BS: Best of Days to KathWestra

Subject: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: bbc
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 08:26 AM

Thinking of you & wishing you a most wonderful day of music & celebration!

love from New York,

bbc

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Big Mick
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 09:44 AM

Dammit beebs, I wanted to be the first. You are just too damn fast for me ......... or I am getting too old, hahahahaha.

Hi dear friend Kath and Happy Birthday to one of my best friends. I sure wish I could be there for the party. I had visions of winning the Mega Millions and jumping a jet and walking in, but some old cod in Virginia won it. So we will have to settle for this ..... LOL.

I will be thinking of you tonight as the party is going on, and the Lane clan will sing Happy Birthday in your honor.

Love ya,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 09:47 AM

Happy day, Kath!
Allison

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: kendall
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 09:51 AM

And the very best of everything to a dear friend.

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Padre
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 10:04 AM

Happy Birthday, Kathy.

Tom+

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Bohdran Killer
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 10:21 AM

Happy birthday Kath, whoever you are.

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 10:50 AM

Kath Westra - a good role model for a human being. It's nice that someone finally designated a KathWestra day. In honor of the day, I shall go forth and Be Nice to People and Offer Encouragment and Hugs!

Love and Happy Day,
Jeri

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 11:10 AM

Those of us lucky enough to be close and able to attend the festivities will do our durnedest to imitate a cast of thousands and convey the feeling expressed by y'all.....(what I mean is, we'll hug 'er fer ya'!)

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: bbc
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 11:55 AM

Thanks, Bill. Give her a warm one from me. Last night, Sandy & Caroline expressed their sincere regrets that work prevents them from attending in person. I think Kathy knows they will be there in their hearts. Sorry, Mick, you've got to deal w/ the fact that many of us love & appreciate Kathy. Yup, maybe you're gettin' old! ;) I'm on school schedule & can't help getting up early, even on the weekends.

love,

Barbara

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Micca
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 01:30 PM

as has been said above, Many Hugs etc. from the UK branch of the Kath Westra Appreciation Society

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 01:58 PM

Happy Birthday, Kathy!! When are ya coming out West? Our rural schools need you!**bg**

Have a wonderful day and year,

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 07:26 PM

Kath- glad of an excuse to say you're a lovely lady, a good friend, and we're glad to be walking the world with you! Love and blessings, Jean

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Art Thieme
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 09:32 PM

From me too, Kath. I knew you could do it. ;-)

Love,
Art

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Tinker
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 10:39 PM

Happy Birthday dear lady. Hee's hoping the day (and night) are all you could wish for...

tinker

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 02:56 AM

Kathy, m'luv:
       What Barbara said above is so true! We do wish we could have escaped the grind to share this day with you and your friends. I know Karen K has conveyed our love and best wishes to you, but the in-person meeting, with the hugs, are so much better. Do I have to stop thinking of you now as the dear little Dutch girl we enticed out into the cruel world from her comfortable Calvinist cradle? When I think how long we have known and loved you, I am made more aware of MY age than of yours. Amazing, how you can have birthdays and remain so young!
    Love from Caroline, too!
    Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 01:42 PM

greetings were conveyed, hugs were exchanged, food was consumed..(OH, WHAT FOOD!), drinks were drunk, birthday cake was shared.....and of course, songs were sung! Songs of every style, tempo, mood and age...many by the birthday girl herself, who can sing a gentle song to soothe the soul one minute and a silly humorous little ditty the next..(like "Hopelessly Midwestern")

At times the gathering felt like an initiation to the "officially-*mature*-but-still-not-over-the-hill-club*...(At one point, I think we had 19 people in the singing room, with onle one under 50! *grin*) The usual jokes were shared about memory for lyrics under the cloud of over-taxed brain cells, and several "songs by committee" were worked out. You know what I mean.....

It was a long, lovely gathering, and I hope Kath was as happy as she seemed at all the friends, good wishes, good music and good vibes in the house!

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 02:39 PM

Happy Birthday, Kathy! Sorry I'm late.

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: bbc
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 07:28 PM

Bill,

Thanks for the report. Hope it's the start of a really great year!

love,

Barbara

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: Susan A-R
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 10:07 PM

Late, as usual, but glad that I checked in in time to tag along on this thread. Best wishes from the frozen north. P'raps we'll see you up here when the ice is out, and can celebrate the northern rendition. In the mean time. . . Happy Birthday.

Susan A-R

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: KathWestra
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 11:21 PM

Thanks, all. My 50th was the very best birthday ever. Ever. I felt wrapped in love and music. Lots of good friends. Lots of singing. I feel truly blessed to have such wonderful people sharing my journey--the ones who made it to the party, and the ones I wished were there. KarenK was one of the beloved out-of-towners in on the party, as were my friends Dick Swain from Pennsylvania(alas without his beloved, Nancy Mattila, who was ill), Suzanne Mrozak from Boston, Heather Wood from NYC, and Laurel and Arthur Shelmandine from Jericho, Vermont (with 14-year-old daughter and helluva fine singer Annalise and her friend, Aimee, already a good guitar player). Judy and Dennis Cook generously volunteered their house for the bash, accommodated 65 people without blinking an eye, and were gracious, warm hosts. They're the best! (They also did a hysterically funny version of the Berryman's "Double Yodel"--with absolutely perfect timing. It deserves being made into a video.) Pete The Spy called in from California. My dad, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew called in from Grand Rapids, Michigan. The party went from 2:00 in the afternoon until I finally rolled into my driveway at 1:30 a.m. Then Dick, Suzanne, and I started in on the music again after breakfast. What more could a kid of 50 ask? Thanks all! xo Kathy

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 11:36 PM

Hippo Birdies Two Ewes,
Hippo Birdies Two Ewes,
Hippo Birdies, Hippo Birdies,
Hippo Birdies Two Ewes.

Subject: RE: BS: Best of Days to KathWestra
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 11:38 PM

And I'm even later than usual! Sounds a wonderful time Kath and no one could deserve it more! No cracks or jokes, just my best wishes and thoughts to you.......and 50 isn't bad.....i was justhappy to make it!

Spaw