Celebrations Galore

Somewhere along the line, the staff at my main job began throwing birthday parties for anyone who had a big birthday. By big birthday, I mean a new decade. We have planned some wonderful celebrations. Usually we meet at someone's house, have a pot luck dinner and then a little bit of a program - with a song honouring the birthday girl, and maybe a skit. There are always some sort of present or presents. There is always lots of food. The atmosphere is just right for visiting and enjoying each other's company, which is something we have to do on the fly, in the workplace. Every celebration has been a unique and enjoyable event. Along with these birthday parties, we have planned retirement parties, and farewell parties. We are the queens of partying.

One of my favourite parties was the one they planned for my 40th birthday. They threw me an "Oscar" party. Each person presented me with an 'award' for some 'film' I had been in. They created a red carpet out of a plastic table cloth. They sang me a song. [ It was about not feeling bad that I was turning forty, because soon I would be fifty.] And the cake had my face on the body of an extremely thin Oscar winner, which made it look like I was holding an Oscar. SOO FUUN.

This year, is a big year. Five of the women are celebrating a new decade, and two are retiring. We will have no end of fun planning a special event for them. In fact we have already had several meetings about the first of these parties. We have had a blast creating an evening which will poke just a little fun, and at the same time honour our co-workers for helping our work place to be one where each team member is valued.