Mum's BIG birthday!!

While Mum was overseas and I was being neglected she celebrated her 87 millionth birthday (see I told you she was OLD) with some very dear friends that live in Holland. They lived in Australia 10 years ago for 6 years and Mum met them at a dog park and they have been friends ever since so Mum thought it would be nice to celebrate her birthday with them.  She told me all about it and I thought it was very funny so I thought you might like to hear about it too.  Also Mum's been dying to take over my blog with her holiday pictures and I wouldn't let her so this might just get her off my back a bit, aye??  Before I pass it over to Mum thought you might like to see the supa dupa collar Mum and Dad bought back for me from Holland. Pretty neat, aye??  AND NOW ...... to the story as told by Mum!!

Do I look good or what??

What a beautiful morning my 70th birthday turned out to be. Yes 70th!!  I can't believe it, either.  I certainly don't feel 70. At least not until I look in a mirror which I try, very hard, not to do very often. We were staying with Michel and Lisette in Wognum, Holland. Before we could settle down for breakfast my phone started buzzing and I spent quite some time reading and answering text messages etc. from family members back home. Lisette sat me down in a big hammock chair in front of the television set and told me she had a present for me from our Jenni back home.

That's the hammock chair. Glad those blokes let Mum in the room without a fight, aye??

Crikey ..... c'mon Mum!!  First Enid and a big black dog and now you??  Mum reckons Job was a gentle giant.  I'm not so sure.

It was a beautifully packaged video she had done for me for my birthday with all the little girls and Murphy and Miss Poppy PooPoo Pants wishing me a happy birthday. What a beautiful job she did of it. It went for about twenty minutes and was very entertaining.  What a lovely surprise even though a few tears were shed watching it.  Jenni had also been in touch with Charmaine and asked her to email me a photo of Charlie which she did. Not just any old photo of Charlie. She had a cake with a 70 candle on it and a birthday banner and there was my Charlie sitting up at the table. More tears!!

From Charmaine!!

After a delicious Dutch breakfast of fresh orange juice, waffles, fresh strawberries and cream, fresh bread rolls, cheese and coffee we set off for a drive through the countryside ending up in the touristy village of Volendam.

Volendam is known for its old fishing boats and traditional clothing which is still worn today by some residents. 

For my birthday Lisette had arranged a photographic session where we were to dress in traditional clothing and pose for the camera.  Way out of my comfort zone but what could I say and how pleased I am now that we did it as I have a lovely framed photo of the four of us to remind me of a really wonderful day.

After a light lunch we headed back to Wognum, again via beautiful Dutch countryside, where Michel and Lisette's two dogs (Cane Corso Italianos) and 3 horses were waiting for us. It was such a beautiful warm day we decided to have dinner outside and sat watching the dogs and horses play ball together. Yes ..... you heard right. One of the horses picks a soccer like ball up in his mouth and proceeds to taunt the dogs with it.  He finally lets it go and the male dog, Job, sneaks in to the horse yard, grabs the ball and runs around like a mad thing with it until someone takes it from him and throws it back into the horse yard and the game starts all over again.  The horse is the boss and will not part with the ball until he is ready. Very funny to watch.

Two of the horses in the house yard.  Good lookin' blokes, aye?

All three in their own yard.

After dinner Michel kept me occupied with the animals while Lisette and her partner in crime (my husband) went inside to tend to the birthday cake.  Lisette had made and decorated a beautiful cake AND had 70 candles for it which she proceeded to light.  70 candles. Is she mad or what?? I believe it took a lot of doing and horror of horrors the cake started to melt. They called Michel and me in, quick smart, so as to blow the candles out before the cake disappeared altogether. This I did but not before another ALMOST drama. 70 candles may have taken a lot of lighting but they also took a lot of blowing out and I have long hair which I didn't have tied back. I could hear Michel yelling at me.  He thought my hair was going to go up in flames and it very nearly did. After all that excitement a bottle of french champagne was opened and we headed back outdoors to enjoy a peaceful evening and a lovely end to a very memorable and enjoyable birthday.

Looks good enough to eat, aye?  Too many candles though!!

Michel opening the Champers and Lisette decandling the cake.

Well ... I thought it was funny. Would have been even funnier if her hair HAD caught fire, aye, but I had to settle for ALMOST.   Crikey ..... I sure hope that satisfied her and now we don't have to be inundated with endless holiday photos. There's just one more she wants to show you. It was taken just at the back of Lisette and Michel's house and even I've gotta say it's a pretty neat photo.

Wanna run .... love, Charlie.