Surprise Birthday

Well, it's been a quiet week in my home town. NOT!

I had one of the best surprises in my life this past week. My birthday was Saturday, and Kathie and I had driven to the lake on Thursday. We had been here no more than 30 minutes, when Kathie asked how I felt about birthday surprises, to which I replied, "I already got my birthday present (a new trolling motor), so I don't need anything more." Then I looked out through the screened-in porch to see a familiar blue car and then realized my daughter was getting out of it! Betsy, Pete, Henry, and Clara had arranged with Kathie to surprise me by spending the weekend here for my birthday. Then, of course, Will and Sandy also showed up unexpectedly the next evening to add to the fun. My sweet, sneaky wife and kids had been arranging this for some time. I'm still smiling. Here are some pictures of the festivities and fun.

Josey and Lucy guarding the area under the bird feeders. After some initial territorial disputes, they got along quite well.


My always-smiley granddaughter and her mother.


Henry and his Dad caught quite a few fish off the dock.


Henry and I spent some time in the sandbox.


Brothers-in-law checking out something on the computer and perpetually ribbing each other.


Betsy fixed crepes for my birthday breakfast. Will and Sandy brought an enormous chocolate cake from their Minneapolis 50's diner.


Henry invented a game called throw/hit/catch that was played on the landing with ping-pong balls and paddles.


Sandy and Clara spent some morning time together.


Here is Henry with his first crepe. You have to eat the whipped cream first. It is a corollary to the rule about twisting Oreos apart.


Betsy cooking crepes.


The perfect crepe.


Uncle Will and Henry comparing crepe notes.


Clara and me.


Uncle Will and Henry go canoeing.


Here is Henry having breakfast another day.


Clara almost succeeded in rolling over for the first time while she was here.


Here are Aunt Sandy and Clara again.


Here is me with Clara again.


This is the entire group.


The kids thought it would be funny to have another where we all grimaced or whatever. Pete did not cooperate.


Finally, here are Josey and Henry inspecting something. Heaven knows what.



I wish Rob, Carrie & Eleanor could have been here too, as well as Jessica & Mike and Travis. Maybe next year!! I like surprises like this one!!