Celebrating 1/2 century age

[bmccasland]

I'm planning on leaving the country.

I've been taking french lessons off and on for 6 years, and plan on going to France to take a Bobbin Lace class at one of the lace schools. Hopefully I can rent a bike while I'm there for a little jaunt around the countryside.

[Serendipity]

My big 5-0 was last year - last December actually.
I didn't make any plans for a trip or anything like that BUT my DH planned a surprise birthday party for me. It was a total surprise - I thought I was going to an engagement party for some friends at a local restaurant. Still amazed at how well he pulled off both the party and the surprise. The party was timed to be about a month before my birthday, so maybe that contributed to the surprise aspect. And, I am often rather oblivious to goings-on around me anyway.

As for actually turning 50, I honestly don't think it has/does bother me. Sometimes I am rather startled to realize that I am actually 50, but more in terms of 'how did that happen' and 'where did the time go'.

[Aint Doody]

I, too, have a cosmic twin who turned 50 1 week before I did. A great friend arranged a helicopter ride for the 2 of us over the Pendleton area and took us to lunch. It was something I'll never, ever forget. The helicopter pilot was at our disposal for an hour. We zoomed all over the place and called people from our cell phones to step outside to see us. (It was in 1999 and I can still remember!!!)

[sfa]

I'm "only" turning 40 next month.

I'm getting a new president for my birthday. I hope this one will be MUCH better than the president I got as a baby gift 40 years ago.

Sarah

[beccaB]

Our next president is 3 days older than me! Either he's young or I'm old!

[jobob]

Funny you should mention this - I turn 50 in ten months and I've been wondering what to do to commemorate it.

Maybe head north.

[SadieKate]

I'm firmly planning on the second half being better than the first half. Which means a lot of Vitamin I . . . .

[tulip]

I'm planning on leaving the country.

I've been taking french lessons off and on for 6 years, and plan on going to France to take a Bobbin Lace class at one of the lace schools. Hopefully I can rent a bike while I'm there for a little jaunt around the countryside.

What part of France? Lace-making is centered in the north near Belgium. It's all good as far as I'm concerned.

[sundial]

I'm planning on leaving the country.

Permanently?

[Flybye]

I love parties with friends and family and decided this year that I am going to quit waiting for my husband/family/friends to throw me a party - I am going to start having my own. I don't think I will regret it. I DO think that I will regret waiting, being disappointed, and feeling sorry for myself. I am a long ways from 50, but it will be an especially fun party!

[wildhawk]

The one request when I hit the big 50 was no black balloons, over the hill jokes, etc. I think every birthday is a blessing - and I am thankful to have lived this long. But the one thing I got for m fiftieth was my car - a shiny black former FHP patrol car with working spot and pushbumpers, etc. My DH bought it for me since I no longer felt safe driving after our PT Cruiser got hit twice in hit and runs. I get a lot of respect on the road now and enjoy driving my “grocery getter”. Last year he put in window tinting, and a new set of tires for my ride.

Celebrate your day!

[Crankin]

We took our closest friends (3 couples) to a very "fancy" restaurant in Boston. The dinner and service was great, but not overbearing. My only regret is that it was about 6 months before we met our cycling friends.
We also went for a weekend in Portland, Maine. We took the train there early on Saturday and spent the day walking and eating. It was eerily warm for the beginning of October; I remember eating outside at lunch. I think I had a massage at the hotel and we used the gym there. We left after brunch on Sunday. Short, but fun.

[KathiCville]

I love parties with friends and family and decided this year that I am going to quit waiting for my husband/family/friends to throw me a party - I am going to start having my own. I don't think I will regret it. I DO think that I will regret waiting, being disappointed, and feeling sorry for myself. I am a long ways from 50, but it will be an especially fun party!

You won't regret conjuring up your own plans for marking your birthday! My own celebrations are always more fun than 'waiting' for others to step up to the plate. For one thing, it allows you to inject whatever meaning into the occasion YOU want. For many years, when I lived in the D.C. area, I used to take my birthday off, pack up a small box of sinfully-rich chocolates, the best strawberries I could get my mitts on, a tiny bottle of champagne and head for the Monocacy Aqueduct, along the Potomac River. A nice long stroll on the C&O Canal was usually the centerpiece of the outing, preceded or followed by the tasty treats. Yum!

Now that I live near the mountains, I take the day off and go for a wonderful long hike with my best (furry) buddy, Sam, and take a picnic lunch along........My 50th this year was the only exception to the rule. Sam had to stay home while I headed to Mississippi with my bike.