My 30th Birthday Caper
I am turning 40.
I don't feel anxious about it. After all, they say that 40 is the new 30, right? And as one of the last of my group of friends to step over that threshold, I've been told that life on the "40 side" really feels no different and is quite sweet, like our 30s. Of course, this doesn't mean I'll be celebrating like I did when I turned 30. I don't think my fragile old bones could take it!
My 30th birthday fell on a Martini Friday. What's Martini Friday? Well, every payday Friday, my then-fiance/now-husband and I would descend on our favourite martini bar (within staggering distance from our apartment), and enjoy tasty drink concoctions with our best and fellow-childfree buddies.
On that specific Martini Friday, very few friends were in attendance. This wasn't an unusual occurrence so I wasn't really disappointed. Okay, maybe I was a little bit -- after all, it was my 30th birthday, people!!! -- but one of my girlfriends had brought her new boyfriend with her for us to meet for the first time, so I still had a great time.
Little did I know, it was all a ruse.
As soon as we got home after calling it an early night, my fiance suddenly rushed me back out of the apartment under the guise of meeting friends to take group shots for Christmas cards. In retrospect, I should've seen right through that. I blame the martinis.
Our destination was a lux pool hall lounge in downtown Winnipeg. As soon as we walked through the doors, I was met with flashing bulbs and shouts of "SURPRISE!" There, in the private lounge, on couches, on barstools, and at the pool tables, were my engineering friends, my co-workers, and my family... all to wish me a happy 30th! Even the martini buddies we'd just seen earlier had rushed right over to beat us there!
My wonderful fiance had planned a surprise birthday party for me and executed it flawlessly! I had no idea. I also had no idea that these party plans had already been in place for a while month. My co-workers rescheduled business flights just to be there for me. And my family -- even though it wasn't their scene -- took time to be there for even a little while.
My fiance called it Nenettapalooza, and it was the most memorable way to celebrate my 30th birthday.
Now, as for my upcoming 40th, I'll probably celebrate in a more low-key fashion with my husband and kids at home. We'll order in dinner from my favourite East Indian restaurant and rent a movie. Probably one with my pretend boyfriend Gerard Butler. Or a Disney flick. We'll see I guess.
It'll be a quiet event, but a very special one that I get to spend with my most favourite people. And no martinis.
This is an original Canada Moms Blog post by NenetteAM who also
writes about her favourite people, places, and things at Life Candy, tweets at @NenetteAM,
and hopes her husband orders a pavolva for her birthday cake this year. Mmmm... pavlova...
