to make the trip to Sydney and celebrate with her girlfriends. I bit my tongue.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that it was worth it. Her surprise was immense and her joy indescribable.
© irene waters 2018
They arrived the day before her birthday just on lunch which we shared in Mum’s communal dining room. Then they chatted for the afternoon before coming to our place for dinner.
© irene waters 2018
The next day on her birthday we went to Sails, a good restaurant on Main Beach Noosa. The weather was perfect.
© irene waters 2018
This was our view.
© irene waters 2018
The restaurant treated Mum like a Queen and went that extra yard to make the occasion even more special.
© irene waters 2018
Mum was animated and chatting happily.
© irene waters 2018
Blowing her candle out (lucky there weren’t 90 of them as she wouldn’t have had a hope.)
© irene waters 2018
Only roger was strong enough willed to forgo desert.
© irene waters 2018
After lunch we dropped Roger off and the ladies went to the Regional Art Gallery. An interesting exhibition on camouflage. They had tea with Mum and then on Friday Mum and I drove them down to the airport for their return home. Where she had been expecting nothing her birthday turned into one that was very special. A blogging friend Sharon Bonin-Pratt wrote a post in December last year about what can we give the person who has everything and she came up with some very good suggestions. One of these was spend time with the person – and my Mum’s friends were the best birthday present she could have received – their time.
Now I think I have taken enough of your time – over to you. Have you read any good books or seen any films that should be seen? Looking forward to seeing how your week has been. Thank you for dropping in for coffee, it is lovely to see you. Thanks to eclecticali who is our host of the weekend coffee share.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Such a thoughtful daughter. You’re so lucky to still have your mother…
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Thanks Becky. Yes I know how lucky I am and hopefully will be for a number of years to come.
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What a wonderful 90th birthday party for your Mum, Irene. You did a great job and she will always remember how special you made her feel loved and honored and that’s the best ever. A very Happy Birthday to your Mum from me.
Thank you also for the shout out for an article on my blog. I’ll be restarting my blog on May 8.. Hope you’ll read it.
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Thanks. I was so happy it worked well. We’ll have another celebration dinner when my brother comes in July.
Thanks for letting me know your start back date. I check every week or so just in case as I rarely use reader to know what is going on and emails can be missed so easily in my stupid system. I’ll look forward to your post.
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Your mom look so happy, and beautiful. I would of kept it a surprise, just like you did. Even though the anticipating is a joy in itself. The restaurant looks very nice. I’m so happy your mom had such a memorable birthday. What a blessing to be surrounded by your best friends, and you are blessed to get so much time with her. I hope you get to enjoy a lot more time together. Have a wonderful Sunday! Thank you for the delicious coffee 🙂
Maria
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I told her after the ladies had left and she was saying how hard it must have been organising it all that the only hard part was whether to tell her or not. She said the surprise was the best and she was glad I’d done that. Thanks for dropping by for coffee.
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Surprises like that don’t come around every day. So happy everything worked out in the best possible way 🙂 The coffee was perfect!
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I’m glad your mom had a good 90th birthday! She looks happy in the photos.
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I’m glad it was good too Trent. She was very happy as her friends have always been so important to her and she doesn’t make them easily.
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What a treat for your mom – and the best birthday present ever!
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Absolutely. It certainly was a birthday present to beat all birthday presents.
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I missed coffee this morning, I actually was an early riser, Sunday and all. Met a friend who also has a unicycle (odds?) and went to an old roller rink to give it a try before the rain. The good news is it’s somewhat easy to land on your feet… this will be an on going endeavor.
What a lovely time you gave your mother. Happy birthday to her. Good on ya.
Have a great week.
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We are doing the opposite. Now winter is on its way it gets light later which means we don’t wake as early as we rise with the sun. I hate winter for that reason as I feel I lose half my working time as often in summer I am up working around 4.30 am but in winter it is rarely before 7am.
Sounds like fun was had with the unicycle. I guess there is a bit of balancing skill involved. Glad they are easy to slide off onto your feet.
Hope you have a good week also.
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What a wonderful birthday you arrange for your mother, Irene. My mother’s 80th is this year and I am also planning something exciting for her.
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I hope yours goes as well as mine. You so much want to make it special for them and it is so good if it works.
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What a great day!! Thanks for sharing it with us, she must have been on cloud nine.. 🙂
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She was. She loved having her friends with her – the best birthday present she received.
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