Surprise Surprise

This morning we were waiting in, supposedly, for a package that was arriving from Sam before 10.30am. When the doorbell rang at 10.42am, Beccy answered the door and shrieked "what are you doing here" and guess who was standing on the door step? It was Sam and Fred who had travelled all the way from San Francisco to spend the weekend with us. My son-in-law had done all the arranging and unbeknown to us had taken the day off work to collect them from the airport.

It was the best of surprises as you can imagine.

Archives:
2008: Am I the oldest swinger in town!
2007: San Francisco here I come!
2006: Goodbye Dublin

I hate wasting money! + Happy Birthday Fred

Yesterday was not one of my best days. I was really annoyed because I got a parking ticket even though when I left my car it was legally parked and I returned well within the two hour limit. Let me explain:

I sit on an advisory board for a local Children's Centre and we meet every three months. When I arrived yesterday there were no other cars parked in the road outside so I parked about a foot within the white lines, and there was plenty of space for more cars behind me. So far so good, I went over the road to the meeting and when I returned about an hour and a half later the front of my car was several feet outside the box and onto the double yellow lines. I saw it immediately and rushed across but it was too late there was a parking ticket on the windscreen.

I really couldn't understand how the car had moved. It was particularly annoying because two of the community support Officers (attached to the police) were at the meeting and it is my guess they were the ones who issued the notice. When I got into the car it was in gear but the hand break was not that tight so I can only guess it rolled forward those few feet or someone shunted it. There was a car parked very close to the rear of my car so to an observer it looked like I had stopped in front of that car.

I wondered whether to challenge it but decided that I couldn't prove I had parked correctly so I paid up at a 50% reduction for paying within 14 days. I hate wasting money like this and that made it a very expensive cup of coffee and a biscuit.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Now onto a happier note......
today is Fred's birthday (my daughter Sam's partner), it is also Bastille day and a French national holiday. So Happy Birthday from all of us Fred and I hope all the other French people who might be celebrating have a wonderful day.

Archives:
2008: Fun Monday-74 Birthday Celebrations
2007: Show us your Apron +Happy Birthday Fred

Fun Monday # 74 Birthday Celebration

Penny @ Dungarees Ablazing is our hostess this week and this is our task....

As of late I have been consumed with preparation for my Father’s aka “The Old One” Birthday, he will be turning 90 on August 8th and we are doing a family reunion, expecting about 100 people in all. So for your assignment lets hear about your favorite “Birthday”, it needn’t be your actual birthday just a "birthday" celebration. You can use one you planned, one you attended, one you crashed, just a fun time for this FUN MONDAY’S assignment, and of course you can use one of your very own Birthdays.

It was quite difficult choosing which birthday to share with you. We have had a few memorable family birthdays over the years but I decided to opt for this one which took place way back in 1997..........the main reason I chose this birthday is because Embee had no idea Beccy Joules, and the children were coming over from Dublin. I'm really good at keeping a secret...we arranged that they would get a taxi from the airport and come to the back gate. You can imagine Embee's surprise when he opened the gate. I think it can be said it is probably one of his best birthdays ever!
Dillon (now 15), but who was 4 at the time made the poster with the help of Sam
Embee's birthday falls in August and he is usually blessed with fine weather which does mean we can celebrate outside. The photos have not reproduced too well~ I didn't have a digital camera back then!
Here are my two nieces, the husband of one and one of their daughters who is now a young lady also aged 15~ where does the time go! Anyone who has read my blog for a long time will remember Angel (the Dalmatian who has stayed with us a couple of times) she belongs to the niece on the right of the picture.

In the picture below the guy you can just about see on the left of the picture, is a neighbour who lives across the main road from us (I did a post about his trees!). Well he brought his guitar and entertained us with his singing, which was a lovely way to end the evening.

Before my darling daughters say I should not have posted photos without their approval, I'll apologise in advance!

This is my mother with her best friend who takes her out once a week and always comes to visit her on a Saturday. She is the same age as mum and is still driving~now that would make a good blog but maybe I shouldn't give away their secrets!! My brother is also in this picture.
I don't need to tell you who these are~ suffice to say they are my favourite people :)

There has to be a birthday cake and my sister-in-law made this one (Emebee doing what he does best!!) Below he had a little help to cut it!

Today is Bastille Day and it is also Fred's (Sam's partner) birthday. If you are wondering the significance of the day~ Fred is French and it is a big day of celebration.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRED HAVE A GREAT DAY

Well that's me done I'll soon be over to join in your party :)

Archives:
2007: Show us your apron + Happy Birthday Fred

Happy Birthday Fred.

Fred (my daughter Sam's partner) rather aptly shares his birthday with Bastille Day. I found this rather nice photo of them taken a few years ago possibly at Tahoe but I'm not certain.

So Fred have a very HAPPY double celebration xx