Hodgepodge 320/365 - Happy Birthday, David!

I decided to skip back through my Flickr archive for photos from September 14ths past. There aren't all that many, surprisingly: I must have been having too good a time just spending the day with David, having fun, celebrating his birthday, his life, life in general. But here are a few that I turned up, some of which actually feature the birthday boy himself! (With Flickr captions attached as appropriate.)

Harpers Ferry, WV, 2014: This photo showed up on FB
today and is what gave me the idea for this post

This was at the birthday dinner itself, in Baltimore,
later that same day apparently: baked alaska!

2007: "David's 54th. I got him a few presents: a Swiss army knife
(to replace one now languishing in a 'security hangar' somewhere),
a silk Hawaiian shirt, and a long-sleeve lightweight sweater...
hope he likes 'em!"

Lightweight sweaters must be my MO, because guess what I got him today: a long-sleeve lightweight sweater, merino wool, medium blue. It looks nice! Also a bottle of Fog's End rye whiskey (from Gonzalez, Monterey County). We don't go in for elaborate around here . . . just quality.

2009 (56): A misty walk along the shore, a little
bit of a workout at the rock gym, and then
dinner at the (yes) French Poodle in Carmel.
Despite the name of the restaurant, the
food was, I have to say, amazing.
(I had abalone, full size. That right there is amazing.
Not that I had abalone [well, okay that a little],
but that it was full size and not silly medallions.
Just like in my youth. And oh so tender.
Both the abalone and my youth.)

French Poodle dessert

Abalone garnish

2010 (57) This was actually on a walk with my friend Jen in the morning,
but that evening I surprised David with a Sheryl Crow concert
at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga (South Bay). (No pictures allowed.)
She was great!

2011 (58): Geocaching with Babar (see him?).
Sometimes geocaching is the perfect way to spend a birthday.

2013: David's sixtieth. We threw a party on Monastery Beach
that was very well attended: potluck bbq, a firepit, people from
many of our various circles, and family and old friends too.
We'd done the same ten years earlier. I guess we'll have to do it
again in 2023. It's a wonderful tradition. That's our great-nephew Felix
giving David candle-blowing juju. Sixty candles!

All of David's sibs came for his sixtieth! Super special!

A high-end bottle of tequila gifted by the Norwegians

Did I mention that there were sixty candles? Yup.

And tonight, after an afternoon trek along the Big Sur bridge-construction bypass trail and through Pfeiffer–Big Sur State Park along the river, we stopped at Bill Lee's Sur Restaurant in the Barnyard. After we'd finished our meals (filet mignon; ahi tuna), the waiter asked if we'd like to see a dessert menu. David said, "Just a peek." I mentioned that it's David's birthday. The waiter said, "Oh, I didn't know that," and disappeared. A few minutes later he reappeared with a scoop of chocolate-covered ice cream, in a gorgeous, dry ice–enhanced presentation:

Very celebratory! Happy birthday, David! And many more!