603. A surprise birthday party. Can you guess her age…?

LOTS OF PHOTOS.

Donnis had four surprise Birthdays this year.

From L to R. Errol & Nicole with Hannah, Crystal Murphy, Donnis and Frank, Chris with Amelia, Alecia and Peter.

We are only a third of the way through. Should we expect more surprises?

L to R. Errol with Amelia, Donnis with Hannah, Peter, Chris and Alecia.

The first surprise was on 20^th March when her daughter Alecia and sister Linda and niece Simone arrived from Canada and called out surprise when they quietly entered our home and waited until she came out of the bedroom.

Bill Percy, Donnis, Marie Percy.

L to R. Donnis sister Joan, Hannah a& Amelia, Donnis, Frank, Donnis other sister Linda.

Donnis and daughter Alecia who was the organiser all the way from Canada. What a great job she did.

Karen, Donnis friend from when she arrived in Australia last century.

Frank’s family from L to Right. Ken and Enid (or Sue ), Peter married to my sister Be and on the right Sandi married to Dave.

Donnis sister Linda with hubby Doug. Not a bad looking specimen of a man for a 78 year old or is that 79? He had a birthday a few days before this photo. We celebrated with dinner and drinks at Southport Surf Life Saving Club.

Donnis neice Simone, sister Linda, BIL Doug, sister Joan and friend Marilyn.

Donnis with niece Simone. Its difficult with three cameras flashing. You never know which one to look at.

With Robyn.

Wencke and Graham with Donnis.

L to R. Nicole with Alecia and Errol with Amelia and Hannah in front, Donnis, Karen with her grandsons Liam and James, Donnis son Peter and Karens son Mat.

Regelyn with her son and Donnis grandson, Chris. At 13 he is going to be a big boy.

My sister Sandra on the left with Karen.

A few days later the second surprise occurred when son Errol arrived from King Lake in Victoria with wife Nicole and their daughters and all went out on a houseboat on The Broadwater for three days.

On board the SHADEE LADY Houseboat on the Broadwater. While Errol rows the dinghy, kite surfers can be seen at Runaway Bay.

Hannah and Amelia saw something…what was it?

Simone enjoys steering SHADEE LADY.

In the lee of Wavebreak island Hannah and Alecia do a spot of fishing.

On board the houseboat with Donnis, Simone, Nicole, Amelia and Hannah.

Simone on the houseboat somewhere on the Gold Coast Broadwater.

Hannah catches her first fish…ever.

Amelia and Hannah on the houseboat.

It’s meal time again with Errol, Nicole, Donnis, Simone Hannah and Amelia.

This is the life Hannah Donnis Errol and Amelia wallow in the warm water around Wavebreak Island.

On the beach at Wavebreak Island. Alecia nd Amelia, Donnis, Nicole, Errol and Hannah

Life is tough for Alecia and Donnis but somebody has to do it.

Jump for joy on avebreak.

Next was the BIG surprise birthday party when her other son Peter arrived from Atherton in North Queensland, her other sister Joan arrived from Calgary in Canada.

Amelia with her party mastermind aunt, Alecia.

One day we took a drive to Springbrook to see Purlingbrook Falls

Frank Joan and Donnis at Purlingbrook Falls.

and the Best of All Lookouts.

Alecia, Joan Donnis Frank. A couple of locals being tourists took the photo at Best of All Lookouts from an ancient volcanic caldera overlooking Murwillumbah in NSW.

My sisters also arrived along with family friends from her past, invited by Alecia, arrived and hid in our Clubhouse until I conned her into going there to see somebody…just for a moment. That moment turned into a 6 hour party. Suddenly about 30 people jumped out from around the corner and called surprise!!! They were all surprised because Donnis did not fall down with excitement.

Somehow the crew found time to have a day at Sea World. L to R at back. Fred, Peggy, Linda, Simone. Front Alecia, Joan, Amelia, Errol and Hannah and Donnis.

Visitors were from Vancouver, Calgary and Prince Edward Island in Canada.

King Lake in Victoria, Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland. Noosa on the Sunshine Coast Queensland, Mackay in North Queensland, Townsville North Queensland, Brisbane Queensland, Gold Coast Queensland, Gymea Bay Sydney New South Wales.

At yet another BBQ at the clubhouse. Peggy a visitor from Canada with Donnis sister Linda, Donnis and Nicole.

…and this is the BBQ in the outside BBQ area. from L to R, Fred, Peggy, Hannah.Simone,Joan,Doug,Nicole,Peter, Errol, Amelia, Donnis, Linda and Frank. Photo by Alecia.

Finally, her real birthday occurred on Thursday and came as a surprise creeping up unexpectedly after the other three surprises. Alecia, Donnis and I went to a Thai Restaurant for a birthday dinner.

Alecia flew home to Prince Edward Island in Canada the next morning.

All  the photo credits, taken with an Olympus Digital is by Alecia Wilson.

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