...and so she became a Doctor in Biochemistry!

"I passed"

On behalf of Alice, the lab got a family in Africa a goat and the card read:

"Congratulations! You goat a PhD".

celebrating with her lab colleagues and friends
Her superviser, her, Joel and I. David is behind the camera. can you see him?

It was May 15th, 1983 around 4:15 AM when I woke up with some pains, that could well be labor pain. By 8:23 AM, that same morning, my labour pains had become a gorgeous baby girl, Alice. 25 years and 11 months later, she becomes a Doctor in Biochemistry!!

I've been trying to word the feeling, the thoughts, the emotions, the heart palpitation and am failing miserably...I guess it's impossible, and at the same time just so AWESOME! What a sensation to see your little one, whose diapers you have changed, walk into the room with a big fat smile saying "I passed". Congratulations Alissoca, we are speechless with your accomplishments, specially at your age and so completely totally proud of you! Viva!! Bravo!!

Dinner with some more dear friends

My face as I opened the door to find Lorraine right at our door!

The 4 girls united again!

A toast to life!

It's now, Saturday Feb. 14th and some very dear friends are coming for some more celebrations. This time round the common language will be English, as people are from all over. The decoration I chose for the cake was a turn table, to honour the old vinyl LPs. The dinner was just as enjoyable and fun as the lunch and it had a huge surprise factor added to it.

The story goes like this: at some point during the day, my darling husband said that may be we could be ready some 20/30 minutes earlier, as foreigners do respect the time they are invited for. So, as the invitation had been for 8 PM, there we were, ready and watching BBC at 7:35 PM. At 7:45 sharp, the bell rang and as I walked to the door, I thought to myself: wow, Joel really hit the target, good for him! I had not idea which of our guests was so punctual to arrive at the party a bit earlier, but honestly, that was not a problem, as it was all set and ready to roll.

Oh my Lord help me here, as I opened the door, my very dear Lorraine, who is now living in Glasgow, Scotland, was right there, all dressed up, ready to hug me for my 50's! It was so totally unbelievable and at the same time so real. It was her, it was her laughter I was listening to, it was her bear hugs I was receiving... but how could it be, I had just received a card from her with the Royal stamp... it was her, here in HK, how awesome!! Thank you very much for all this team of people who put this delicious surprise together. Absolutely priceless sensation! I loved it, loved it!!

Dear K & L together with their darlings husbands, came to the dinner party together with Lorraine. I then found out that everybody else knew about the surprise, even Joel and Alice (in the UK), knew about it!

Because of privacy, I'm not posting pictures with everybody else.

Lunch with the Brazilian ladies

Speaking to Alice & David in the UK

I wonder what story Joel was telling us....

The cake!

While I was saying a few words.

Our lobby dressed up for the parties.

Joel and the cake

Speaking to my brother M in Brazil

Carlota wishing me happy birthday

Joel, myself and J

Joel, myself and gorgeous Victoria harbour.

Wow, this week it has been REALLY wow! So many celebrations to welcome the new decade that I believe I have put on at least 5/6 kilos with all the food that has been going around, LOL! Must confess that these were the most delicious kilos I have eveer gained in my entire life, LOL! I thought, "since I can't delay the arrival of the 50's, let me at least welcome it in style" and in style it has been!!

On Friday, just before I was about to leave home to buy some flowers to decorate the flat, the bell rang and voila... a florist arrived "bringing" my parents and older brother. What a warm surprise that was! They had written to Joel asking for all the arrangements to be made. Joel, knowing that I wanted some flowers around the flat, made sure the delivery was made prior to me going for them. How wonderful! It was like having them present at both parties. Fabulous!

On Friday, we had the Brazilian ladies for lunch. Loads of fun and we were chit chatting until almost the end of the afternoon. Joel was a Darling barman and helped me host them all. I wasn't going to have any cakes, just lunch, but Joel convinced me that no birthday party is complete without a cake. So rush rush and had a cake made. I asked it's decorations to reflect my delicious hobby, which by the way, I inherited from daddy - photography.

On Friday evening, we went out for dinner at Isola, with its beautiful view facing Victoria Harbour with dear friend J. From the pictures, you clearly see that my hair was already gone by then, it shows that it had had a very long day, LOL!!

The Season has started!

A, myself and Joel at the Pawn. Gorgeous metal lace background, no?

Myself and A. at the stylish "The Pawn".

Joel and I just before leaving home.

So my dear friends and family, my 50th birthday celebrations have started! Wow, this is such a thrill... it's for real, I am almost there... Tonight, our friend A, invited us out for dinner, as he won't be able to come for the party. He took us to this relatively new restaurant in town, called "The Pawn", which is a VERY cool and stylish restaurant in Wan Chai. It was a wonderful way to start this special season. I loved it, thank you A!

Half a century has gone!!

My 50th birthday is knocking at my door... it's so funny thinking that I am already here! When I was a mid teenager, I used to think that I wanted to die at 40, because for me, living the typical "teen" days, being 40 was "very old" and I didn't want to be old. Then, when I least expected, I was preparing the party for my 40th birthday. Oops, I still had loads to do and to see, I wasn't ready to die yet, LOL!

Yesterday I went out to get a few things for both parties. I will be having my Brazilian friends on one day and my English speaking friends on another day and while I was out yesterday, I had the thought "you only turn 50 once, so do it well". Then, coming back home I had to laugh at myself... you only turn whatever age once in your lifetime. Nobody turns 37 twice or 43 twice for that matter... all ages only come once in your lifetime and that is why we must enjoy and find fun the whole time.

However, turning 50 became a benchmark. This figure represents half century, means menopause, means maturity should be full on active, means the world respects you and at the same time, expects you to be more sensible, means gravity is stronger, means grey hair, means possibibly more free time... ai ai ai ui ui ui not sure I can handle all that, LOL!

Anyway, it's time to celebrate those 50 years that have all the traditional ups and downs of a life well and fully lived. Amen to that and I take this opportunity to thank God to have brought me all the way here and for my mother who gave me my first ever "face cream kit" back when I was 20. I thoroughly love being alive.