I made it! But 90 isn’t very different from 89….I decided on an extended celebration at the height of the pandemic. On and around July 19th, 2020, I enjoyed moving in style to my 10th decade.
The Panamatorte party Ingrid & Gordon Benirschke-Perkins gave me kicked off a week-long celebration. A panamatorte is an extraordinary dessert where Ingrid has a monopoly.
Tuesday night was spent with my men’s group (The Goodfellas); we had a great time telling lies and drinking wine.
Then on Saturday evening, our weekly neighborhood block party (Groupelo el Tupelo) gave me a fabulous barbeque. We met (& they still do) every warm Saturday afternoon in the driveway of neighbors Karen Daniels/George Benson to share cocktails and tales.
All of the above were properly physically, but certainly not, socially, distanced.
The birthday conclusion was on the big day, Sunday, July 19: we had 2 long direct-family Zoom calls and enjoyed the cheese boxes and Champagne that Trish had purchased for each participant. My big birthday was also called out during our Zoom church service.
Our friend Anne Ream arranged for a citation for me in the US House of Representatives and got it! It is included in this program.
Sunday night Trish and I were both exhausted…..but happy.
All in all, there celebration was wonderful and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I do not think it could have been any better during ”normal” times.
April 12, 2022:
Well, we had more or less the same type of celebration for my 91st birthday, starting a few weeks ago and marked by several events, which was concluded by a family reunion here, put off from last year, from August 19th to the 24th. All of our direct family were here and we had a very pleasant time celebrating multiple birthdays which fell generally around this time of year.
But this was really a reunion for all and not focused on me. I found it easier and more pleasant. And I learned that henceforth it would not be necessary to celebrate birthdays on one day. Henceforth, it will be birth month celebrations! Thanks, Covid!
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