Jan has met Abraham

Somewhere in June, Jan hit a big milestone...a new front door with the number 5 on it.  The day itself passed rather uneventful when both of us went to work.  But a few weeks before we realized this milestone coming up and that we had nothing planned as usual.  But a 50th birthday might deserve a little more pooha than other birthdays, right?  Especially since we've lacked so many parties the previous years. 

So on the day itself we were happy enough to go out for dinner together in the city centre of Leuven after we both returned home from work. 

Rather last minute we organised a birthday party on a Saturday in July.  Not easy as many people were leaving on vacation and then last minute there seems a significant new wave of Covid contaminations going around in our age group with a lot of last minute cancellations. Poohaaa. 
But we still gathered with a few dozen friends, some of whome came from far and some whome we hadn't seen in several years.  So it didn't matter that there were many cancellations: it was great to gather with those that were there.


Together with Kabouter I made a 5h30 party playlist with contemporary hits combined with techno, new wave, rock and other flashbacks to be appropriate for the 30-40-50 somethings that were invited.  I had some decorations and we went to get sufficient choice of drinks for everyone.
In the afternoon we decorated the small hall we rented and then my mother came to help and some other friends came early....so we enjoyed a nice dinner in the bistro that was at a stone's throw of the hall. Funny enough during our dinner, some more of our guests arrived to first have dinner there :D 

The evening was great but as it goes on such parties, we didn't get to talk to everyone sufficiently. But it was heartwarming to catch up with most nevertheless and to see some other groups of friends mingle with some others.  And the boys stayed up until way beyond their bedtime and my mom's bedtime who was going to babysit, and they proved themselves as the cutest waiters you can have.  I don't have pictures of the evening, so I guess I've been too busy being social with everyone :).  Looking forward already to my milestone in a few years so I can throw my own party. 

And the next day....we enjoyed a good nap after our clean-up of the hall (with thanks to some help of friends).  At our age such a nap is very beneficial ;).