…look who’s 40! Well, you’ll have to wait until the end of this post to actually see me, but I am the one who is forty. Yay!

This is what it looked like at our place in the universe, days before I crested the age hill. For the record, as I told my friend Erin’s mom Ruby, I plan on enjoying my ride over the hill just as much as I enjoyed the climb. I like getting older, I like being my age, I feel happy to have gotten here.

Unbelievably, I planted these around Mother’s Day, and they survived until my birthday. Those are some hardy pansies.

That’s a big 2 pound box of Purdy’s assorted milk chocolates, courtesy of my brother Jim. They got the birthday party started early in the week.

Now, remember a few months ago, my posts about Norway? Remember how I flew to Trondheim to surprise my best friend of almost 35 years on her fortieth birthday in June? Remember how cool that was, how excited I was, what a great thing it was for both of us?

Yes indeed, that’s Lara, right here in Annapolis Royal. For real!!!!!! She thought it would be fun to come surprise me, her best friend of just over 35 years (this September), on my fortieth. I would love to insert the video she took of me answering the door…and I will post it when I get a copy (hey, Lara!)…but just imagine a lot of shaky camera, a lot of ceiling shots as we hugged, Lara laughing and me trying to catch my breath while hyperventilating, and you’ll get the picture. What an amazing thing, the best birthday gift ever, version 2.0!!!!!!

It’s still hard to believe she was here, staying in the guest room, driving around with me in the torrential, biblical rain, having a girls’ (early) night out at a pub in Halifax, dodging a big wet rat on the rain-darkened streets of the big city, getting up at an ungodly hour to fight through more deluge to get her to the airport on time. It was a crazy, whirling blur of fun! I can’t believe she came, and I really can’t believe that everyone else who knew about it beforehand managed to keep the secret. Great job, everyone!

B asked our neighbour Janet to make my cake, and it was a delicious and gorgeous cake indeed. Those freesias on the top? Handmade with sugar paste by Janet. I know! That she made it while battling potential and actual power outages is all the more impressive.

That blur on the right is B, mad host with the most, here serving chicken vol au vents, and generally ensuring all guests had food and drink in hand.

Look! That’s Lara sitting there in my house at my birthday party! And there’s B with a tray, about to serve his homemade hors d’oeuvres of smoked salmon with dill cream cheese and capers on rye (seriously, the man knows how to throw a party), Lauren talking with Carolyn in the doorway, and Katie braving my atomic brie (you don’t want to see a too-long baked brie…it’s sad, though still delicious). Aside from Lara, of course, Katie and Carolyn & River share the honours of Most Dedicated Partiers, as they hydroplaned for 200 and 100 kilometers respectively, just to help me celebrate. It was colossal, truly torrential, we’re talking 57-year-old record breaking amounts of rain that night.

Side note: not only is Brandon an expert caterer and host, he also spent the evening monitoring water levels in our basement, without anyone (me included) knowing we were at risk of a flood. Thankfully, the rain just rushed right through to the drains like it’s meant to…but it was a close call, and wouldn’t have gone as smoothly without B taking breaks to clear leaves and debris from the outside ditch. I love that guy!

Look! It’s Lara! In my house! Sitting with my friends Erin & Sarah. Yay! (Notice B’s hand, holding a tray, offering them food.)

The other thing B excels at: mingling, making introductions. Here he is with Philip and our neighbours Janet (she of the brilliant cake-making) and her husband Dave.

This is the only photo of me at my party, blowing out my three candles (we didn’t want to wreck the beautiful cake by using the actual amount of candles necessary for this birthday). Notice my dark shoulder, the candlelight reflected in my hair? No? B and I were so overwhelmed, him with work and me with the fact that so many of my friends were here, along with my oldest (you know how I mean that) and dearest friend of all, that we couldn’t be counted on to remember to use the camera. Heck, we couldn’t even remember to use the flash for these few that we did take. It was such a great night, a great birthday. I had the best time, and I really felt the love.

So, ta-da, here I am at 40! This is really for my mom, to show her my new, 5-inches shorter haircut, which I know she wants to see.

Thanks again to everyone reading this who went out of their way to help get this new decade of my life started off just right; I’m lucky to have you people, and I know it!!!