Hi All
WOW!! My 70th birthday party on Saturday, October 7 was amazing. Even the weather behaved, it was overcast and cool, not steamy or rainy. There are so many things I could write here but nothing could do justice to how it felt to be there. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it on the day, you were just the best crowd (and can I say possibly the noisiest). It was so good to catch up with people who are old Green Apples whom I haven’t seen for some time for whatever reason. For example, Beryl Ashton who was a member for many, many years and who now lives in a nursing home. turned up in her wheelchair. So many people came up to tell me about how they had just bumped into someone at the party that they hadn’t seen for ages and in some cases didn’t even know that this person had been (or still was) a Green Apple member. In fact, one member told me the story about how he recognised someone in the Green Apple whom he knew in Grade one at school decades ago!
Petrina had organised Sumo wrestling suits and a jumping castle “boxing ring” which was busy all afternoon. Evidently, it was hilarious watching the antics of children and adults prepared to haul on the gear. There was also a face painter the younger children kept visiting and a magician/comedian who could create incredible balloons.
It really felt like an old-fashioned country get together with lots of food ( a fantastic spread of sandwiches, wraps, sushi, all types of cakes and biscuits) and lots of greeting and meeting and conversation. I can’t remember seeing anyone on a mobile phone, including the young guests, and I think that must be a bit of a record! PS The pavlova was pretty impressive and disappeared pronto. In fact, all the food was so fresh and fillings so lavish that it was a real pleasure to eat it. Petrina chose to use Costco instead of caterers and I think it was an excellent choice (I was a bit concerned the quality might be lacking but I really couldn’t fault it).
Truly, I have been overwhelmed by your cards, by your gifts, by your kind words. This has been a lifetime experience and I really doubt that my funeral could possibly match it so I feel very blessed that I have been alive to experience this celebration of my life both at the party and all my birthday week. For those of you whom had planned to be at the party and then had last minute illness or funerals, or who wanted to be there but were unable to attend because of other commitments, I really appreciated your courteous messages to let me know this also. I might say it would have been a bit scary if everyone had turned up because, as it was, people arriving were telling me how hard it was to get a carpark anywhere.
THANK YOU to Petrina, Nessa and my Green Apple Team, to family, friends within and outside the Green Apple. You have created memories I will always cherish.
Are you interested in learning how to dance? I have organised a dance teacher, Judy Wilson, to take an 8-week course at Green Apple on Tuesday nights from 7pm till 8pm commencing Tuesday, October 24. She will focus on the waltz and the ChaChaCha because if we understand how to do this really well we will be able to get up on the dance floor anywhere and not make a fool of ourselves! Brian and I will attend and we are looking for another 10 people to join us. Can be coupled or come along on your own. Judy plans to teach us how to do the moves/steps solo initially anyway and then partner up as we get the hang of it. Cost for the 8 weeks will be $80 plus GST. To make this work at such a reduced fee, you need to pay it as a lump sum and there will be no refund for sessions if you miss any. We want you there for the whole 8 weeks.
If you used to do the Zumba Class and you are missing the “dance” type activity, and if you are interested in getting together on Friday morning for an alternative, let Loretta know. She is not able to take a class herself (Aqua is the gazetted class at 6am on Friday) but she might have some ideas that you can use together.
