Sue out did herself by planning and executing a surprise 75th Birthday celebration the weekend of the 16th.

All I knew was that Chuck and Denise were flying out from Illinois on Thursday the 13th to be with us for my birthday and for Father's Day, and that Chuck was taking me up to the Eagle Mountain House in Jackson Friday morning the 14th for an overnight. Then when we got back Saturday we'd have a nice time together for the day, and then they would hang out with Colin and Marissa and families Sunday flying out Monday.

But Sue had (deviously?) been plotting with everyone since February for something totally different. Totally....

So, Saturday morning when Chuck pulled the car over the hill and headed down the road to the house, I could see cars jammed into the driveway, and parked all along the road. Something was 'a foot' as Sherlock Holmes would have said....

And indeed it was! There must have been 20 people waiting on the grass waving at us as we parked the car and walked across the driveway. I was so amazed - I was... well, actually speechless. For once in my life as a few of my karate disciples joked later.

My nephew Scott from Frederick, MD had driven up Friday. My 40+ year karate disciple Master Carl Parker and his wife Sheina had flown in from Albuquerque, NM. My grandson Braden had flown in with Chuck and Denise, and grandson Graham and his girl friend Raven had driven up Friday night from Norwalk, CT.

My also 40+ year karate disciples Master Russ Jones from Laconia, NH and Master Tim House from Portsmouth, NH were there as well as my 30+ year disciple 3rd Degree Black Belt Rick Downs and his wife Linda from Eliot, ME.

Sue's daughter Jill who had driven up Friday evening after work from Westerly, RI, and our friend Gail from the Nashua area had been there all Saturday morning morning helping Sue getting things set up. Colin had come up at 7:30 after working a 24 hour shift at the fire station, and was met when he got here by Denise and Braden who helped him pitch this enormous tent he had brought for the party as well as setting up all of the tables and chairs.

And it was wonderful to have Sue's brother Alan and his wife Kathleen drive down from Brownfield, ME to be with us. Sue had also gathered our friends Nora, Nancy, Steve (who took some of the pictures) and Cathy, and Jen and Butch. What a wonderful gathering of friends, and notes from several of my other long time martial arts students, family, and friends who were unable to attend but sent their regards.

I so value everyone who thought of me on my 75th. Truly.... And I am so filled with joy at Sue's perseverance in putting all of this together despite a recent rant that I had about not wanting any 'surprises'.... I loved it for sure and love her despite her telling me: "Too bad; sa-prize!" I was totally surprised, and just glowed for a few days after.

There were sooooo many pictures I wanted to share that I broke them all up into 3 pages: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday because Sue just had this thing going all weekend!