Happy Birthday Announcement

[la_rainette]

When I was 11, my mum decided she wanted to take up Russian again. So she got in touch with these lovely retired people, kin to people we knew at the time (and with whom with later lost touch), and one rainy afternoon, we went to see them, and she took me along.

We took to each other immediately: I was a quiet, bookish, low-maintenance child, happy to stretch out on their couch with a Good Book and a handful of Pastilles Vichy (they're sort of sweets, only not, cos they're not really sweet: they're full of vichy minerals, slightly mint-flavoured, and, well, I just loved them). And they always made sure they had anough Pastilles Vichy to keep me munching. We loved each other.

As years went by, we stayed in touch, and whenever they came visit -- they always brought me a box of Pastilles Vichy. *g*

Then, when I was about twenty, Vera (who was Mum's Russian teacher) died of lung cancer, and Michel was left alone. So we invited him over, not very often because the ride was long and he was old (we would have gone visit him, but he didn't enjoy that as much: he needed excuses to get out of that house that was so full of memories and dust). And then I left home, but whenever I was in my hometown -- we'd meet. And I would flirt with him, in the way young women can harmlessly flirt with (much) older men, and it would make us both feel good.

The day Husband and I got married, he read a poem in church that he had written just for us. And two years ago, when he had to get rid of most of his old paintings (he is an architect and loves to draw and paint), I raised my hand and said that I would LOVE to have a painting by him. So he handpicked one and had it framed, just for me.

I haven't seen him these past few years, not since I moved to Canada at least. But I'll be calling him in a few hours. It's his birthday today, see.

And he's turning 100.

Happy birthday, Michel!

You rock my world, dear friend.

Comments

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

mon dieu. how lovely that you are still in touch with such an old friend (in every possible sense).

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

He's a lovely guy. Just lovely. And smart and fascinating. A little deaf, so he's more at ease telling you about the world than listening about your life, but he's so eloquent and smart you just want to curl at his feet and listen, basically (says she who had the European Constitution explained to her in great details :D )

[notions.livejournal.com]

Ca, c'est incroyable. Je veux te connaitre quand j'ai cent ans :) (et c'est mon anniversaire aussi, et le cinquante aniversary (?) of my grandparents wedding). Le 14 mai est un tres bonne date! Mais, ton histoire est vraiment amazing, et wow.

(desolee for le franglish)

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

anniversaire de marriage *g*

Imagine, dans 60 ans, tu pourras envoyer un mot à tes amis de Internet (enfin, ce qui aura remplacé Internet à ce moment-là), et tu leur raconteras comment nous nous sommes rencontrées *g*

JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE, ALLY!!!!! I didn;t know it was your birthday, wah! I'll send you chocolate to make up for it :D

[notions.livejournal.com]

Ouais! Je l'aurai faire. :D

et merci merci! I had the most wonderfullest day evar avec mes amis. Mais je suis comme o.O ... j'ai dix-sept ans... creepyy :)

*glomps*

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Dix-sept ans! Mais c'est merveilleux, dix-sept ans. :D

J'ai vu que tu as bien fêté avec tes amis (j'ai vu la photo sur le journal de Rae, tu as l'air radieuse!), j'en suis bien contente. et puis je t'ai envoyé un petit paquet aujourd'hui :D

[notions.livejournal.com]

:D oooh un paquet! merci, je suis excité� :) ...et oui, j'ai bien fê�t�é - mes amis sont (comme ma prof dit) hyper-cool! Et toi aussi. Tout mes amis sont merveilleuses. :D

desolée si tu reçois ce comment deux fois... je l'ai posté (omg is that even a verb??) in the wrong place.

[maple-clef.livejournal.com]

Michel sounds like a wonderful character - I really hope he's had a good centenary... Je le souhaite un tres bon anniversaire.

I was also wondering if anything "happens" on a 100th birthday in France? I only ask because in the UK, one receives a telegram from the Queen, sending her congratulations, which is rather sweet!

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Thank you :D

Well, yes. On Friday evening (so the day before his actual birthday), the mayor came over, with a Speech, and the whole family + friends were assembled to celebrate. And apparently the mayor and his suite will show up every year, now, cos hes The Pride Of The Town *g* I don;t know about the President, but he might have gotten a telegram or something, only I'm not sure he likes the president much, so he didn't say anything about that.

He says he still has so many thank you notes to write OMG! Flowers, chocolate -- and so many good wishes.

[terrylj.livejournal.com]

That is so awesome! I hope that when I'm old and alone, someone will remember me.

I hope he had a wonderful birthday.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness, he's not alone! I mean, he LIVES alone, but he has family in the same town (his daughter and her partner), and they had a party for him with the grand-kids and great-grand-kids (well, 3 of them at least).

And he's so bright and still alert you wouldn't believe, and I think having people around you still and pursueing many lines of interest helps a lot in that respect.