Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The Almost Nearly Sorta Kinda 40th

I was telling Carmel-from-creche about my forthcoming party, and she said to me:
"It's bad luck to celebrate your birthday BEFORE the actual date!"
(Because she's Italian. Can you tell?)

I said "How much bad luck? Are we talking death or dud presents? What's the scale?"

(Because I'm a smart-arse).

Carmel thought we were probably in the realm of dud presents so I decided to risk it.

Saturday morning and quite a lot of Saturday afternoon was spent setting up. The Perfectionist Team otherwise known as Elda and Nell got to work, making sure it was Just Right. Fixit and I helped as directed although I got to skive off for almost 2 hours while I got my hair done At The Hairdressers. And I will just state for the record that getting your hair done professionally before an important event is definitely worth it! My hair looked fabulous in every single photo.

The hall looked wonderful. It's amazing what you can do with some painted cardboard stars, some fishing line, some cheap purple sparkly fabric and fairy lights. I also put up a big photo wall where I tried to have photos of me with most of my guests, as well as lots of milestone photos.

My sister travelled from interstate to celebrate with me, and brought with her the professional photographer's gear to capture the event. I think she was too busy dancing during the mass Charleston dance lesson so I'm pretty sure we have no photos of that but I can tell you it was a LOT of fun! And it got every one laughing and mingling which was fantastic. Fixit and I were turning and 3-stepping like we were born to it.

And then suddenly after that, I started to feel dreadful. I still don't know what it was. I know what it WASN'T. It was definitely NOT alcohol because sadly I had only had one glass of wine. And I was planning to have much more than that. Could have been gastro, because let's not forget my Stealth Vomiter from last week and add in that the Climber went on to chunder Sunday night. And we all know what germ-spreaders kids are. Or maybe it was too stuffy in the main hall and it made me faint and nauseous. Possibly stress from the lead-up was just too much for my delicate constitution. I dunno. I do know I spent the remainder of the party feeling ill. Which meant that I had none of the party food (apparently it was very nice), none of the alcohol (you should see how much is left over) and none of the drunken socialising I was hoping for, not to mention frenzied action on the dancefloor.

But anyway. I pulled myself together enough for the formalities and sat, like the Queen of Sheba, draped in my shawl to stop the shivering, while my speakers (my Mother, my Father, Nell and Fixit) spoke. The speeches were just lovely and did all that good speeches should - made people laugh and cry. Then I blathered something incoherent and forgot to thank Jenny for my cake ...

... and Dad for the alcohol ...

... but did remember to thank Mum and Bron for travelling down specially and for helping out with the photos, and Nell and Elda for all their work, and all my guests for being gorgeous friends and/or family.

Now. Slight drumroll for this part of the evening's proceedings ...

Fixit was the last of the speakers and after Elda announced him he suddenly knelt down beside me and took my hand. OH YES HE DID!! You should have heard the gasp that went round the room. You should have heard my heart somersault in my chest.


And I think that he nearly almost proposed to me and that at the last moment he backed out. He said later he wanted to but was worried that I'd say Yes.

(Umm.. Seriously. If you ask a girl in public, in front of all her friends and family, after 14 years and 2 children together, do you think she'd be able to say NO?)

Anyway. He did make a really beautiful and heartfelt speech about how much I meant to him which touched the hearts of everyone in the room.

And then they brought out the cake and I blew out forty candles. It took 3-4 goes. That's a lot of candles.

Did you notice the sexy back detail on my frock? And here's a front-on shot so you can see the bodice detail featuring pretty amber-like beads. It had an uneven hem, above the knee at the front and longer everywhere else and the skirt flipped out beautifully when I danced. Also pictured here with my frock is the maternal side of the family - my Mum is on the right of the photo. A couple of aunts in this picture were later observed putting some gentle pressure on Fixit to go through with the proposal. And I don't think they were the only ones to do that.

So the next day, I had no hangover, but still felt seedy. Which is just unfair. But I did get to unwrap my presents.

At least there were no duds.

24 comments:

  1. I'm sorry you were feeling seedy without an appropriately decadent cause, but it looks like it was a wonderful party. Absent proposals anyway.

    Hopefully you'll be able to indulge in some of the left-over booze.

    Not to mention the presies.

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  2. Puhleeze tell me that you weren't vomiting in the bag in that photo!!
    Cos, God forbid that you get a bit of carrot stuck in your fascinater!
    Which reminds me, I bet you looked a total fashion victim in ya frock!! It sounds beautiful :)

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  3. What a shame you felt a little off. But, gosh you looked gorgeous! And congrats to the decorators, everything else looked great too.
    And a good looking family always helps!

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  4. I was sorry not to be around to drop in and wish you well on Friday (I had already left for the writer's festival!)

    But despite your feeling under the weather (which was very unfortunate - to put it lightly!) you looked fabulous and the dress was a KILLER! And THE HAIR! Thanks for all the pix - just like being there - nearly :-)

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  5. Hey sis. I ashamedly admit that I DID put down my camera for about an hour, and did partake in the dance lesson, so correct, no photos of that event. And even though I couldn't do the turn, was pretty good at the rest of it (not up to your standard naturally), although my ultra high and narrow heels would on occasions slide around upsetting my usually exquisite (when not twirling) balance. Also planned to get lots more pics of you with all your other guests, and was trying to remember how I failed in this, when suddenly remembered about how you felt sick, of which I was informed about as I gathered my gear up for another photo session. I cannot believe the Climber vomited the night I left! So far I am ok, bloody lucky I didn't bring the kids, why do the vomiting attacks occur when i hit town?? love me

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  6. ps - have been telling everyone how glamorous you looked!!!!! V. impressive dancing too! Oh, can vouch to all the readers what a wonderful teacher of tap with the kids my talented and beautiful sister is. Hope the pics of the tap lessons were good, I haven't looked at them properly yet.

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  7. Wow. Decorations looked great, you looked fab, love the dress! Sorry you weren't feeling that great, hope it doesn't turn into anything. HAPPY 40th. Now, do you feel any older?

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  8. What a fabulous looking party! And the suspense when you wrote, "he suddenly knelt down beside me and took my hand"...it nearly did me in...

    Shame you felt off, but round here, it's not considered a good party unless the birthday girl has a tantrum, vomits or hides in the bathroom (or all of the above).

    Thanks for giving us a glimpse of your big number party!

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  9. Big events make me tense and sick - are you feeling better now ?

    Poor thing, although you DID look the goods, and vomiting keeps you skinny and stuff - just ask any young Hollywood Starlet !

    Fixit looks so in love with you ( and you, him ) in that pic - it's absolutely gorgeous. Perhaps he was wanting a private moment, away from the vultures ;)

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

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  10. P.S. - you so look like Stomper ;)

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  11. Oh. My stomach flipped when you said you felt ill for most of the party and then it flopped when you said Fixit took a knee! It looks like you pulled off a wonderful party anyhow and you look lovely -- not ill at all. Now you can stop stressing about it and embrace being 39+, right?

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  12. Well done, stomper, you did it.

    And you didn't even chuck.

    I'm impressed.

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  13. Aw, I'm sorry you were sick on your birthday. But you looked absolutely lovely! Happy 40!

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  14. very glam indeed and I cant believe he got down on one knee - I think i stopped breathing when I read that.... well maybe all the excitement etc made you feel queasy - i should have told you before the party I am always good for some valium!!!!! Hope you had a great night you looked beautiful!

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  15. Sounds WONDERFUL! And the almost proposal is just classic :) Such a pity you were feeling a little off colour ... prehaps the after affect of stress??

    Turning 40 never looked so fun!!!

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  16. Oh I had my heart in my mouth when I read that he got down on one knee. I scrolled down with much excitement ...

    Can't believe he bailed! I know, how about you suggest he propose to you here on the blog?! In the comments! Yeah!

    So sorry you felt off colour, but it looks like you still managed to have a great time.

    Now you can start planning the 41st birthday party.

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  17. Happy birthday old bird! I am so amazed that the ye olde tap hall looks a million bucks...and oh my lord - did you buy out all of spotlights purple stuff???

    Steve is a chicken. How many more times do you have to mention the ' unmarried before 40 ' line to him?? I know Ive heard it a few times....

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  18. I'm disappointed in Fixit. He blew his big chance! Boo!

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  19. FABULOUS FROCK!!!!!
    You got speeches, did you go all Sally Field and say, "you like me, you really like me.."
    ps fab hair too!

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  20. How wonderful the place looks, and you look SMASHING!!

    I actually SCREAMED, yes, screamed, when I read that Fixit when down on a knee (you know the type of scream, not the blood curdling, "oh my god he's killed her" type of scream, but the girly "oh my god, he's really gonna do it!" type)

    What a bloody piker he is!

    Although, in his defence, you may have looked about to throw up, and everyone knows when a guy proposes and a girl accepts, that they kiss, and he was probably worried you'd puke right into his mouth! Which, when you think about it, actually makes it ok that he didn't go ahead with it...huh?

    Glad you had a great time!

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  21. You looked simply stunning!!!! Your dress is gorgeous. Glad you had a great time despite feeling yukky!!

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  22. Happy Birthday! You look like you had a great time, and you look absolutely fabulous! Just sorry you felt ill through a chunk of it.

    As for Fixit, well, I'd have whacked him upside the head if I'd been there. He knelt down in front of all your family and friends and...chickened out because he was afraid you'd say 'yes'? Gaw!

    Men!

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  23. OH, you got a Breville blender!!
    Am so impressed and feeling much btter about turning 40 in the not too distant future.

    Your post brought tears to my eyes, especially the almost proposal bit. I got goosebumps.

    You looked absolutely beautiful, not a day over 20. And you did a great job on the hall. And doesn't your sister look JUST LIKE YOU!!

    Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday!

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  24. For someone who wasn't feeling so well, you sure looked lovely. Gorgeous dress :)

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.