A French surprise

This past year, we became part of a new local community chorale group.  When the year was over, several of us decided we'd like to get together during the summer.  We had a group dinner early in the summer, a great way to develop new friendships. 

However, I was surprised that one couple was aware of my birthday, but they sent me this adorable birthday card.  As we are both into music and cats, it was so appropriate!

Then, another couple invited us to dinner, which I thought was just a continuation of making friends.  In reality, they'd all conspired to throw me a little surprise birthday party!

It was such a fun evening, I thought I'd share my French celebration.

The birthday girl

I'd made myself a new party top for my birthday, but then I ended up going to the beach, which didn't seem like the right venue for it. 

But it would make a great dinner outfit! 

As we ended up down our mountain a bit too early, we stopped at a park and took a picture. 

Such a pretty flute

A birthday serenade

This being France, it was no big deal when the host brought out some champagne. 

But when I heard the strains of Happy Birthday being performed on a saxophone coming out of the house, then the hostess carrying a cake with a candle on it, I realized that this was not just a simple summer get-together.

The dinner turns into a party

One of the guests had made this lovely cream-filled cake decorated with a bunch of raspberries and strawberries.  It's not just the French bakeries who make delicious desserts, but the French themselves can also create wonders in their kitchens.

She pointed out how she'd also designed a four-leaf clover on it for me.

Her husband made me this candle, including writing my name on the pot in beautiful calligraphy.

Isn't it pretty?

It was just as tasty

So appropriate for chorale

Apparently they all also chipped in together and got me this lovely music stand, something a musical group would think of.  They all remembered how hard it was for me to hold my notebook of music all winter with my horribly painful shoulder tendinitis, so they wanted to make it easier for me in the future.

I've always wanted a nice music stand, with our family being so involved in music all these years, but I've never mentioned that.  So this was definitely a wonderful surprise.

Something personal and pretty

The hostess also gave me a personal gift, which her daughter (who shares my name) picked out.  Which must mean it's trendy and youthful, right? 

And they all signed a pretty card covered with more cats!

So many of our local personal friends have moved away, leaving us with lots of acquaintances but not so many friends to get together with outside of local functions.  I think we may finally be on our way to establishing not only a personal friendship here and there but a whole group of them!

Our new group of friends

Summer entertainment

As everybody was either retired or on summer vacation, nobody needed to get up early in the morning, so nobody was in a rush to go home.  We partied until the not so wee hours, everybody just having a great time! 

And as this is a musical group, the Doc ended up serenading us a bit to finish up the evening, as this was his saxophone.  Apparently there weren't any neighbors around to be considerate of.

I was so excited to just have a dinner invitation, then I was totally amazed to discover it was all in my honor.  And now, it's so nice to know that we are becoming part of a really nice group of people, and I look forward to continuing a social life with them after the summer is over.