Birthday Buddies

My FIL and his best friend have shared a lot throughout their lives.  Their birthdays are only 6 weeks apart and right now we are just between them both turning 80 years old.

So… I talked with the other local daughter-in-law (Kris) and we planned a joint birthday party for them.  Both wives had told me that neither one wanted a party! Well, Kris & I figured we didn’t always have to listen to them anymore.  :)    I had a wrong number for her so the planning had a late start.

But once I called the center back for rental space, the date that was open worked well for another sibling coming from a few hours away so all was fine.   Phil’s sister wasn’t able to make the long trip and neither was one of the sons from the other family.   We missed them and others asked about them but we totally understood!

I put this in the local paper for advertising.  We also sent invites to their churches.

It is times like this I really wish there were digital cameras back 80 years ago and we had photos of them playing together!

They attended the one-room school near here together.  Their family farms are just 1 mile apart, the way a crow flies.  As adults, they helped each other with farming back & forth.  They were in each other’s weddings.  And then they even had their heart surgeries 6 months apart!  They each needed different help but the buddy was a great chauffeur in those first few weeks of lots of check-ups and therapies.   Now they are walking buddies keeping each other in good health.  They live on the same road so have a system of meeting up and walking together.   Their friendship is quite cute and we thought it fitting that they commiserate over their birthdays together as well!

(We all think it helped the other swallow the party idea, knowing the buddy would be there too!)

I don’t have a number of how many showed up midst cold wind & drizzle but it had the men greeting visitors constantly for the whole 2 hours.  They loved it!!  :)

(I was busy keeping the food table stocked but got in a bit of visiting as well.   But only this one photo during the party!)

Of course, I’m always happy for another photo of my kids!  K was just home for a bit that day but we all were so thrilled she had come.  And then I was glad to get a family photo by Phil’s cousin.

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