Beth - sorry about your letdown. The same thing happened to me @ 40, so for my 50th (in January) I just took it upon myself to invite a few close friends to join my DH & me at a favorite restaurant. Then I went out & bought myself a bleeping awesome super light custom-built MTB and have been having the best time riding it ever since. My advice is to think of it as your 50th birthday "year" & plan something fun!! I think lots of folks think it is depressing (for women) to turn 50 so they think they don't want to be reminded of it. Show them they're wrong!

Happy 50th Birthday Year!

J

(Black balloons??? Never heard of it.)