This past Sunday, Richard and I combined our birthdays (131) and celebrated with Island friends. The feature photo shows two special guests who dropped by – Liesbet and Mark from Roaming About! As Liesbet, Mark and I are currently busy preparing their famous handmade vegetarian pizza, I promise to write more about the Bash and our Meetup in my next post. Both events were laughter-filled and deeply meaningful to me.
Speaking of friends who blog, two bloggers included me on their websites this past week — Johanna from Lifestyle Fifty and Dee from Grammy’s Grid. You can check out those posts here and here. If you have time to comment, Jo, Dee and I would love to hear your thoughts. I look forward to seeing you there.
Happy birthday to you both! You always have a unique way of looking at things!
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Hi, Fran – Great to hear from you. I’ve been waiting for your next post!
Thank you for the birthday wishes. Richard’s actual birthday is tomorrow. My 60th is in October when we will not be home. This past weekend seemed to be a perfect time to celebrate both — and a great excuse to host a huge bbq for our island friends!
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Happy birthday! Looking forward to the vegetarian pizza!
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Hi, Kate – The pizza was truly amazing! Although the photos do not do it justice – I promise to include them in my next post.
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Hi Donna – Happy birthday to you both! Look forward to reading your next post. I’ll visit the other two sites shortly.
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Hi, Natalie – Thanks so much for visiting Johanna’s and Dee’s post. I know that they will appreciate that.
Liesbet mentioned that when she was chatting with you yesterday, you said that you should have flown down to meet us. I would absolutely have loved that. How much fun would that have been?!!
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That would have been a blast, Donna. My brain was on Paris and didn’t think to plan a trip to BC soon after. I can dream about the vegetarian pizza and imagine the lively conversations you’ve had. Have a great week! #MLSTL
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Hi, Natalie – This simply gives us something to plan for the future! 🙂
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Just might have to try that next year! 148 would our celebrating total!!
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Hi, Georgia – How can your birthays add up to 148? You are both way too young for that!! 🙂
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Happy birthday! How great that you were able to see Liesbet and Mark. I’ve had their vegetarian pizza too and it’s yummy! Looking forward to reading more about your celebrations! Now I’m off to those other blogs… you’ve been busy!
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Hi, Janis – Liesbet and Mark just left this morning. Richard and I loved having them here. They also kindly left the extra pizza behind! 🙂
Richard and I are looking forward to seeing you soon — can’t wait!
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Thank you for the birthday party invite, Donna. It was a very interesting, rewarding, and tasty time. Congratulations again with your combined birthdays. Mark and mine would add up to exactly 100 this year.
I like that top photo of us. Please, send it to me. It’s such a pleasure to be here, connect and enjoy your hospitality. And, to have a little break from the road in a comfortable house. 🙂
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Hi, Liesbet – Richard and I greatly enjoyed our time together with you and Mark. You both are perfect guests, as well as being very wise and inspiration friends. Enjoy the rest of your travels. Please keep us posted. Fingers crossed that you will be able to fit in another quick visit with us on your return trip.
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Happy Birthday to you both! How cool that both of your birthdays are close enough to do that. Thom’s hogging the birthday thing this year because he turns 65 –yay for Medicare!!!–and he is using it as an excuse to celebrate all year. Of course, the good news is that when I turn 65 in a couple of years I will plan to do the same. And so much for to see Liesbet and Mark in your neck of the woods. Now use your influence to get them to come to the desert and meet up with the rest of us next month. ~Kathy
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Hi, Kathy – What date is Thom’s birthday? I’m glad that he has the ‘year-long birthday spirit’. We look forward to celebrating his birthday with both of you shortly.
BTW – Unfortunately, I was not able to convince Liesbet and Mark to join us in the dessert … at least I haven’t been successful yet!!
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Happy 131st birthday! And nice to see Liesbet and Mark at the top of the post.
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Hi, Anabel – It was wonderful meeting up with Liesbet and Mark again. Meeting online friends IRL can be a very rewarding experience. These meetups repeatedly uncover deep friendships that were meant to be!
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Happy birthday to you both! That’s so great you were able to visit with Mark and Liesbet. I’ll be looking forward to your next post, Donna!
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Thanks, Jill – Now I just need to sit down and write that post. The good thing is that I already have the photos to go with it. See you there!
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How lovely and Happy Birthday! Pizza photos please …
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Absolutely! The photos will be coming soon!
Thanks so much for stopping by Susan — I always love hearing from you!
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Happy Biryhday!
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Thanks, Antoinette – I feel a bit like fake news, as my birthday is still almost four weeks away. I really wanted the chance to celebrate it at home and before all of the rains set in. 50% of that came true!! 🙂
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Happy birthday to both 🙂 Enjoy the celebrations 🙂
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Thanks, Sam! I greatly appreciate you dropping by!
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This is totally FANTASTIC. First of all, I love the combined birthday party. WhooHoo -lots to celebrate. Second of all, how terrific to meet Liesbet and Mark! Like meeting celebrities, in my mind. I have so much fun ‘meeting’ people in the blogosphere, and connecting with them, that when I meet them in person (and it’s happened just a few times) it’s extraordinarily special.
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Hi, Pam – You are right about both things. Celebrating our combined birthdays was great fun. Meeting up with Liesbet and Mark again was like being with celebrities — and great friends at the same time!
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Happy dual birthday! What fun to celebrate them together – double the fun! Sounds like a good time was had by all.
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Thanks, Karen – Since our birthdays are a month apart, Richard and I had never celebrated them together before. This may have been the start of a very fun thing!
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Happy Birthday !!!
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Thanks, Aimer – My actual birthday (60) is still a few weeks away. But Richard and I did have a lovely celebration with friends!
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Practice birthday party 🙂
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That would have been an awesome idea. I won’t be home on my birthday, thus the combined bds!
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Happy birthday gorgeous lady and also happy birthday to Richard. What a lovely way to celebrate together and also a bonus to be able to have Liesbet & Mark there as blogging community friends. I look forward to reading all about the festivities. Thank you Donna for always supporting #MLSTL and also me and my blogging adventure. You are a valued friend and hopefully one day we will meet IRL. xx
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HI, Sue – Thank you for commenting a second time. WordPress does not seem to want us to be friends! 😦 Thank you for your continued support and kind words. I am confident that we will meet IRL sometime soon!
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Perhaps we have found a way to outsmart them through Reader – I hope 🙂 xx
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Seriously, I feel like we are the kids in class who the teacher separates because she is afraid that we will chat too much! 🙂
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Happy birthday to you and Richard! I love that you combined your birthdays. Larry and I will be 116 next month. 🙂 I read Jo’s post previously and am headed over to Dee’s next. I’m always a little jealous when I read about other bloggers meeting IRL. My turn will come!
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Happy 116th to you and Larry next month. I believe that our birthdays are actually close to each others (mine is October 15). Thank you for visiting my posts at Jo’s and Dee’s blogs. And if you are ever near Vancouver or Vancouver Island, I would love to meet you IRL!
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This is so cool. Happy Blessed Birthday to both of you. #MLSTL
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Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. It’s greatly appreciated!
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Happy Birthday! And thanks for the mention 🙂 It was so lovely hosting you on Lifestyle Fifty 🙂
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Thanks, Jo – My actual birthday is still a few weeks away. I am slowly working up to embracing 60.
It was my pleasure to link to your site. I am very happy to have been introduced to it by Sue!
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Happy Birthday, Donna!! I didn’t realize your birthday was so close to Richard’s. I admire how much fun you two have together, and all the special times you make happen with friends…life’s true treasures. Again, Happy Birthday 🙂
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Hi, Nancy – Thank you so much for reading and commenting. My birthday is not until October 15. Since it ends in “0” we thought we would celebrate together with Island friends when we could still gather outdoors!
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Wow! we’re all waiting for the big party reveal now Donna – many many happies to both you and your lovely husband. I’m so glad you found the time to link up a post to #MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM xxx Happy birthday!!!
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Hi, Leanne – Linking up with #MLSTL is now a regular part of my Tuesday routine. I greatly enjoy the posts that are included there!
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Woohoo!! Happiest of birthdays to you and Richard, can’t wait to read all about it. Sharing for #mlstl with pleasure. X
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Hi, Debbie – I love how your posts and comments are always so upbeat! I just need to find a pause in the action to sit down and write that follow-up post!
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Tell me about it Donna! Time – I need more of it!
Thanks for saying my posts and comments are always upbeat, that made me smile!! I love sharing happiness around, although I know only too well that life isn’t always upbeat as you know.
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That’s one of your superpowers, Deb. Even when I knew that things were tough for you, you have always been kind, gracious and focused on the positive aspects wherever you could find them!
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Oh that’s so sweet of you to not only notice but to actually say so. You’ve made my day. Off for a walk now to contemplate life in this glorious spring morning sunshine. X
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🙂
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Like so many others have already said, what a cool idea to combine your birthday celebrations! I hope your birthday celebrations continue with much fun and frivolity 🙂
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Hi, Joanne – Thanks so much for stopping by. The fun and frivolity is definitely continuing. Liesbet and Mark left yesterday. Today (Richard’s actual birthday) is brunch-golf-dinner with friends. Tomorrow is hiking with friends and meeting up with Ann from The UnRetied. I ask again how we ever had time to work?!
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I’m so glad you got my comment!! Lately it seemed that my comments on your blog were disappearing into the ether.
Enjoy this birthday time. I like to think of it as our personal New Year’s.
… and yes, I agree with you about the busy-ness!! I’m starting to understand why these years have often been referred to as *golden*. We have been lucky to have reached this stage when we have the health and resources to embrace life fully 💕
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Aaaagggghhhh!! Do you ever want to throw your computer against the wall?! Just when I think I have everything sorted out with my WordPress — I realize that I have been lead into a false sense of security. Thank you so much for letting me know about your commenting difficulties on my site, Joanne. Fran just wrote privately to say the same thing…as did Sue! I have now (sadly) gone back to the default theme…and have eliminated all but the required plugins. Fingers crossed!!
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Whew! Then it wasn’t just me. I’m having a recurring issue on several sites. So far I’ve rebooted my computer and erased all my history. Sometimes it works, but it hasn’t helped lately. I think the problem is with WP but they haven’t exactly been helpful in the past when I’ve brought up it to them.
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Hi, Joanne – I completely agree with you on all of the above. Whenever I have recurring issues with WordPress, I usually think that it’s just me. I immediately go to the folks at my WordPress MeetUp group. As awesome as they are, the problems never completely disappear. Although I pay to self-host, I don’t pay WordPress or Jetpack, so I don’t get direct support from either group. As you say, “not exactly helpful”! When I just rechecked the WP.org Forum regarding commenting issues, the advice was to disable plugins and switch to the default theme – which I just did. Your last comment came through perfectly. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come! 🙂 Thank you for your patience. I greatly appreciate it!
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How wonderful, Donna! Happy birthday to you and Richard. And so special to celebrate with Liesbet and Mark. It is so lovely to meet our blogging friends in real life.
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Loved all your friends and especially enjoyed chatting with Liesbet and Mark. Pizza pictures and recipe please!!
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Hi, Louise – Pizza photos are coming soon. As tempted as I was, I didn’t ask for the recipe. I was afraid they might have to kilt me! 🙂
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Hi, Molly – I love meeting blogging friends in real life. I am waiting for you to have a book tour in Vancouver or Vancouver Island!
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I would love that, Donna! If I venture to your area, we will have a meet up!
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Well done entry 🙂
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Thanks, Kinga!
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Happy birthday! how nice to have birthdays close together so you can celebrate together! Wishing you a happy year ahead!
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Hi, Michelle – Thank you for commenting. I am happy to have discovered your blog via #MLSTL!
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Happy combined birthday! I just hope combined birthdays aren’t like having one near Christmas or Chanukah where the presents are somehow combined too. 😉
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Hi, Marry – Your comments never fail to crack me up! We weren’t expecting presents….but we did get enough bottles of wine to last quite a while!
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Happy birthday to you both! How fun to see Liesbet and Mark! I suspect their housesitting days are numbered now that they have Zesty! My hubby and I have birthdays two months apart, so we may do a combined b-day next Fall when we both turn 60!
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Hi, Terri – Great to hear from you. I highly recommend a combined Birthday party when it’s an option. Ours was a blast. Any chance you can come out to Palm Desert in October or November?
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Hi Donna, not looking good for me making it to Palm Desert this time. 😦
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Hi, Terri – I totally understand. You’ll be deeply missed. If your plans change, even at the last minute, please let us know.
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Aww thanks Donna!
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Happy bithday to you both. My husband and I have the same exact birthday and are both born in the same city. I am a few hours older then him since I was born in the morning and him in the afternoon. lol
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Hi, Victoria- That’s so cool! You must’ve an expert in combined Birthday bashes. My husband and I were born 11 years and 26 days apart….in different provinces. I would have loved to have known him when he was in school!
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I’m glad I came back to this post, Donna, as when I checked it out yesterday I didn’t have the photo of Liesbet and Mark showing. Now, today, it’s there. 😀So glad you guys got to meet.
Wishing Richard and you a very happy birthday. I hope there’s plenty of cake, as well as pizza. 🥂
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Hi, Hugh – It was an awesome visit with Liesbet and Mark. They are a very inspirational couple!
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What fun you’re having! Love the photos that you share.
Sharing for MLSTL
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Thanks for your kind words, Trisha. I’m off to visit your site now.
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Wishing all of you a fabulous Happy Birthday!!
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Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. I greatly appreciate it!
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Happy Birthday!!!
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Thanks, Dee. Greatly appreciated!
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Happy belated birthday to the two of you! So interesting to learn the connecting thread of people around the globe. Although we haven’t met Liesbet and Mark, we feel certain we would enjoy them.
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Hi, LuAnn – Thank you so much for reading and commenting. My 60th is not until October so your birthday wishes are still early! Janis, Kathy (SmartLiving365) and I will be having a mini blogger-friends meet up in Palm Desert this October. You are most welcome to join us if you are available. Janis will send you a proper invitation. Fingers crossed that you’ll be able to drop by.
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Sounds like a fabulous birthday celebration!!
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Thanks, Molly – I greatly appreciate you reading and commenting!
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Happy birthday to you both! 🙂
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Hi, Clare – Thanks so much for stopping by. I’ve been missing your posts for the past few months. Are you publishing somewhere else?
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Thank you – how kind! No, I only blog on WordPress but this has been a hectic year and blogging has had to take a backseat. I hope to get back to writing posts again this autumn. I really miss it!
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I miss you posts, Clare. I look forward to reading them once you are less busy. See you then!
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Thank you! 🙂
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Happy belated birthday – and thanks so much for supporting my little blog.
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Hi, Jo – Thank you for the birthday wishes. They are actually early — I celebrated in advance.I love your “little blog” . It offers many BIG takeaways!
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Sorry we missed your birthday bash. We are looking forward to connecting with Liesbet and Mark as they head south to Victoria. Sooooo, how are you feeling about the big six-oh?
Jude
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Hi, Jude – Great question! I have always fully embraced every birthday and upcoming decade. I had been a bit more reticent about my upcoming 60’s, mostly because I have loved my 50’s so much. It’s funny, after the party ended, I was ready to fully embrace 60. My actual birthday is 19 days away. Now I say — bring it on!!
Enjoy your time with Liesbet and Mark. Take lots of photos!
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