Nanci's Nuggets

My Surprise 60th Birthday Party

2009-02-27T16:01:00.001-08:00

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful surprise birthday party!!!

Something was "rotten in the state of Denmark". I knew my husband and Amber were cooking something up but nothing prepared me for the extent of the surprise that lay in store.

As my 60th birthday approached, many thoughts were going through my mind. I sadly recalled how my father died about that time in his life and I remember thinking he was "old". I remembered throwing a 60th party with a special cake for my mom and all her "old cronie" friends at our house in Tweed. I also thought about friends I have lost recently who did not make it to their 60th birthday, and having survived breast cancer now for 3 years, I am just damned glad to be here!!!

I had arranged to take my daughter Amber, daughter in law Nagmeh and friend Cathie to see Sound of Music in Toronto Friday night, setting up headquarters at my son Aaron's house. Little did I know that when we got back there after the play, my niece Karina had arrived from Edmonton and was upstairs hiding in order to surprise me the next night!!!!

There were clues:

I noticed my friend Cathie cozying up with various family members for chats and there were several unusual phone calls.
I noticed that Cathie was being very fuzzy about her return to Ottawa plans, even telling me we could discuss that before bed Saturday night!!!
Now my husband is a great help around the house but when I came home from work last Thursday to find that he had mopped and cleaned the whole house and was busily polishing up my chandeliers "since Cathie was coming to visit" I was a bit suspicious!!!
Then he told me we were going out to supper with our neighbours Walter and Joyce but it had to be at 5:30 and I had to dress up and I had to bring my shoes and we weren't travelling in the same car with them...... huuuummmm.
Last summer at the final day of the CNE Arthur purchased a lovely opal and diamond ring for me, for my 60th but I was not allowed to wear it until then. That would have been on Monday but he told me I could wear it on Saturday.
Then the final plot was that Amber was working at the golf club down the street (she hasn't worked there for two months) and we were to drop down there on the way out to supper so I could show Cathie where Amber worked.

There was a grand entrance:

So I played along and when we got there I left my purse and shoes in the car and walked into the club with Cathie. I thought there might be a few people.... but nothing prepared me for such a crowd. If you check out the following link you will see my response when I walked in the door. I was quite overwhelmed. Seemed like they got hold of my address book and invited people from all walks of my life. I was shocked that my niece had flown from Edmonton and my brother had driven up from Boston. My university room mate was there as well as a fellow from my brothers high school class all grown up!!!

I can not express how deeply touched I am by the effort so many people made to attend my party, especially all the way to Elmira in the midst of our Canadian winter. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!!

There were more surprises:

A Wonderful Supper. We had a lovely roast beef dinner prepared by the Elmira golf club and Dairy Queen Ice Cream cake and some of us imbibbed!!!

Professional Entertainment. Amber's Bahai choir leader, Nargis Mondjazib, who sings in 15 different languages sang some beautiful songs for us.

A Nanci Multimedia Slide Show. Amber and Karina had collaborated with my brother Kevin who produced a multimedia show entitled "60 years of Nanci". Kevin had fun putting this together as a lovely gift for me and also an opportunity for him to hone skills for his Digital Media Magik enterprise. This was shown on a large screen to the accompaniment of some beautiful music that is close to my heart. The photo at the top of this article was at the beginning and end of the presentation and at the end it was a blank screen and then the photos popped up into the image, one at a time..... very creative!!!!

I must say that it is a strange experience to see nothing but oneself up on the screen and watching my life in review from childhood to teen years, marriage, my own family, funerals, joys and sorrows made me feel like I was a special guest at my own funeral!!! It was great to see living proof that most of us were skinny at one time!!!! This gift of memories made my heart overflow with gratitude for such a wonderful life.

A Video From Our Daughter Miranda. One of the sadnesses in our family has been the absence of our daughter Miranda who has been in Australia for the past 5 years. But herein was another big surprise. Miranda also made a video which was played on the big screen sending me a very loving birthday message. It was just like having her there in the room with us!!!

A Lovely Signed, Framed Photo. Another gift was a large framed photo of me in my twenties holding some bullrushes with my bleached blonde hair. For an added touch people were asked to sign their names around the matte border. What a treasure. Speaking of memory photos, here is one that got missed in the slide show. I can assure you that I was up to no good.

A Trip To London. As if there weren't enough surprises, for the coupe de gras, I was informed that a trip to London, England had been purchased by guests in lieu of "a plethora of nick knacks and purple candles!!!!" Arthur has never been to Europe and in fact we have not had very many trips away so this is such a thoughtful and fantastic gift. It comes at a time of transition in our lives and we are really looking forward to the experience. I can't wait to show him Wordsworth's grave in Westminster Abbey and the worlds best french fries!!! Perhaps we'll take in the crown jewels and I know I will have a much greater appreciation for the stained glass cathedrals than I did when I went there as a young girl on the hunt!!!

Finally I must thank my family for all the work that occurred behind the scenes to organize this event. It was a joy to NOT be the one in the organizing seat and I must say Amber has certainly picked up some of my better traits!!! I know this was a challenge for everyone and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for a surprise that made me feel surrounded by love and grateful for an amazing life, family and terrific friends. An unknow author once wrote:

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

Thanks dear family and friends for writing your song in my heart.

I thank everyone for their contributions towards the trip, your lovely cards and other gifts, your phone calls and presence at the party and for being such a blessing in my life. This is a party I will never forget and a memorable milestone on my way to being more thoughtful, more tender, more human. I love you all.

VISIT FROM DOWN UNDER

2008-08-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

Note: Hover your mouse over the photos for descriptive text. Click on photos to enlarge the image.

Our daughter Miranda and her husband Ralph visited from Australia from June 25 to July 25, 2008. Although our agenda was overflowing, we managed to fit in some quiet times while constantly consulting to keep everyone in sync. It was so wonderful to have the family together again after a year and a half and savour each other in the good old summertime. The month passed far too quickly and though words can not express the joys and sorrows, I will attempt to summarize some of the happenings.

Miranda Becomes an Aunt For the First Time
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Ralph Experiences a Fresh Water Cottage For The First Time
click here for article and photos

Ya Ya Sisters Make 200 km Bike Trip From Toronto to Sandbanks Provincial Park
click here for article and photos

Cool Condo at the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival - Ralph Takes to the Stage
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Wild Summer Party at Phelanland
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Other Happenings - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
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Miranda Becomes An Aunt For the First Time

2008-08-11T00:25:00.001-07:00

Meeting Dayyán for the first time, when he was just a week old was quite a thrill. Miranda and Ralph went straight from the plane to greet him and manged some cuddles during those first jet lag days. He was worth flying half way around the world to see!!!

Musical Interlude by Connie Talbot singing It's A Wonderful World

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Ralph Experiences a Fresh Water Cottage For The First Time

2008-08-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

The five of us set out into the unknown with a canoe, two vans and lots of games, to spend the first week of July at a cottage on Berford Lake, just north of Wiarton, 10 minutes from the Bruce Peninsula Trails, 20 minutes from Sauble Beach and an hour and a half from Tobermoray. The Lake was shallow but rocky, pretty and weed free.

Dubbed "rustic dream" the cottage turned out pretty much as advertised. There were lots of windows, mould and bugs. The decor featured a coffee table made from an old Bob sled with a steering wheel from a Model T Ford. Our friend Gail Kelly joined us for a few days and spoiled us with her delicious treats. The weather was cold and rainy most of the week but a pleasant time was had by all.

Some highlights from the week were:

getting lost in the mosquitoe and poison ivy infested woods
pulverizing an ancient croquet set from the cottage
Miranda, Amber and Ralph in a canoe taking on water
Amber and Miranda paddling all around the lake and having a picnic lunch

watching swooping birds, dragon flies and hearing the magical sound of loons on the lake

learning two new games: sequence and pass the bomb

getting Ralph to play games inspite of himself and getting blitzed by Amber in Dutch Blitz

a trip to Tobermoray where we took a boat cruise in the Marine park and saw two shipwrecks under the glass bottomed boat and beautiful Flower Pot Island

a vigorous swim in big waves at Sauble Beach; Ralph found it quite different from the ocean

finally seeing Wiarton Willy in his special house in the middle of town

celebrating Canada Day at a fireworks display - NOT

watching old videos on a bug infested TV screen; killing them three at a time

seeing Indian and Inglis Falls and the Tom Thompson Art Gallery in Owen Sound

wonderful look outs over Georgian Bay, caves and lots of poison Ivy in the Bruce Trails

visiting Shirley and John Reaburn in their lovely new home on Georgian Bay

eating lovely meals outside, junk food, ketchup, Timmy's "Iced Cappuccino" and too many delicious home cut French Fries

Arthur waxing poetic on the "Niagara Escarpment

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Ya Ya Sisters Make 200 km Bike Trip From Toronto to Sandbanks Provincial Park

2008-08-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

Our girls are buff!!! For months they had been planning to "get away" together and hone their bicycling skills. It was quite a challenge to pack their bikes up without adding too much weight. Miranda rented a bike and they left from Amber's apartment in Toronto on Monday and cycled eastwards along the Trans Canada and the Waterfront Trail.

They had several adventures and misadventures along the way, including a broken spoke and two flat tires; one conveniently in front of a Dairy Queen and the other in the middle of nowhere. People were very friendly and helpful. They camped out at Darlington Provincial Park the first night and Presqu'ile Provincial Park the second night. They then stayed at a campgrounds at Sandbanks for the next two nights.

At the ages of 26 and 29 they found the pup tent tiny and the ground rather hard!!! I'm told that Amber was the chief cook and organizer and Miranda the dishwasher. The laughter and bonding was a supernovae!!!! They were pretty happy to see us and have real seats, when we picked them up Friday on our way back from Montreal. Ralph got to experience a second lovely freshwater lake, as we stayed long enough for a swim. When we lived in Tweed where we raised the kids, we had many lovely outings to Sandbanks, so for Miranda and Amber, this was a real trip down memory lane.

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Cool Condo at the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival - Ralph Takes to the Stage

2008-08-11T00:10:00.002-07:00

On the way to Montreal we stayed overnight with our good friends Elske and Deryk Harris in Brockville. They were wonderful hosts in their lovely heritage home and we even got to play a game of bridge. While in Montreal, we met up with some friends of Ralphs, Craig and Genevieve, who had moved back to the area from Australia several years ago. He was thrilled to see their three lovely children for the first time.

Oooh la la it's Montreal!!!!

Since Miranda was off on a cycling trip with her sister, Ralph planned a trip to Montreal to see the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival. Arthur and I decided to go along and we took our 16 year old neice, Caitlin, who had never been to Montreal.

The festival was a unique experience, a one of a kind adventure for a comedy novice such as myself. Aside from the hassles of french logistical disorganization, the events were fun and belly jingling. There is an excellent review of the festival online but off line, there was a highlight of our own. At the Aussie comedy show Ralph's presence soon became known and he was invited up on stage. Being the shy fellow that he is(n't) he was persuaded to display his bare crack for which he was given a beer as all good stagies must have a beer!!!

Since we attended four different shows: The Ethnic Heroes of Comedy, Late Night Down Under, South Park Live with creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and New Faces of Comedy, we enjoyed a good variety of humour. Some of the shows were in night clubs and some in theatres and all were lined up and sold out. It gave me a good appreciation of how difficult stand up comedy is to perform and yeah, I had a refresher course on swear words and off colour jokes!!! Sometimes we felt like we should be covering Caitlin's ears.

Montreal however was not all comedy. Between shows we were able to take in several other sights and soak up the ambiance of this exciting city. We dragged Caitlin off to see St Joseph's Oratory. She's not used to touring churches. For those of you who have never been to Montreal, this amazing sanctuary is a must see. Everything is gigantic at this church built way up on the mountain on the site where the sainted Brother Andre lived a humble life of devotion and healing. His wee original chapel is full of crutches left behind by those he had healed. The view is spectactualar and the double domes, incredible stained glass and amazing carvings, iron work and scultped way of the cross touch what is deepest in our core of being.

Of course Montreal has many other lovely churches. We also visited the famous Notre Dame Basicia and it is a breathtaking cathedral with all the pomp and splendour it its day. Caitlin laid low for this event but enjoyed shopping in the old city. This link will show you the layout of the down town area and has 150 photos to enjoy.

For Arthur, the highlight of this trip was an afternoon at the Montreal Royal Botanical Gardens, with special emphasis on the Bonsai exhibits. We saw all three Bonsai exhibits, the Japanese Garden, the Chinese Garden and the newly formed Tree House Garden of naturally collected native Bonsai. This map will show you the extent of these remarkable gardens where one could easily spend the entire day.

Caitlin and Ralph adventured on their own at the gardens and their favourite part was the butterfly insect exhibit.

And now for the COOL CONDO!!!

I managed to book the most amazing condo pad to stay in while we were in Montreal - just stumbled into it online and it was even better than we expected. Photos can not do justice to the funkiness of this apartment. The condo was 2500 square feet and located in an old skate factory, not far from the old city, in sight of La Rond. The condo had a grand piano, a swing, a hammock, glass blocks and table, huge plants and everywhere you looked was colour and interesting artifacts. Too many photos to insert here, so check the collection at Flickr.

We created many wonderful memories on our outing to Montreal. The Comedy festival is well worth the trip and Montreal is a place you can visit time and time again.

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Wild Summer Party at Phelanland

2008-08-11T00:05:00.002-07:00

On our way back from Montreal we had a dip at Sandbanks where we picked up Miranda and Amber and their bicylces. We then headed on to Toronto where we left Caitlin and picked up Grandpa Ernie. We arrived home late Friday evening and my brother Kevin, his daughter Jillian and her boyfriend Mike arrived at 1:00 am from Boston. On Saturday my niece Karina arrived from Edmonton. Somehow in the midst of unpacking, new company arriving, and being away for a week, I managed to keep everyone fed and occupied as well as prepare for a big party we had planned on Sunday to meet and celebrate the birth of our new grandson, as well as enable family and friends to greet Miranda and Ralph before they had to return to Australia.

One of the fun things we did was take our company to the famous Mennonite Market in St Jacobs Saturday morning as we picked up food for the party. My brother Kevin made this fabulous moving panorama of the outside venue.

Although the weather did not co-operate .... this is the second 40 plus people event I've had this summer, that had to be hosted inside the house ..... it turned out to be a wonderful party. Thanks to everyone who brought food, gifts and suppplies as well as those who helped cook, clean, and keep things friendly and flowing.

We were very moved that many people drove quite a distance to be with us.... not to mention a surprise visit from my old Tweed friend Annette Olive and her husband Joe, who just happened to "drop in" from Medicine Hat, Alberta. I was also thrilled that a few of our new friends and neighbours also came to the party.

Everyone seemed to mix well and talk freely. We were delighted that our "newly found" niece Kersti was able to attend with her fiance and new baby boy, Nicholas, who was born just a week after Dayyán. Great Grandpa Ernie was in his glory with two babies to pass around!!! We were very happy to be able to take a four generation picture of the Phelan men. Miranda and Ralph were very happy to see so many people as it was very hard to get around to everyone during their busy month in Canada.

A big thankyou also to those who brought baby gifts. Aaron and Nagmeh were thrilled to see everyone and to receive so many unexpected surprises. You will notice a special gift of love in the photo below, an "I Spy" quilt made by my sister in law, Debbie Phelan. Part of that quilt story is Debbie's desire to carry on Bertha's family tradition of passing on home made quilts to mark signifcant occasions. This is a tradition that my mother also carried on and soon Aaron and Nagmeh will get to choose one of the baby quilts mom left in the cedar chest for her unborn great grandchildren.

Enjoy the following photos of people holding Dayyán.

Welcome to our guest baby, Nicholas as well.

My only regret for the day is that I was not able to get around and visit everyone as I would have liked.... but that is the nature of being the hostess. With our family now so diminished, after our year of three family deaths, connecting with each other is even more meaningful. Today as I prepare for the anniversary of my mom's death next week, I feel grateful the years she was with us, for the wonderful hospitality she offered to everyone at our home on Pigeon Lake, and the values of nurturing and love for family and friends that I am heir to.

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Other Happenings - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

2008-08-11T00:00:00.001-07:00

Our visit with Miranda and Ralph seems far in the past now, though it has only been a few weeks since they left. Below are some other highlights from the visit:

Fun at Canada's Wonderland with Caitlin, David, Amber, Aaron, Miranda and Ralph

Other adventures in Toronto, including visiting the Drake Hotel, staying at the Gladstone while recouperating from the flight to Canada and visiting Amber and Joey in their humble abode

An afternoon visit and supper with Steven, Caroline and Alex in their newly renovated home

A visit with Miranda's high school friend, Laura Grice

A day in Stratford with Laura Northey where we enjoyed Music Man, supper out and a stroll along the "swany" Avon

Miranda got to reconnect with a Legislative Page peer from her grade 8 stint in Toronto; John works in a restaurant in Kitchener so we joined him for lunch one day

An afternoon at Hamilton's African Lion Safari

Lunch in Elora shopping and watching some high school kids jump into the quarry

Touring St Jacobs Market, the town of St Jacobs and the Mennonite Museum

A visit to the lovely McMichaels Art Gallery in Kleinberg

Getting sandwiched in my van en route to the bus station; Ralph got a whip lash which required several trips to the chiropractor and in the end I got to buy a new Dodge Caravan

Checking out real estate and the lay of the land in the Kitchener Waterloo area.

Yes you heard me right. The good news from this visit was the fact that Miranda and Ralph are considering moving to Canada in a few years. We are thrilled with this prospect as we had thought our daughter would be in Austalia forever.

So we are left with some wonderful summer memories of flowers and festivities, hugs and laughter, family and friends and even some relaxing times eating outside and lounging around the pool. It was good to reconnect with Miranda, to feel the warm fuzzies being with her evokes, to see her happy and missing us and to just be grateful for the wonderful moments shared and bask in that glow.

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