Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Dearest Gretchen,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!

Yes, today is Gretchen's Big Day, the Big 5-0 Day.

Our very wonderful guest blogger has become quite the friend and I've been finding out all sorts of things about her.

She's funny, no, I take that back, she's hilarious. She's smart, no, make that brilliant, and although I've never even seen a photo of the woman I know she's beautiful. Her beauty just shines through, you know?
She is a Knitter, she is a Spinner...she is so very accomplished. She leaves wonderful comments.

This is really quite a bit tricky in that we've been emailing each other, and I could write quite a bit about her....but emails are personal, are they not? So, I'm pondering what can be shared about this woman, and one of the things I feel safe in sharing and I'm terribly envious of is this.......she and a group of friends have been meeting monthly for years.....I'm talking YEARS....for an evening of fun and games, yep, they play games, visit, catch up on everyone's lives, eat good food, and seriously, could it get much better? (ok, if everyone there knit/spun, I know)
To get it straight I'm going to paste in what she wrote me, because really, it's quite lovely.


"Tonight I have a couple social commitments - the first is what we lovingly refer to as the Trivia Girls. Way back in '84 when Trivial Pursuit came out, 6 of us got together to play and eat. And talk and laugh. Half of us were teachers, the others were nurses, so there was all sorts of stories to tell and pass along. Ultimately, some of the six have gone, but this current group has been together the longest - I have to guess around 12-15 years. We've gone through kids growing up, divorces, marriages, kids' marriages and divorces, grandkids, death and moving. We used to do the snacky kinds of things and I guess we finally got sick of waking up the next morning with a cream-cheese hangover, so we switched to a roughly organized potluck dinner kind of deal. Amazingly, it has only been in the last year or two that we've introduced wine/beer into the equation. Most of the time we will make a half-hearted attempt at playing something - our newest game was Blokus, but we've played Chinese Checkers, Pictionary - whatever. And sometimes we just sit and eat and yak. Love those women."

I am so envious.

She and I are doing a little Swallowtail KAL, and I'm quite certain she's ahead of me, as I'm just getting ready to start the 12th repeat on the second chart...just not getting the knitting time around here. (more about that in some future post)

Today is a Gracie Day and she'll be here soon so this will be quite short. Gracie and I will be singing happy birthday to Ms. Gretchen, we'll also be making and baking some Snickerdoodles from Gretchen's recipe and will be gleefully eating them in her honour!

Happy Birthday, Gretchen, with love.

Some games for the birthday party?



You Are Jean Grey

Although your fate is often unknown, you always seem to survive (even after death).
Your mind is your greatest weapon, literally!

Powers: telepathy and telekinesis, the ability to project thoughts into the mind of others, communication with animals
(see, I AM a redhead! pussy)

You Are Spider-Man

Quick and agile, you have killer instincts (literally).
And that kind of makes up for the whole creepy spider thing.


You Are Best Described By...

The Starry Night
by Vincent van Gogh


Happy Knitting to All and continue to make.good.time.

10 Comments:

Blogger Dana said...

What a great blog! You two are blessed in having one another as friends. :)

06 March, 2007 09:57  
Blogger Joanna said...

Dearest Gretchen, I can't believe your navaho plying is any worse than mine, we are always are own harshest critics! many happy returns on your special day!

06 March, 2007 10:12  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Gretchen , and many more to come. Kisses for Gracie too xxxx.

06 March, 2007 10:27  
Blogger Charity said...

Happy Birthday, Gretchen!

I am so looking forward to seeing the Swallowtails - how about a progress shot? :0)

06 March, 2007 11:34  
Blogger picperfic said...

Happy 50th Gretchen! I hate being 50, but it didn't stop me wearing a badge that was flashing all day!! Barry and Ali arranged for all my spring-offs and partners and children to meet at a place called diggerland in Devon(google it), we had such a wonderful happy day, I loved driving the diggers and dumper trucks and things...I might post a photo tomorrow that will blow your mind!! I love Gretchen's sense of humour too....wonder what she is doing for her birthday??
Did you take any photos of Gracie today? I'm so glad the weather is springlike there too x

06 March, 2007 16:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy 5-0, Gretchen!

I agree with Charity, let's see some progress photos :)

06 March, 2007 16:41  
Blogger Ms. Knitingale said...

Happy Birthday, Gretchen! Now, Marianne, if I could just get you to move a weeeee bit North and West....I'd meet you for a monthly night of games and good company, no problem! (Okay, probably more often)

06 March, 2007 18:00  
Blogger Knit and fall back in it said...

Happy birthday to Ms. Gretchen, even though she still doesn't have her own blog. ;) I think it is cool that you have the Trivia Girls. My mother has the "Craft Chicks" that she gets together with every month for lunch and crafts and whatever. It is a group of 5 women (of retirement age) that have known each other since grade school. Those relationships are very important to her, as I am sure that you can understand. I hope this is the best birthday you have ever had.

Marianne, I hope you and Gracie had a great day today, it was a beautiful day to hang out with kiddos.

06 March, 2007 20:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Gretchen!

Snickerdoodles sound like a wonderful way to honor a birthday! YUM!

07 March, 2007 09:42  
Blogger Dianne said...

Happy Belated Birthday Gretchen..and please don't say 50 like it's a 4 letter word..once you get to the other side of it..it's smooth sailing..or you just care less about the 'ship'..Happy Knitting!!

08 March, 2007 14:39  

Post a Comment

<< Home