60th Birthday Celebrations….Almost Perfect!

The day started wonderfully well when my husband presented me a poster with the title “Lolita …  The First 60 Years”He did an amazing job of researching significant events in my life.Having been married for 32 years,he had enough informations to fill in those years but-prior to those years would have been difficult and setting them out in a beautifully balanced grid!Only a mathematician and software developer could achieve!This will certainly come in handy if and when dementia hits!Heaven forbid!

I got the first phone call greeting from my second daughter in London.Really significant-she is often late.My eldest daughter gave the best news-she’s expecting her fourth child in October!Then the youngest daughter handed me a present from all the four children,husband,partners,boyfriend.It was a magnificently crafted and stunningly beautiful neckpiece with 28  semi-precious stones! I also got a long cardigan that made me look cool and hip(but not hippy!).

Flowers were given and more were delivered to the house by so many wonderful people.The house looked like a funeral parlour.I felt it was fitting to tell everyone that no flowers will be allowed at my funeral! Give people flowers while they are alive and kicking!There were many plants for the the garden that will keep on giving.My plants are named after each giver and I talk to them!It will be a worry when they start answering back!

There was a phone call from a sister,  e-mails from all over the world.I certainly felt loved and remembered!My in-laws rang and gave me money which will always come in handy!

Beautiful,well-chosen cards from so many sweet -kind people.

Then it was time for the dinner which was booked at a waterfront restaurant opposite the Opera House.I WAS DRESSED TO THE NINES!There were 10 of us,my friend and her family and my son and daughter with their partners.It was a beautiful setting and I decided to have photos taken before we ate and spoil our (my) make-up!As I pose behind each coupLe-I  didn’t see/realize there were two steps behind the chairs! I went flying and landed on my butt.It was a shock and it happened so fast and so unexpectedly! Suddenly,I was surrounded by people coming from everywhere trying to help me. There was a lovely gentleman who was also a diner who took hold of the situation.He must have been a doctor,the way he handled the situation.Checked where I felt the pain-if anything was broken!It certainly pays to have a Beyonce bottom(or is it Jennifer Lopez?In my dream,more like it!)-my hip was fine,my knees were alright but my left shin was swelling right before our eyes.This guy ordered ice to be put on it.I was able to get to my original seat and rest my leg on a chair and had ice kept on top of it.Very elegant position indeed!This guy gave me some pain-killer to take! I had the presence of mind to ask if I could drink alcohol with it!Just goes to show I wasn’t badly hurt

I felt like a real drama queen! We proceeded with dinner.The food was superb!I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the birthday cake.The waitress asked for our dessert order.I said we might not need to-after the birthday cake! What cake? There was no cake-my husband forgot to order it!

Coming from a very dysfunctional family,birthday cakes were non-existent.I always made sure my four children had them.At 60,I thought I would get it!Does it really matter?Obviously not!

So, was it downhill from there? Not quite! Thank goodness!The desserts were really nice.

I had more presents when I got home. I love books and my son’s girlfriend gave me this magnificent book”Moments..Pulitzer Prize winning Phographs and their stories from the 40s to the present! “I started reading it in bed!

The next day,I played lawn bowls with my senior citizen friends!I hosted a lunch for them at my home after the game(which I lost!)There were 15 of us.It was a lovely lunch with  the nicest,self-sufficient,beautiful ladies.The oldest is almost 90 and still playing bowls.They are such inspirations!I hope can play until my 80s if not into my 90s.God willing!

Then,I’ll be going to the cocktail Gala Opening of the Antique Fair.Should be nice!

Somehow,it made me think of some of the birthday highlights I have had over the the years..one was hosted by my children at the Wolseley Restaurant in London where Bill Nighy greeted me and kissed my hand!Then there was an afternoon tea at London Ritz where the piano player played Happy Birthday as they presented me with a little cake with such pomp and ceremony-the Brits are famous for! There was a lovely one in New York when my daughter and son-in-law booked a white stretched limousine to take us to the most exclusive restaurant.There was also  dinner twice at The Ivy in London!There was my big 40th birthday at the Couchman, 50th on a cruise at Sydney Harbour on the Endeavour Sailing ship replica with my late mother.Not to forget my first birthday in Australia.I turned 25 and it was held at the RSL Club in Orange-prawn and  oyster night!What could be more Australian than that?My host Fred and a friend and her mum where I was staying were well known identities in the place.Somebody took our photo.The next day, we were featured in the local paper.

Overall,there were many great moments.I just hope it will not be downhill from there.My son pointed out that the first sign of old age is lack of balance! I am learning to dance Flamenco-I intend to disprove that.It could be the start of growing old disgracefully!

To everybody who made my 60th so wonderfully special,my heartfelt Thanks!

 

 

   

An Afternoon of Music

Well,this Philistine is certainly getting a huge dosage of cultural experience lately!And the best at that!

My husband and I got an invitation/complimentary tickets by no other than the famous conductor himself-Paul Daniel CBE who has conducted at New York Met and all over the world! He is now going to be the Principal Conductor of Western Australia Symphony .The resources boom certainly affords them the best in the world.

How did we get this privilege? He happens to be the fiance of my daughter’s very good friend in London!Hence,the opportunity.We realized we had great seats when the NSW Governor Prof/Doctor Marie Bashir came in with the three members of her entourage to occupy the seats in front of us.

Paul Daniel conducted the Sydney Symphony in Brahms”Fifth Symphony”Having met the conductor a few years before I really concentrated on his performance.It was absolutely mesmerizing watching the movement of his baton!? and the fine nuances of his amazingly expressive fingers and the effect on the music-the movement and sound!When his whole body and hands move to a huge finale or crescendo-one can almost feel his whole body ready to fly!One gets transported to the realms of the Gods. It was a sublime experience to be right there at the magnificent Opera House.

Sometimes, when I am alone in the house I put on classical music in full volume.It is one of my favourite time to spend an afternoon.To experience it live and witness a great conductor in full flight is a rare privilege indeed.I thanked all the people involved in having the opportunity.

My husband and I went to the stage door to wait for him and thank him personally.He apologized for making us wait because Governor Bashir came backstage to congratulate him.I didn’t have a bouquet of flowers to give him and gave him some chocolate Tim Tams instead.Sublime to the ridiculous perhaps,but fun! He happened to be free so we got the chance to drive him around to wind down and had a lovely seafood dinner at Watson’s Bay.

He is such a sweet guy and so normal(whatever that is!)and unassuming!I had to ask him how he could remain so nice when he gets such kudos and adulation in the highest realm of the musical world.The way I understood it as he explained it-It is basically the fact that he is performing a job to the best of his ability and shouldn’t really make his persona any different.”To walk with Kings and keep the common touch”Gibran?

Some people who let fame get to their heads has lessons to learn from him. May he live a long and healthy life and continue to entertain,mesmerize,transport to the extraordinary more people in the world and remain a nice guy!Beautiful music is truly the food for the soul! Thanks Paul!