Dreading the day that had finally arrived,

Rick Is 50!

On October 6th, I awoke to a sign in our front yard surrounded by 50 elderly Dinosaurs heralding my dubious milestone. It had been an extremely busy Birthday week as Kathy & I had just returned from seeing the Stones in DC the day earlier. 

As I couldn't go to work on my birthday, I went golfing instead. On October 7th, we were at Hawthorne watching Marion's Man run while the remainder of Friday & Saturday were consumed with Ben and Brett's Homecoming games and dance.

But alas, the week was not done. On Sunday the 9th, Best Bud Bob Moran had invited me & Brad over to watch the Bears game. Afterwards Brad and I headed home to enjoy what I had hoped to be a quiet night after all the hoopla of the week before. 

However pulling up in my drive - and as a total and complete surprise to me - were 50-60 family and friends gathered for a surprise birthday party that Kathy had staged. I hadn't the foggiest clue about any party as the picture right shows when we pulled up in the car.  Kathy had the party catered from favorite restaurant Nino's. The weather cooperated by being a beautiful fall afternoon.

At the party I got a mixture of very nice & rather cruel gifts. Probably the oddest gifts were a par of Spurs (bedroom accessory most likely) from Aunt Peggy, while worthless brother-in-law Steve had a couple of altered photos made with my likeness that were tasteless and crude! Picture bottom shows the entire group waiting in the Driveway for my arrival.

Click here for party snaps courtesy of worthless Brother-In-Law Steve

Thanks to all for making this such a memorable birthday!