What I did today.

How fantastic, glitabo! I can picture it all...

Happy 70th Glitabo

Oldgreymare A few more details as requested. My sons rented a very large and luxurious house with a swimming pool and gym and 7 bedrooms. It was standing in beautiful grounds with lots of areas to explore. My sons did all the cooking and the main course of the birthday dinner was Singapore chilli crab, my favourite food.
We all dressed up to honour the occasion, the men wore DJs and the women wore evening dresses and the children aged from 2 to 13 all wore their party clothes.

I am not a churchgoer, but live by our village church. A group of young offenders come and tidy it up, which is appreciated by everyone. When I suggested to the vicar that it might be nice to send them a card or give them a present to thank them I was told that the main churchwarden (or whatever he/she is called) is a magistrate and did not think it was appropriate to thank them as the work is a punishment! Good christian sentiments there!

I think that saying thank you is a way of showing appreciation for their work and instilling the idea that constructive and positive contributions to society do bring some reward. I am delighted to hear that other churches have a warmer response.

Happy birthday Glitabo you are right, life is truly wonderful when we have a wonderful loving family around us .

[festive smile]

Happy 70th Glitabo and many congratulations

Happy Birthday glitabo! Isn't life wonderful?!

Happy birthday, glitabo and many of them. I know just how you feel. My lot gave a marvellous party for my 70th, two years ago, but I'm still savouring it. and

glitabo What a super day! Congratulations.

How wonderful, Glitabo what a lovely surprise for you!
It's that warm feeling again when you realise how much your family love and appreciate you

So pleased for you

glitabo you are indeed.... a very happy birthday to you and .... and a few more details please!

Sounds as though you have found the answer to the question in your name!

Today is my 70th birthday and I have just returned from a wonderful weekend away with my 2DS 2 DiLs and 7 GC and my Dil's mother. This has been in the planning since last August. Everything was kept secret from me. 15 minutes from the destination my GS gave me a briefing pack of what to expect, the location, events and menus including the cocktail menu.
I had the most amazing time with lots of good food, presents and lots of hugs. I feel valued and loved and the memories will stay with me for ever.
I am a very lucky woman.

Just sitting recovering from a wonderful weekend with all the family here. It's a bit of a squeeze, completely chaotic and thank goodness we have a dish washer, but I love it. It was our Christmas get together, the day itself will be a lot quieter with just my mother. This morning we all went for our 'Boxing Day' walk on the beach. Brief because it was bitterly cold but the children and dogs had a marvellous time.

High Five to you isthis. Sounds as if it was a wonderful community afternoon, and if it made a difference to just one young person then it will have been worthwhile.

isthis I felt as though I was there from your lovely graphic description of what sounds like a successful afternoon. You all put as in much effort as the young offenders did - I bet they'll remember it for a long time

These are the same people who some don't want us to waste our time on. Shows what thy can do with support and someone to show them that their hard work gets good results.

Sounds very worthwhile ISIS.

I am going to say something to you i read in magazine earlier, "I wish you enough " .

May you enjoy Christmas , as the work you do with the church is soo worthwhile . [festive smile]

The church event for the Young Offenders (in fact Community Payback) was low key and really good, I thought. Two guys in the congregation set up a gas barbeque in the churchyard (which itself is hugely improved by the team's clear-up) so we served up a big pan of parsnip soup, roast pork, chicken breast, apple sauce, baked beans and baked potatoes. Rhubarb crumble with custard after. Continuous pots of tea. The churchwarden took them up the tower which is itself quite an adventure, steep ladders and clambering over the bells! Talking to them about what interested them (*whenim64*'s suggestion) wasn't difficult.l I asked who'd done the flowerbeds because I'd never seen them looking so good. One slightly older guy said that was him and he was really pleased to talk about what he'd done, how and why. I enjoyed it. It was a very friendly and warm event. It would have been good to have had an appropriate music station running in the background Marelli but, sorry, I read yr suggestion too late,

Then, after clearing up, another part of town was closed off with a wonderful Christmas Fair mainly stalls of home-made crafts and snacks. Two live music stages. The place was rammed full of people. Lots of families. The sort of event that makes me proud to be British! We do have a national culture and an important part of it are neighbourhood fêtes. Ask dusk came (4pm!) the crowds began to dwindle, lots of little lights came on and it all began to look quite Dickensian (in the icy cold!) Must have bumped into 9 or 10 people I knew in the 2 hrs or so we were there.

A very happy and rewarding day.

I've got such a collection of posters and prints without frames [I only like black frames these days] and, since decorating the living room earlier this year haven't put a lot of things back on the walls. None of the standard frames [Ikea etc] seem to fit what I've got. I'm planning to buy some of those LP frames so I can put old LP's in them but change them on a regular basis.

My hubby`s in his usual place, in front of his PS3, shouting and swearing at it! We were goin g to the hospital today, but not sure now.

isthis - that's a fine thing to do! I can imagine that conversation might be a bit awkward for everyone but at least they know their work is appreciated and useful. Is there any background music (the sort they would like)?
I've covered the walls in the little front room with pictures. The frames are all shapes and sizes and the subjects a bit mixed, but it beats decorating!
DH is 'cleaning the brasses' . And here I sit, in the way of him as he steps over me to reach something else.......he likes cleaning brasses. Says it was the only thing he enjoyed about being in the army

Fantastic isthis. Young offenders will feel quite uncomfortable in the company of some people, but thanking them and asking them about what they are interested in and what talents they are developing brings out the most interesting stories. They just want to be like everyone else, and seen for more than their offences. Have a great time

Have been cleaning paintwork (very rewarding but unending) and have stripped and repolished the maplewood floor in my dining room. All looks good and the house smells wonderfully of polish!

Now am digging out my stock of unframed posters and prints, plus many damaged or just unused picture frames. Am intending to cover almost every patch of empty wall with framed colour. Lovely.

I guess it's all a way of getting ready for Christmas.

Shortly I'm heading off to Church to help host a thank-you lunch for the team of Young Offenders who've been tidying up our churchyard and doing small repairs inside the Church. We did the same last year and the event was very stilted and awkward. But afterwards we heard back that they really appreciated it. It's mainly that no-one ever says Thanks to them and we did. So even if it is an awkward meal, with hot soup and pasties (their choice), it feels to us that it's worth doing.

Phone call this morning - thought it was heavy breathing, but it turned out to be yesterday's birthday boy saying thank you for his present. He had a great party with two friends who share his birthday which saves three sets of parents considerable expense - you know what kids' parties involve these days what with party bags being more or less obligatory. One year, my Dil told all the children -and their parents - that, instead of giving party bags, they were donating some livestock to Africa. Small children don't understand such things!

When I asked my GD why they didn't wear more to go out clubbing, she explained that there was nowhere in the clubs to put their coats. Why?