My big birthday in quarantine turned out to be the best ever! Before the C lockdown, the plan was for me and 3 other girls to go to Vienna for a 4 day trip. That got cancelled and I was under the impression I would have a quiet one with my K and R.
K had grouped three of our close family friends for a surprise party and day out instead. On my request, he cleaned the house for my birthday and it looked the neatest eve on my birthday eve, which was super! I received 40 roses with truffles the day before as a prelude to to my birthday.
We spent a great night together. The little one woke me up at 5:11 am (!) to be the first one to wish me.. messages started coming in and K was downstairs decorating the house with my favourite rose gold decorations. The day before, there was cake delivered representing everything I like like Books, travel, perfume, chocolates and nature walks. I loved the cake.
I also fit in to a dress I bought to receive an award in London, five years back. While ironing it 5 years back I scorched the petticoat inside so could not wear it. We then later got it sorted/ stitched over but I grew too fat to fit into it. Thanks to my lock down exercise regime, I wore it for the first time, on my birthday and it fit like a charm.
In the morning my K and R gave two letters each, K a laugh out loud one with all our favourite K drama phrases that I absolutely loved. The young one had very neatly written a cute poem.
We had a photo session and he said we would be visiting our friends to deliver cake and samosa. The young one kept pestering that she wanted to watch a movie with me, so I would not look at the door. The families kindly parked streets away from the house to keep the surprise to the maximum.
I was beyond Happy to see my favourite faces. We had a lovely celebration and over and above the gifts , cards and flowers, two of them had very sweetly cooked my favourite dishes for me for lunch.
We all piled in to the cars, all 4 ladies in one car and had a fun ride to the huge park 40 minutes away.
The littlest one was going to turn 2 next year and we had great fun with him as well. He was a jolly little fella who had an infectious charm.
We had a sumptuous lunch in the park, (complete with snacks and juice and home cooked fare)and then walked to a canal. The kids had fun in the water, the dads settled down to play cards and us ladies went for a long tree canopied walk to a beautiful lake.
We spent the day there .Little A not getting cheated when we asked his mum to drop Paratha pieces in the crisp packet - he neatly threw those away and just ate the crisps, S being chased by a jersey cow, who then just smelt her handbag and let her go, little A chanting pop chicken till he fell asleep and the minute his mum brought pop chicken at KFC him immediately waking up bright eyed and bushy tailed .. are just a sample of some of the hilarious moments that made the trip good, clean fun.
The weather veered close to playing spoilt sport but then decided to be kind after all..
After receiving birthday wishes all day long and the young one’s final good night wish and kiss, we all went to sleep very happy tired. Even so, the young one ensured she stayed up to write her Father’s Day card for her dear dad.
Next day, Father’s Day was celebrated with cards and t shirt and out of the blue, we came to know that our good friends from India B and M had paid for lunch to be delivered to us, as a treat for my birthday as well as Father’s Day.
The simple thoughtfulness of the gesture that is so typical of them made me feel very blessed.
The best part also was everybody letting us know that our fitness regime was working in the lockdown and both K and I were looking fitter than the past few years.
All in all, life is beautiful in the simplest and kindest way possible.
