Tuesday, January 3, 2012

REWIND TO CHRISTMAS EVE

FOR YEARS, Diane and Roger have hosted an intimate birthday party for Mr. Bob on Christmas Eve. They are the host and hostess with the mostest, realizing how important presentation is and you'd never, ever see a mustard jar on the table in contrast with the way I might do it. We're lucky to count them among our friends.







 
I think it was Tim who brought the English crackers, which when popped, reveal a joke or riddle, a toy and a silly hat. Much as I love the idea of hats, I'm unhappy with them when I have to put one on........precisely why I'm hoping to keep my
hair throughout my six months of chemotherapy. 


We read our riddles, played our games and the birthday cake appeared. 



Mr. Bob rose above his discomfort at the idea of being the birthday boy long enough for us to sing and express our mood of celebration.



My voice has become a little raspy with the passing years, but I do love to read aloud and Diane asked me to read her newly acquired edition of a pop-up "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and I was only too happy to comply. 



If someone said on Christmas Eve, / `Come see the oxen kneel . . .' / I should go with him in the gloom, / Hoping it might be so.
                                                                                                                                     Thomas Hardy





12 comments:

  1. That cake looks de-lish!
    L,
    MJ

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  2. That sounds magical and warm and lovely, Jane.

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  3. Your friends are such fun people. You all know how to have a real good time. That cake, as said above, looks delicious!!Also, I must say i have enjoyed some delicious blackberries as i have wrote i my 5 yr book....I think i will give them as gifts to a special few.

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  4. Give a gift of smiles every day ! Have a wonderful new year up to the very end ! A Non Y Mouse

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  5. Wow...what a spectacular cake....is that really supposed to be a butterfly on the cake....what talent...and I loved her table setting...oh that I could set such a lovely table...And I love the "crackers"...They became a tradition in our family ever since our kids were in London for a few years...Love sillyness...Rusti

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  6. Roger and Diane have always been my favorites....but you knew that. Gotta love Tim too...always.

    Oh how I would have loved to have been a spider on your wall and delight in this magical birthday party...fit for a King.

    To hear you read Twas' The Night Before Christmas...raspy voice and all would have been the icing on the cake..no pun intended.

    I just can't express enough how much I love you guys. Your hair is beautiful, by the way.

    Happy Birthday Bob. You BOTH look like young whippersnappers !!! No way would I EVER guess what either one of you have been and are presently going through...

    You just look GRAND !!!
    God Bless you.
    xoxo

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  7. I would love to listen to you read to me...

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  8. What a great celebration, Jane.
    And I would also have liked to listen to you read one of those stories from the books for children you used to have in your bookshop.
    I am sure you are a very good story teller!
    I wish you, and your family, the best in this New Year!

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  9. Many belated good wishes to Mr. Bob. You both look wonderful, which is such a joy considering all that you have been through this past year. This seemed to be just the special celebration you both deserve. I say pop those poppers, plop those hats on your heads, and feast on fabulous cake every chance you get!! T.O.Joanne

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  10. Looks like a fine celebration. I found some poppers on sale that didn't have the hats but had really neat little things in them, like keychains and rings etc. I think they probably have confetti, though, which makes a big mess! Cute photos...

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  11. Susan H writes: What a wonderful celebration! Hard not to be there. I remember going to the, "Shanty Lantern" for Dad's birthday dinner and then to candlelight service at church. For years I thought everyone had a big celebration dinner on Christmas Eve, I realize now it was really Dad's birthday dinner. Good memories.

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  12. Susan H writes again: It was always a tradition with my children to read the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. This year Ryan bought a recordable book for his daughter, now living in Washington, and recorded it, me making the sound effects in the background. Asher's mother reports that Asher loves the book and hearing her father's voice.

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