A very unusual weekend

This has been a very unusual weekend... filled with happiness and also with sadness.
Let's start first with the sadness, so we can end this post on a happy note!
Friday evening we got the news from our neighbors Rosette and Monty that their grandson had had an accident. He was biking and a car drove him off the bikepath. He was seriously injured and is still in the hospital. It has been a very emotional weekend for our neighbors, since Saturday was also the day we would celebrate Monty's 60th birthday. The party went on as scheduled, but of course our thoughts were with their grandson.
Also this weekend, my mom told me that my uncle was hospitalized... Actually, considering what could have happened, this was a good thing, since he escaped a heart attack by going into the hospital with some health complaints. Normally he will be back home tomorrow...

And now the nice things about the weekend...
The weather! Yes, the weather! We have had a very nice and rather warm weekend, temperature about 70°F... nice for an autumn weekend! It was even warmer in our garden, since we face South and are well protected on our patio.
Saturday was a rather busy day. Axelle went with me to the place where we would celebrate Monty's birthday to help me and Mira (Monty's daughter) decorate. We finished in a bit more than one hour and went back home. Axelle wanted to stay with her friend Dieter and so I ended up by myself. In the meantime Alain had gone to do some shopping and to check on my parent's computer. I took time to go and shop for a nice dress for the party and to get a big birthday balloon. Except for some ironing, I did not do a lot on Saturday... it was party time after all!
At 5pm we were expected at the venue for Monty's birthday and a lot of guests were already there when we arrived. The party started with some drinks and little snacks and dinner started soon after. We had a Flemish style buffet... for those who were at our Welcome Back party (some of the dishes were the same). While we were eating a magician was demonstrating his tricks at the tables. Amazing what that guy could do... This was fun for everybody, not just for the kids!
After dinner, a first suprize for Monty... He did not know that weeks up front his wife had contacted the guys from his former rock band and that they agreed to play music at this party. But that was not all the surprise, his daughter sang the song he sang years ago while entering a competition. She changed the lyrics and made it a song about him and how he met his wife. Very nice and the whole audience enjoyed it!
Last year Monty and Rosette did not celebrate their wedding anniversary because we were not home yet, so this birthday party was also a celebration of their wedding anniversary... only thing was that Monty did not know about it. Rosette arranged to have a fake minister in the room and so they exchanged vowes again (but believe me, funny text... nothing serious about it). Everybody in the room had a good laugh and that was the whole purpose about it.
After the exchanging of the vowes the dance evening could start. And so we danced the night away! Exhausted (especially our feet) we arrived home around 2 am with a very awake Axelle in the backseat of the car... amazing how she stayed up till that early hour.
Because we had "enough", or should I say "more than enough" to drink on Saturday evening, Sunday started with a headache. Good thing Advil exists and that I bought tons of it in LA... (lol).
Once the medication started kicking in, I felt up to doing some usefull work outside. So I treated the patio to a major cleanup action. In the meantime Alain was building a cathouse with Axelle. Axelle has been very persisting... she wants her cat soon, very soon...
The cathouse is now installed and nothing stands in the way to go and get a young cat at the cat shelter next weekend. Axelle is all excited of course... and if I'm honest... I'm too!
We were most of the time outside yesterday and even had a bbq... probably the last one of 2008. But, I've said this before, so I'm still hoping we can do this again soon...
Today is another beautiful day... same temperature, but I'm at work (this is my break at noon) and so I'm only enjoying the sun through the windows.
I wish all my friends a good week and sunshine in their hearts!
To those who are sick or hospitalized: I wish you a quick recovery...
Love you all...

Pictures will follow later...