The big One for Maureen - no not her backside

It finally came. I turned 50.  I can hardly type that.  I was never going to be 50... I was also never going to be mean, fat, or out of shape, disorganized, tired all the time, wrinkly, or wear sensible shoes.  Somehow, it happened.  Like you just keep getting up every day and next thing you know, you have survived 50 x 365 days of getting out of bed.  Wow just wow.

It really was a fun Birthday.  First...my friend Andrea Lowe Jones asked me if I wanted to get together on a Friday and go to dinner.  Sure.  Like who would pass that up?  (It was the Friday before my birthday)  She said where would I like to go, Red Lobster?  I told her I didn't care, I could even go to Chik-fil-a or Wendys or Pei Wei.  Doesn't have to be Red Lobster.  She said she would drive.  OK!  she picked me up, and when we arrived at the restaurant, "there is two" I said.  She said "wait over there, and proceed to take me to a table where 5 of my other friends are waiting for me.  Complete with flowers and balloons!!!  Wow.  I was taken back!  It was a total surprise.  It was the most fun, and kindest event ever.  We laughed until after 11:00.  I never expected anything!  I realized that I do have friends in the Foxboro 2nd ward.  I was soo touched.  This crusty, old, grump I have turned into, was taken back!  LOVE LOVE LOVE them.

Then, the day of my Birthday I had to take Marlena to the Doc!  She even had birthday money for me after being in the hospital for a week with knee surgery.  After all that, when I got home, Brooke was decorating and decorating for my big birthday!  Complete with those huge balloons that are a 50, a tablecloth with 50 on it, and confetti.  We even got a new "Happy Birthday" sign.  We must have been up town.  She is so kind and thoughtful to remember me and the extra touches like balloons and confetti.  Chili went and picked up Cafe Rio for us, and we had Drumsticks as cake because we don't like cake!!  Then Gifts, Chili got me a sweatshirt and a Red Lobster gift card (always the right fit)!!  Michelle gave me a facial gift certificate in the summer for my birthday so I could use it early when I had time!  More on facials later...:)

Brooke's friends Birthday wish!!

IF that is not the best most flattering picture of a 50 year old!!!!

Wow.  I love that people even remember me!  It is weird to think that I have lived over half of my life already.  I also got a million Birthday cards from my cousin Sharon.  I'm sure it was meant to be one a day, but since we don't get the mail but every 4 days they all seemed to come on the same day. But what fun to receive a bunch of birthday cards!

And then on Thanksgiving we played Bingo.  Every time we called the number B50 we had to sing happy birthday to me!  My Bingo prize was this.

Because at 50 it is colonoscopy season!!