Monday, September 19, 2011

PJ's Birthday Bash - Day Two

It's Good to be a Zero!

I can still remember the excitement I felt as I approached my tenth birthday.  I was finally going to be double digits and I was embracing that zero for all it was worth!  The excitement continued with the celebration of my twentieth as I said farewell to my teens and welcomed all the new adventures that I felt sure being an "adult" would bring.  Thirty was a breeze.  Honestly, I didn't dread it at all.  I was enjoying a happy marriage, a promising career and not at all worried about growing older.  

Forty was a little harder.  My mom had died unexpectedly while I was in my thirties which made me more conscious of the passing of time but it was my fiftieth that brought it home.  I spent my fiftieth birthday sitting by my late husband's hospital bed knowing his days were numbered.  He was unconscious and unaware of the occasion.  Obviously, there was no celebration.  He died a week later and as I worked through my grief I began to remember how much he had embraced life.  Even while struggling through five years of one medical crisis after another, he greeted every day with joy and anticipation, glad to be alive for one more "bonus day" as he called them.  I decided it was time to follow his example, determined that my fifties would be my decade of re-discovery and it was.  I recaptured my love of travel and explored new places.  I waded into the waters of internet message boards and blogs, making new friends and adding many talented authors to my quickly expanding reading list.  I went back to work and remembered how much I had always enjoyed working with the public.  I followed his example and welcomed each day for the bonus that it is and last, but certainly not least, I began writing again.  I thank Marisa O'Neill and Maria Lokken for nudging me back into that writing pool, author friends who have encouraged me along the way and Buffie, Andrea and Gannon for joining me in this exciting blogging adventure of ours here at The Romance Dish. I'm having a blast!

So, as this is the last day of my fifties, how am I feeling about the prospect of another zero?  I feel fabulousTomorrow I will turn sixty and I'm going to embrace it with as much enthusiasm, joy, and anticipation as I did that long-ago first zero the year I turned ten.  My life adventure continues and I cannot wait to see what awaits around the next turn but, for today, we have drinks, food, more surprise guests, sexy waiters ready to meet your every need and lots of presents to give away so LET'S PARTY!

PJ:  The Aussie contingent is here!  It's Anna Campbell and Christina Brooke!  Just snag one of our handsome young waiters (No, Anna.  I said "snag", not "shag!") and give him your drink order.  I can see we'll have to keep an eye on you today! ;-)

Here come more guests!  It's Jeanne Adams, Sabrina Jeffries, Emily March and Juliana Stone.  Welcome!  Welcome!  So good of you to join us today!  

So, yesterday we were chatting about special birthday traditions in our families.  Do any of you have special traditions you follow?


Christina: Oh, always my mother has a special birthday dinner for us and I get to choose my favourite meal and chocolate cake with whipped cream for dessert! So lovely to be spoiled with a home-cooked meal that I didn't cook! One day I'm going to demand a reprise of the barbie princess cake I had for my sixth birthday. That was amazing.

PJ:  One of my aunts made those Barbie cakes for our birthdays when we were kids.  They were so cool!

Jeanne: We don't have a lot special traditions, but we do have to have cake, and the cake has to have the person's name on it. The other tradition is that on the actual birthday, we go do something that person wants to do, just as a family. Bowling. A trip to the mountains. A ballgame. Chuck- E-Cheese *shudder*

PJ:  I've been to Chuck-E-Cheese once, Jeanne.  It was one of those "one time is more than enough for one lifetime" events!  LOL!

Emily: When my kids were little, we always wore party hats--adults included-- for the blowing out the candles on the cake part of the celebration. One year, the kids had an "Alvin and the Chipmunks" party. Over the years, the hats were lost until we only had ONE Alvin hat and the rest generic party balloon hats. The birthday boy/girl got to wear the Alvin hat and everyone else wore generic hats. Well, that lone Alvin hat still exits, but everyone is an adult. My oldest is 30. (I was a child bride. Really.) I still make the birthday boy/girl wear the hat on their birthday.

PJ:  Oh, Emily, I love this tradition!  

Anna:  Happy birthday, PJ! So glad we’re celebrating your birthday in style. In my family, we always make a huge fuss of birthdays. As a kid, I used to love birthdays because Mum used to get out the good china and we had a flash dinner in the dining room which was generally out of bounds to boisterous children! 

PJ:  I'll bet that made you feel very special, didn't it, Anna?  What a lovely tradition.  

Juliana:  Parties. Always an excuse for a party in my house. Whether it’s for a kid or an adult…my husband loves to PARTAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll be honest. I’m not much for cards or even presents and such…to me a phone call is much more personal and I much prefer dinner with family and friends. But I like to be in the know. This past year my birthday fell on a Saturday. My son’s band was playing an outdoor concert and I planned a trip to Costco with friends and we were to end up at his show. I was a little miffed that hubby wasn’t joining us but when I got home my house was filled to the brim with family and friends…Happy Birthday to me….cept, well, I wasn’t exactly dressed for a party, had no makeup on and my hair was a disaster….I did forgive him…eventually. J 

  
PJ: I came home from work tonight to find a birthday cake purchased today by two of my brothers.  It says "Happy Birthday, Frank  Patty."   We have a rather unique sense of humor in my family. ;-) What kind of cake or other sweet treat do you prefer on your birthday?





Emily: I want my mom's white cake with chocolate icing. It's heavy as a brick, but to me it means home. No ice cream for me. Just give me a second piece of cake.

Juliana:  I love vanilla cake with butter cream frosting and custard in the middle. Hands down the best ever. In a pinch I’ll grab a deluxe chocolate blizzard cake from Dairy Queen. 

Jeanne:  I'm with you, PJ. I ADORE German Chocolate Cake. I also like Marble Cake (vanilla and chocolate mixed), and Angel Food Cake. However, as you may remember from the Cake vs. Pie "fight" that Cassondra and I had on the Romance Bandits blog, my favorite treat is pie. Pumpkin pie, preferable. And if not that, hot apple pie with cheddar cheese and ice cream. grins. 

PJ:  We'll be visiting the local apple orchards this week so I foresee apple pies in my future! :)

Christina:  I am ALL about the cake! Other faves are a hazelnut and apple galette and sticky toffee pudding. 

Sabrina:  I always preferred pie to cake, so when I was growing up, I always asked for chocolate pie, my favorite. 


PJ: Oh, I adore chocolate pie! I make a pretty good one too! :) 

PJ:  So tell me, how do you really feel about milestone birthdays? Do you dread them, tolerate them with stoic acceptance or approach them with enthusiasm for the adventures that await you? 

Juliana:  I have some friends who freaked out when they turned 30 and I worry about their approaching 40th! For me, 30 didn’t matter and neither did 40. I think if you’re in a great place in your life…happy with house and home, birthday milestones don’t seem to matter as much. But if you’re not where you want to be, well, then I think getting older tends to freak us out a bit more.

Jeanne:  I love my birthday, actually, regardless of which one it is. I approach 29 with the same zeal that I approached my 8th, or 35th or that "other" 29th birthday. Hahaha. I love celebrating, and I appreciate and am grateful for having another wonderful year of love, laughter and joy.

Christina: I think my next one might be a bit challenging but then again, I got over the last milestone just fine. I spend the year thinking I'm the age I will turn in October so when the actual date arrives it's not as scary. 

Anna:  I think I’m probably somewhere between stoic acceptance and enthusiasm, depending on how much sleep I had last night! 

Sabrina:  I love birthdays, milestone or otherwise. Age means nothing to me--I just embrace any chance to have a party! Milestone ones I try to have a BIG party! 

PJ:  You all know my big news is my birthday but what’s been going on in your lives? Any new books, upcoming books or other projects you’d like to tell us about? 

Emily: Thanks for asking. Right now I'm putting up my Geralyn Dawson backlist as ebooks, so that's keeping me busy. I hope to have most of them available by the end of the year. Also, I have an Emily March Christmas novella coming out soon as an ebook--MISTLETOE MINE. And, the fourth Eternity Springs book, LOVER'S LEAP, comes out on December 27th. 



Juliana:  Busy, busy, busy here in the land of Canuk. I’m on deadline until the end of the year…no, I lied, I’m on deadline until February. I’ve an new series starting for Avon which is set in the same world as my Jaguar Warriors, but takes us in a new direction. League of Guardians kicks off with a novella in February and Wicked Road to Hell releases in May, with 2 more to follow before the end of next year. So, yes….lots of writing! 






  
Jeanne:  Since I've already been on the blog this month, ya'll know my news - my latest book, Deadly Little Lies, just came out. My other great news is that I got to sign at Nora Roberts's bookstore, Turn the Page, on September 17th. It was fabulous!!! SO much fun!!! And I got to be both a sober, respectable author, and a a fan girl at the same time. ha! 











Anna:  I’m currently working on a Beauty and the Beast story that should be out next year. Having a wonderful time with my ‘beastly’ hero (who of course isn’t really THAT beastly).








Sabrina:  I've got two books coming out practically back to back: To Wed a Wild Lord comes out Nov. 22nd and A Lady Never Surrenders comes out Jan. 24th. I'm very excited about them, since they're the final two books of the Hellions series. 








Christina:  I'm madly excited about my January 3 release, MAD ABOUT THE EARL. It was such a fun book to write--a twist on Beauty and the Beast. I'm also hoping to move into a newly renovated house early next year. Fingers crossed! 




PJ:  Do you share your birthday with any notable events or people? I share mine with actress Sophia Loren. I wouldn't mind sharing her wonderful Italian genes along with the date!

Christina:  Wow PJ, that's exotic! Hey, apparently Clive Owen shares a birthday with me. I'd love it if he'd share other things with me, too ;)long with the date! 

Juliana: I share my birthday with Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame and Hugh Hefner to name a few. 

Anna:  Wow, Sophia Loren, PJ? How cool! Sadly, my birthday, the 24th August, is littered with humungous disasters. Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii in AD79. The French Catholics massacred the French Protestants on St. Bartholomew’s Day in 1572. The Brits burned down the White House in 1814. 

PJ:  Thanks for stopping by to help celebrate my birthday!  I hope you'll stay awhile, chat with my other guests and enjoy some goodies.  Oh, and thank you so much for the presents!  Our readers will be delighted!

Who do you share your birthday with?  Any famous events occur on the day you were born?

Todays giveaways(Thank you to the authors who have generously donated presents for our readers!)
A signed copy of Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke
Three signed copies of Midnight's Wild Passion by Anna Campbell
Tote bag, luggage handle and signed book from Sabrina Jeffries
Signed copy of Deadly Little Secrets by Jeanne Adams
Signed copies of her Jaguar Warriors trilogy from Juliana Stone
One signed copy of Heartbreak Creek from Kaki Warner


152 comments:

  1. PJ, so excited to celebrate your birthday with you - and in such good company too. Hey, how come I'm the one who got blamed for shagging the waiters? Snicker! You're one of the loveliest people I've ever met and you're an adornment to Romancelandia. It's an honor to be your friend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY for tomorrow!!!!

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  2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOOUUUUU!!

    No one deserves a huge birthday celebration more than you, dearest PJ! Have a fabulous extravaganza, won't you?

    Shagging the waiters? Really, Anna! Tsk, tsk.

    By the way, Sven might pop in later with cocktails and massages for everyone!

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  3. Thank you, Anna! And thanks for being part of my birthday celebration. It just wouldn't have been the same without you!

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  4. Christina! My other Aussie sister of the heart! Like Anna, I couldn't imagine a birthday celebration without you. Thank you so much for being here!

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  5. By the way, Sven might pop in later with cocktails and massages for everyone!



    Sven is coming? Ooh, you can't imagine how much I'd love to have his hands on me...purely in a professional, medicinal way, of course. :)

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  6. Hey PJ! Happy Birthday!!!! I hope you have an awesome one.

    Nothing major really happened the exact day I was born, however, I do share my birthday with the "Day the Music Died" as described in the song "American Pie."

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  7. Many happy birthdays, PJ! We go waaay back, you and I.

    I shall be here throughout the day doing muscle flexing and making the massage while my cold and silent but handsome brother Lars mixes cocktails and fends off Miss Campbell with his paper umbrella.

    Enjoy the party everybody!

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  8. Happy Birthday PJ.

    I love that cake. I have a similar tradition in our house as Christina Brooke. We all get to have our fave dinner cooked and we all have a very noisy time. I just turned 40 this year and don't feel a day over 39!

    Have a great 60th!

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  9. Sven said, Many happy birthdays, PJ! We go waaay back, you and I.

    Shhhhh! Is nothing secret around here? You know how jealous the other Bandita Buddies get!

    Oh, and thank you for the birthday wishes, you dear man.

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  10. Thanks, Kasey!

    Nothing major really happened the exact day I was born, however, I do share my birthday with the "Day the Music Died" as described in the song "American Pie."



    Oh, I love that song! As many times as I've heard it, I never tire of hearing it again. ;-)

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  11. Happy Birthday to PJ. It's so nice to see so many guests here today including a couple of Banditas and of course Sven. Sven knows how to take care of the guests. I can't wait for him to serve me some refreshments.

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  12. Oh, forgot to ask if we'll be breaking out the karaoke machine.

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  13. Happy Birthday, Cassandra! I hope you enjoy your forties!

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  14. Jane said, Oh, forgot to ask if we'll be breaking out the karaoke machine.



    Absolutely! Any special requests?

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  15. Ah the Banditas... They have their cabana boys and their hockey hunks and their shield-sledding Romans. They have no time for poor Sven anymore. Not until they have the deadline and then it's 'oh Sven, my neck hurts' or 'pour me another shot of Tequila this book stinks on ice'. Those Banditas, they take me for granted. I stay here today and give you extra special massage.

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  16. I love 80s music, so how about some Madonna, Duran Duran and Bon Jovi.

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  17. Those Banditas, they take me for granted. I stay here today and give you extra special massage.



    Why thank you, Sven. I guarantee you'll be given appropriate appreciation for your efforts! ;-)

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  18. Jane said, I love 80s music, so how about some Madonna, Duran Duran and Bon Jovi.



    Great choices! Better lay claim to the tunes you want. I have a feeling Buffie will be fighting you for those songs! lol!

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  19. Happy birthday, PJ!

    Among the people I share a birthday with are boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, comedian Craig Ferguson, Irish singer Enya, and Marshall Applewhite, the leader of Heaven's Gate cult. Yep, a rather eclectic lot.

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  20. *Waving to Jane* You can have any drink you like, my dear, as long as you put ABBA on the karaoke machine.

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  21. Yoohooo! Sven darling! When you're done with PJ, I need my legs massaged. Thanks, sweetie! Kisses!

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  22. Oh Sven, I'll have a mango margarita and we can duet on Fernando or Dancing Queen. Your choice.

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  23. You know I don't think I do share any important going ons on September 7th. However i did meet a woman on BBB who shares my birthday and our names are about the same... Her name is Raquel (spanish form of Rachel) and my name is Rachel. We thought it was sooooo neat!

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  24. Happy birthday. wish you all the best ^^

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  25. i'm forget, i always got suprise from my coworkers on my birthday and then go lunch to celebrate it and then take a pic. so fun and always happy ^^

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  26. Sheree and Jane, your wishes is my commands.

    Jane, I sing Dancing Queen just for you.

    Please excuse me now, ladies, while I give the birthday girl her treat...

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  27. Great party PJ!

    I share my birthday with Elvis and David Bowie, two musical gods. The music muse passed me by however.

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  28. PJ, Day 2 is just as fun as Day 1. Thank you for sharing your special birthday with all of us!

    As I stated yesterday, I love my mom's fried chicken/mashed potatoes meal. That is always what I requested when growing up. I love chocolate and am a chocoholic; however, nothing beats CARROT cake with cream cheese frosting. Yummy-yum! It's my dad's fave, too, and he is another chocoholic. (We're celebrating Dad's 81st b-day next weekend and fried chix and carrot cake are on the menu.)

    My birthday is 9-11. Nuff said. It's still MY day....

    Gram always made the granddaughters' b-day cakes and my mom continues the tradition with her grandchildren. The kids request the kind and design, so we've had horses, flowers, baseball fields, Army camo, Barney, and dogs---to name a few.

    Happy Birthday again! :)

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  29. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PJ! MAY YOUR WEEK BE FILLED WITH AWESOMENESS!

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  30. Happy Birthday GORGEOUS!!!!!!!! so happy to be able to help you celebrate! I'd serenade you if we lived closer!

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  31. P.S. I'd like to add that the BEST birthday cake I ate was made just a week ago by my 11-year-old daughter. It was from a box, but Shary added food coloring to the batter to make it pink, made turquoise-colored frosting, sprinkled it with red sugar crystals, and mixed and baked it all by herself! (I was banished to my bedroom to read while she made it.) I tasted her pride and love in every bite! :)

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  32. One day closer...PJ, I so admire your spirit and attitude.The romance world is brighter with you in it!

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  33. Sven, your hands were magical last night! Thank you for that fabulous massage. I slept like a baby! :)

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  34. Hmm... nothing big on my bday... I do share a birthday with Brooke Shields but that's that about it, I think....

    Congrats on everything! :) All this talk about cake is making me hungry...

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  35. enjoy your special day, happy birthday. thanks for having this contest.
    Julie

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  36. Happy Birthday, PJ!

    I share the same birthday as Walt Disney. :)

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  37. Happy Birthday, PJ! It's wonderful to see you having so much fun with it. Your attitude inspires me!

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  38. Happy birthday PJ!! (again :D)

    Wikipedia says that I share the same birthday as Vincente Minnelli (aka Liza Minnelli's father), John Turturro, and Ali Larter. And apparently I share the same birthday with two of my favorite supermodels, Natalia Vodianova and Karolina Kurkova.

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  39. such the party, going strong on day 2 -- go gurl ;) As far as I know (or recall) I'm the only famous person ;) with my b-day (fame is relative isn't it, even if only in one's own mind) :D

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  40. I am right behind you on the big 60 PJ. I turn 60 at the end of January. I didn't seem to have problems with the milestones as much as my cousin, she turned 60 in August and from 30 on she has fought it tooth and nail. Me? Not so much, I am thankful I got through another year mostly hale and hearty.

    Lars is not cold and silent Sven, don't bad mouth your brother, you just have to know how to get him to talk.

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  41. Have a wonderful Day Two!! Arent birthdays wonderful? You get to look forward to another great year!!!

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  42. Woo hoo, more birthday celebration!! I hope your family plans on celebratin all week with you, PJ!

    Anna, you must be more discreet when shagging those waiters. LOL

    Christina, I luuurve sticky toffee pudding. I even made it for Christmas a couple of years ago---I think it's still clogging my arteries. *g*

    Here's some famous folks I share my birthday (March 26) with:

    The musical contingent: Steven Tyler, Kenny Chesney, Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrass

    The actors: Keira Knightley, Leonard Nimoy, Martin Short, Alan Arkin, James Caan

    The cerebral bunch: Sandra Day O'Connor, Tennessee Williams, Robert Frost

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  43. Thanks for the birthday wishes, Sheree! That is quite the eclectic group you're in there!

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  44. Hi Raonaid! I love your name!

    I have an aunt and a cousin who were born on Sept. 7th so you now have a birthday group! ;-)

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  45. Hi Eli! How nice of your co-workers to celebrate your birthday with a special lunch. Sounds like you all had a good time!

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  46. Sven said, Jane, I sing Dancing Queen just for you.

    I missed Sven singing Dancing Queen? NOOOOOOO!

    Think we can talk him into an encore? ;-)

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  47. Beebs said, I share my birthday with Elvis and David Bowie, two musical gods. The music muse passed me by however.

    Wow! Musical royalty!

    I hear you on missing the music muse. Two of my brothers have beautiful "gift from God" voices. Me? Not so much! lol!

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  48. Deb said, (We're celebrating Dad's 81st b-day next weekend and fried chix and carrot cake are on the menu.)

    Yum! I like the way your dad celebrates. Please wish him a very happy birthday from me!

    Another September baby! I'm glad you take ownership of your birthday, Deb. Even though something terrible happened on that date, you have the right to celebrate YOUR day.

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  49. Thanks, Tiff! And thanks for stopping by! :)

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  50. PJ, Today is my birthday and I turn 70! OMG it's hard to believe. My husband says I look 50 and who is he to lie :-) I feel wonderful and look forward to enjoying this decade.

    Happy Birthday to all Virgos, Connie

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  51. Juliana Stone said, Happy Birthday GORGEOUS!!!!!!!! so happy to be able to help you celebrate! I'd serenade you if we lived closer!

    I'd take you up on that serenade! Would I get the rock 'n roll version? :)

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  52. Deb said, P.S. I'd like to add that the BEST birthday cake I ate was made just a week ago by my 11-year-old daughter.

    What a wonderful gift! I bet every bite was brimming with her love. :)

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  53. Good gracious! It's already quite the crush in here and only 9ish on the East Coast! Whoooohooo!

    PJ, m'dear, you know how to throw a party. Grins.

    *waving madly* HI EVERYBODY!!!

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  54. May said, Congrats on everything! :) All this talk about cake is making me hungry...

    LOL! Me too! I've been told I can't cut my cake until the rest of the family arrives tomorrow but nobody said anything about a discriminating little swipe of frosting. *grin*

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  55. Anna said: You're one of the loveliest people I've ever met and you're an adornment to Romancelandia. It's an honor to be your friend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY for tomorrow!!!!

    Here, here! What Anna said! WOOT!

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  56. Thanks, Julie (j barrett) and thanks for stopping by!

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  57. Bonnie Ferguson said, I share the same birthday as Walt Disney. :)

    I wouldn't mind having some of his Disney magic rub off on me. I'm one of those people who turns into a ten-year-old when I walk through the gates of Disney World. :)

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  58. Sven said: Those Banditas, they take me for granted. I stay here today and give you extra special massage.

    Awwww, c'mon, Sven. You know we love you. What would we do without you keeping the Lair running in tip-top shape? And keeping us running in tip-top shape?

    Grins.

    We should all be putting you in the dedication to our books. We should! You do yoeman's work, my friend.

    And you make a mean Mai Tai too.

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  59. Emily March said, Happy Birthday, PJ! It's wonderful to see you having so much fun with it. Your attitude inspires me!

    Thanks, Emily! And thank you for being one of my special guests today. I'm so excited to know Lover's Leap will be out in December. Only three more months before I can return to Eternity Springs for what I'm sure will be another wonderful story!

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  60. Deb said: I tasted her pride and love in every bite! :)

    Awww, Deb, that's totally cool! good for her, and creative too!

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  61. Dianna! You rogue!

    You said:
    Lars is not cold and silent Sven, don't bad mouth your brother, you just have to know how to get him to talk.


    So THAT's why he watches you all the time. grins. You go girl!

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  62. Wow, Gannon! You've got a passel of famous folk in there!

    I adore Teddy Pendergrass. And Kenny Chesney, Leonard Nimoy and wow Robert Frost too!

    Amazing. And of course, I adore YOU too! You go girl!

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  63. Connie said: Today is my birthday and I turn 70! OMG it's hard to believe. My husband says I look 50 and who is he to lie :-) I feel wonderful and look forward to enjoying this decade.

    Wooo-hooo! Connie! Congrats and happy birthday to you, happy birthday to youuuuuu, happy birthday dear Connie, happy birthday to youuuuuuuu! A Boing!

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  64. PJ said: I'm one of those people who turns into a ten-year-old when I walk through the gates of Disney World. :)

    Me too, PJ, with the added bonus of being much taller than I was at 10, and so therefore able to ride Space Mountain. Again and again and again. Grins.

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  65. I am right behind you on the big 60 PJ. I turn 60 at the end of January. I didn't seem to have problems with the milestones as much as my cousin, she turned 60 in August and from 30 on she has fought it tooth and nail. Me? Not so much, I am thankful I got through another year mostly hale and hearty.



    I have friends like that too, Dianna but I agree with you. I'm very grateful for another year!

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  66. PJ said...

    I wouldn't mind having some of his Disney magic rub off on me. I'm one of those people who turns into a ten-year-old when I walk through the gates of Disney World. :)

    *I've never been to Disney World, but I'd love to go someday.

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  67. Gannon said, Christina, I luuurve sticky toffee pudding. I even made it for Christmas a couple of years ago---I think it's still clogging my arteries. *g*



    I've never had sticky toffee pudding but I'm thinking that's something I need to change. Off to check out recipes!

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  68. Connie said, PJ, Today is my birthday and I turn 70!

    Another zero! Happy Birthday, Connie! I wish you a wonderful day filled with all your favorite things and a year of good health, happiness and great books! :)

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  69. Jeanne said, Good gracious! It's already quite the crush in here and only 9ish on the East Coast! Whoooohooo!

    The place has been rockin', Jeanne. Jane and Sven had that karaoke machine going all night!

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  70. Jane and Sven on Karaoke.

    Wow, now that's cool. See? You throw totally cool parties, PJ. Grins.

    BTW, if you find a sticky toffee pudding recipe, fling it my way.

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  71. Bonnie said, *I've never been to Disney World, but I'd love to go someday

    I hope you have the opportunity to go one of these days. It truly is a magical place!

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  72. PJ, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I think it's wonderful to celebrate the way you do. In my case, not the day so much as the year was famous. The Beatles hit USA in 1964. Civil Rights Act of 1964. May 4 – The United States Congress recognized Bourbon whiskey as a "distinctive product of the United States"May 12 – Twelve young men in New York City publicly burn their draft cards to protest the war; the first such act of war resistance I celebrate with my children. We always have a favorite dinner, then presents and cake. We keep it intimate for now.

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  73. Happy Birthday. What a great post. You are very special. Enjoy this celebration.

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  74. My grandparents used to own a bakery and when I was little, I'd get my cake from there too. And since I had a special in :ahem: they always made it extra big and special for me. I remember one year, my cake had a cartoon pig on it, because in Chinese astrology, I was born in the year of the pig. I have a picture of it somewhere. Looking back, I'm sure the customers were wondering who the heck that little girl in who walks in and just swipes cakes and bread off the shelf???!! lol

    I share a birthday with Alex Trebek, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, and Don Henley of the Eagles.

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  75. Happy Birthday Eve, PJ!

    My mother's best friend told me that the only birthday she ever dreaded was her 70th, but when one of the best days of her life came after she turned 75 (She married her childhood sweetheart), she looked forward to the new wonders each year would bring. I'd love to say I have adopted her attitude, but I admit I hate to see the numbers roll over for another year. Considering the alternative cheers me considerably though. :)

    I share a birthday with Alexandre Dumas père, Anna Paquin, and Wonder Woman Lynda Carter, who also turned 60 this year.

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  76. I share my March 28 birthday with Lady Gaga. I find this rather strange and completely wonderful!

    Mary Beth

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  77. Happy Birthday. Enjoy the second day of your celebration!

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  78. Happy Birthday! What great company you have to celebrate with. I don't know if anyone famous that shares my bday, as far as major events...it wasn't a good day to be in the London subways :-(
    Anyway, thanks for the great giveaways...

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  79. Happy Birthday, sweetie! I would never guess you're going to be 60. *G* You look young and you ACT young, which is more important. Have a great party! (Oh, and I want a massage from Sven. How do I order that?)

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  80. Eve's flowers said: I don't know if anyone famous that shares my bday, as far as major events...it wasn't a good day to be in the London subways :-(
    Anyway, thanks for the great giveaways...


    Eep! There must have been a disaster on that day, I'm guessing. Well, it's mitigated by YOU being amongst us. So there.

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  81. Hi Sabrina!! So great to see you here too. What a fun day to celebrate PJ.

    And I think she's monopolizing Sven.

    You said: Have a great party! (Oh, and I want a massage from Sven. How do I order that?)

    When you see her stumble back in with that glazed, just massaged (I'm sticking with that!) look, give the high sign and Sven will make sure you're taken care of. Grins.

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  82. Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...
    Dianna! You rogue!
    So THAT's why he watches you all the time. grins. You go girl!

    LOL you know it is the quiet ones you keep your eye on. He is just so pretty I couldn't resist.

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  83. Happy Birthday, day two. Mmmm--more cake and champagne!

    I share my birthday with my Hubby. He is two years and five minutes older than me! We were born the same day as Beatle George Harrison and one of my uncles.

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  84. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PJ

    You should celebrate all week long. It should be one heck of a week. I will bring some hansome hunks to the party. We all need them.

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  86. I've finally stopped laughing, and almost wet myself after your comment to Anna about "snag" the waiter.

    I share my July 21st birthday with some quite famous people. To name a few, they are Alexander The Great, Ernest Hemmingway, Janet Reno and Josh Harnett.

    I wish you many Happy Returns of the Day PJ.

    dpd333 AT aol dot com

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  87. Wow, the joint is surely jumping! PJ, I hope there's some cake left for lil ole me! NO???!!!! You were just expecting a few friends for an intimate get-together and catered accordingly? Well, shiver me timbers (yeah, it's international talk like a pirate day). I'm just ARRRRRRR-ate about that. You'd better get an apron on that handsome waiter and get him bakin'. ;-)

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  88. Jeanne, Sven is an accomplished singer. Do you think he'll sing Pour Some Sugar On Me if we asked him nicely?

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  89. PJ..did you get the gladiator I sent over from the Lair? I announced late on yesterday's blog that Demetrius' was yours for the day. He was bringing caramel...in case you wanted to make turtles or...use it for...um..other things.

    Lots of great people visiting today though I'd be careful lighting birthday candles around Jeanne...she has this thing for boom...

    But then..so does Demetrius!

    I also got a massage in your honor.

    And yummo Christine. Sticky Toffee Pudding. I became addicted to that on my last trip to Ireland. Started getting a reputation I did but man...can't beat it.

    Now off to see if that margharita fountain is still full...

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  90. Sven, come back to the lair, all is forgiven!!!! xxx

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  91. AKA Lars isn't quite as...energetic as you are, dahlink. Or perhaps I've just worn him out snagging him!

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  92. AKA it takes more than a paper umbrella to fend off a Campbell on the rampage. Och aye!

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  93. P.J. you are celebrating in style with such wonderful guests; if I share my birthday with someone famous it would be news to me. In my little part of the world my b-day is all about me.

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  94. Happy last day to be fifty-something, PJ!!! LOL!!!!

    I think the Aussie group has really got this party hoppin'

    This year was a big year for me -- I turned 40 in March. I have to say that I do look at life a little different on this since of the big 40, taking each day as a grand adventure and telling those special people around me how much I love them.

    As far as sharing birthdays with famous people, I share my birthday with romance writer Candice Hern. Love her books!

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  95. PJ, Happy Birthday! Whoo-hoo, what a party!

    All these upcoming books sound fabulous.

    We never had Barbie cakes, but we did have cakes with cheaper dolls in the center, with the iced cakes making the skirts of the dolls' ball gowns.

    I love chcolate cake, but I also have a weakness for red velvet and for yellow with caramel frosting. And yellow or pink roses on the cake.

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  96. PJ, Happy Birthday! Whoo-hoo, what a party!

    All these upcoming books sound fabulous.

    We never had Barbie cakes, but we did have cakes with cheaper dolls in the center, with the iced cakes making the skirts of the dolls' ball gowns.

    I love chcolate cake, but I also have a weakness for red velvet and for yellow with caramel frosting. And yellow or pink roses on the cake.

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  97. My real birthday is December 25, and my official birthday (what's on my paperwork) is January 1, so I'm sharing big time. :P Since both my brothers and I were born in December, we celebrate our birthdays together with the Christmas celebration, which is a bummer (less presents) and also great (higher present budget from others and bigger party). Happy Birthday, PJ! My mom had her big 6-0 last year, and we threw her a huge party.

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  98. Ladies, ladies, one at a time, please! I know you like the massage but I have two hand, you know? And my feet I keep for dancing...

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  99. Hmmm, well I've always been told that Mickey Mouse was "born" on Nov. 18, 1928. Of course, that several years before my actual birth, but I like to think Mickey and I share a bond! Lol!

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  100. Whoa, Jane, now THAT would be a show. We could sell tickets. Grins.

    You said: Jeanne, Sven is an accomplished singer. Do you think he'll sing Pour Some Sugar On Me if we asked him nicely?

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  101. Happy Birthday again - keep 'em coming!

    My Birthday is September 6 and I was actually born on a "Labor Day" Monday. Of course, the date Labor Day Monday falls varies from year to year. We always kidded my mother that she truly did Labor on Labor Day. And I often started a new school year on my birthday.

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  102. Hey Joanie T!

    You said Lots of great people visiting today though I'd be careful lighting birthday candles around Jeanne...she has this thing for boom...

    Especially the long red ones with the really long wicks...they belong in the travel bag, not the candle bin.

    Grins.

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  103. Di, my son was due on September 1st, which also happened to be Labor Day. It was also my very first editor appointment ever.

    Sadly, he was not born that day. Instead, he was born on 9/11 (ten days late). I also did not sell a book that day, although I think I gave the editor a heart attack when I waddled in 9 months pregnant for my editor appt. :-)

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  104. Gannon, I love sticky toffee pudding, too!

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  105. Happy Birthday, dear PJ! I hope the day is as wonderful as you are!!!

    *muah*

    Hugs,
    Lila

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  106. Wow! I'm so worn out from all this partying I had to go take a nap!

    Thanks for stopping by today to help me celebrate my last day as a fifty-something. I had a blast!

    Sven, a very special thank-you to you and your magic hands. ::sigh:: 'Nuff said.

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  107. Huge thanks to today's special guests! I'm so glad you were able to be here today!

    The waiters are still whispering about Anna. I'm thinking she must have had a good time while I was gone? ;-)

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  108. Thanks for the birthday wishes, Nancy! You said, We never had Barbie cakes, but we did have cakes with cheaper dolls in the center, with the iced cakes making the skirts of the dolls' ball gowns.



    Actually, that's what my aunt made too. We just called them Barbie cakes.

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  109. according to wikipedia I share a birthday with Emma Stone and Maria Shriver:)

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  110. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.....!!
    It is 10:00PM here on the West Coast, so you have already officially turned 60! Welcome to the club; I beat you by six months and four days when I hit the big
    6 0, on March 16th of this year. I share the day with Jerry Lewis. Not nearly as fun as La Loren!

    I remember hitting double digits in 1961 very much like you do. It seemed to take sooooo long! Then I started to look forward to the next 10 and that did not seem to take as long. Then things really started to really speed up with college degrees to get, jobs, and marriage! Thirty to forty was a blur of roller coaster emotions as we suffered through multiple pregnancy losses and ended in the happiness of a much loved and wanted miracle child.
    Fifty to fifty five brought more happiness in raising that child and seeing him through college, but also the sadnes of loosing my father.
    Now 60 is a nice round number and sounds so pretty. I got to meet you in person, as well as some of my favorite authors so that was a very good start to this decade!

    Now I'm looking forward to retirement,reading, travel and eventually, grandchildren!

    I hope you have a wonderful birthday PJ, and thank you for letting us share it with you.

    Hugs and Best Wishes,

    Flora

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  111. I was born on the 16th of October & I know only 2 facts about this day:
    1) It's a World Food Day
    2)Marc Levy & Suzanne Somers share birthday with me.

    I'm not a big fan of sweets, but this year I have decided to have a Sachertorte for my birthday. After all, we live so close to Austria :)

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  112. My birthday is December 20th. The only famous person I know of that has that birthday is Peter Kriss from KISS.

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  113. Happy Birthday, dear PJ! I hope the day is as wonderful as you are!!!

    *muah


    Awww, thanks, Lila. Muah right back atcha! :)

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  114. Happy Birthday PJ. Love your outlook for the numbers. :) Hitting 60 really didn't faze me because I was so delighted to be celebrating another year.I share my birthday with Giuliano de'Medici the Monarch of Florence, Sammy "the Bull" Gravano the mobster and Liza Minelli to name a few..Hope this is a fabulous birthday for you.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  115. Birthdays are a big deal in our family, no matter what age you are. It's your day.

    Happy Birthday!!

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  116. Happy Birthday! And many many more.

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  118. Oops forgot to mention your cake, so funny!!

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  119. Hi,
    I share my birthday with Ewan McGregor aka Obi-Wan Kenobi. If there was anyone to share with i'm glad i share it with him. ^^

    Melissa

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  120. My goodness, PJ. This is quite the birthday celebration! I am sooooo glad for you. What a great idea (celebrating for three days).

    Well ... I Googled it and only Clint Howard has the same birthday as I do. The thing that shocked me was that it said he was 5'7" tall and I could have sworn he was much shorter than that. Oh well. I am 5'10", so I guess everyone seems short to me, LOL.

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  121. Happy Birthday Week! I don't know of any famous birthdays on my day but I never looked it up.

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  122. The president of the USA is inaugurated on my birthday! I feel honoured every time even though I'm not American. ;)

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  123. PJ, I hope this is your best birthday ever and the next one's ever more fun.

    I love birthday's and not just my own. I love to bake so I have always even baked my own cake. One year as a surpize my younger son who was working for Carvelle ice cream shop as a manager (he was 16 but very responsible) even made an ice cream cake which he designed especially for me so that was my favorite cake of all times!

    Since my birthday is Nov. 22nd it occasionally falls on Thanksgiving which is always a treat. The only "bad" birthday I've ever had was my 16th. I had been so excited because I had wanted to go out with him since the 1st day of school that year.

    My birthday that year was one I wish none of us had to remember because that was the day the President Kennedy was shot in Texas. It was a day for mourning and remembering. On my birthday every year I always take a moment to reflect on the events of that day.

    I must admit that occasionally I also remember with regret that my date was cancelled and that boy never asked me out again!

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  124. I don't know who shares my birthday, February 2, but I have always been upstaged by a furry rodent named Puxatawney Phil. Sigh....
    Happy 60th!

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  125. Here's wishing you a most wonderful and Happy Birthday!!
    Hmm..famous birthdays? Well Ludwig van Beethoven was born on the same day. And as for events.. Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful man-powered airplane flight on my birth date.

    LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

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  126. I don't think I share my bday with anyone famous. I shared with one of my really good friends from school. Later on I worked with his wife and on my bday I told her to wish her husband happy bday and she looked at me real weird. She did not realize I went to school with him and I think she thought something was going on. I guess I would have thought the same thing.
    Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win. christinebails@yahoo.com

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  127. I share my birthday - October 24 - with a family friend and it's also UNICEF day (or used to be). I don't know anyone famous who has the same birthday.

    Great presents again and fantastic interview!!!!

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  128. Okay, I was curious as to any celebrities who shared my birthday and found that Kevin Kline and David Nelson have the same birth date.

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  129. Who do you share your birthday with? Any famous events occur on the day you were born?

    9 June... Just counting that I have 3 friends who share same birthday with me, although different year...

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  130. Happy day two of your birthday bash! :)

    I share my birthday with quite a few athletes. Wondering why I'm not athletic by proxy. I don't have an awesome birthday twin like you.

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  131. PJ Hope you have a fantastic birthday week!! Those change of decade birthdays always hit me the hardest.

    I share my birthdate with Martin Luther King Jr January 15th!

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  132. What a great celebration! I share my birthday with my twin. Also I am told May 2nd is Mexican Independence Day.

    Robin D
    robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  133. Happy Birthday! Hope that your 60th year is the BEST one yet!

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  134. Happy Birthday. What great posts and comments.

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  135. PJ: How could I miss your Birthday Party! Especially to be PERSONALY invited by Ms. Long?!
    NO WAY, Minx!

    For this MOMENTIOUS occasion, I lift my glass in salute to you (and Julie Ann with this wish:
    Here's to both of you,
    And here's to those who are older,
    And may the younger know,
    The age you're at is the best to be in, and may your years be counted not by your age , but by how you spend your days!
    CHEERS!

    I was born on April 1st and I’m telling you write now that was AN EVENT for my mom, as she lay in her bed, in a small Serbian village, trying to rouse my dad who was passed out from the previous days revelries (Sunday) and refused to get up telling everyone that he’s not “falling for that old trick” on April Fools Day:)

    You have to understand him, he was only 18 at the time…

    I was surprised by some of the people born on April 1st:
    1220 - Emperor Go-Saga of Japan (WOW!!)
    1647 - John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, English poet (NO WONDER I’m TAKEN BY THIS DUDE AND HIS ERA!)
    1924 - Miodrag Petrović-Ckalja, Serbian comedian/actor (USED TO LOVE THIS GUY!)
    1932 - Debbie Reynolds, American actress (NOW THAT WAS A SURPRISE!)

    As for the events that happened on April 1st:
    1578: English physician William Harvey discovered blood circulation. (YEAH)
    1665: The Great Plague hit London (WTH?!)
    1793 Volcano Unsen on Japan erupts killing about 53,000 (ANOTHER CRAPPY EVENT?!)
    1889 1st dish washing machine marketed (Chicago) (YEAH)
    1891 London, Paris telephone connection opens (YEAH)

    Melanie
    www.bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.com

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  136. I don't know of any famous people I share my b'day with. It is all mine!!

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  137. Happy Birthday!
    I share my birthday with my Great grandfather. I was born 100 years after he was.

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  138. The only person in history that I could find had the same day and years was Kevin O'Donnell Jr, US, sci-fi author (Caverns, Reefs, Lava). At least it's an author lol.

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  139. Oh I looked further and here is a good one at least for my month and day: 1832 - Louisa May Alcott, Germantown Pa, author (Little Women)

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  140. Hi girls, Happy birthday to you both...I am also coming up on a Zero birthday just after Christmas...Christina Dodd is so right...we are all 30, right? Ummm, yeah, of course :))))) I share a birthday with Denzel Washington & Dame Maggie Smith. Love all the books, please keep them coming! (((HUGS)))

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  141. Hi, PJ! Guess I wasn't right last time when I said it was proably your 20th birthday this year... Have a great birthday week! Oh, well, my DH is in his 60's, but he always says he's 29. LOL!

    I have never really known anyone I share a birthday with. The big event that happened when I was born is that my poor mom had a really big belly ache.

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  142. What a fun interview! I always celebrate a birthday - it's nice to look back at where you've been and where you are at present. Happy Birthday PJ!
    My favorite birthday treat is Peanut Buster Treatzza Pizza from DQ...

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  143. My birthday is Hungary's national holiday: the day is abnk holiday, noone has to work, there are fireworks at night it is kind of the Hungarian equivalent of July 4th. When I was little my parents used to tell me the fireworks were for me, celebrating my birthday :-D

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  144. Happy Birthday PJ!
    My birthday is the day after Halloween, November 1, known in some circles as All Saints Day or Day of the Dead in Mexico - so people are celebrating on my birthday in some places.
    The only famous (or semi-famous) people I can find that share my birthday are: Lyle Lovett (country singer), Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Larry Flynt (Hustler Magazine).

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  145. I share a birtday with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, one of my favorite bands.

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  146. I know I typed a comment yesterday, but it isn't here. I fell asleep while doing it, so I probably deleted it instead of entering it.
    My birthday is January 18. Others who share that day are:
    Peter Roget 1779
    Daniel Webster 1782
    A.A. Milne 1882
    Oliver Hardy (Laurel & Hardy) 1892
    Cary Grant 1904
    Danny Kaye 1913
    Berthold Goldschmidt 1903
    Kevin Costner 1955, among others.

    Hope you are enjoying your extended birthday celebration.

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  147. I don't think I share my birthday with anyone famous, but I did share it with a favorite Uncle. lisagk(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  148. i wa sborn on Jan 3rd 1983 famouse event happened was Kīlauea begins slowly erupting on the Big Island of Hawaii and is still flowing

    famous people who i share a birthday with are Mel Gibson, Victoria Principal, J.R.R. Tolkien to name a few

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  149. I share my birthday with Bridgette Bardot and Ed Sullivan (Sept 28th) I plan to sleep in on my birthday but we all know how that works...lol

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  150. I just had to google my birthday with famous celebs. I share my birthday with Enya, SurgarRay Leonard and Dennis Hopper to name a few! Happy Birthday to you! Thanks for sharing

    evjochum[AT]aol[DOT]com

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  151. I love the cake with the marked out name and yours added! I have a family with the same warped sense of humor and I might have to steal that idea! I hope that you have had a wonderful birthday and that your cake hangover isn't too painful! By the way, I adore birthday cake for dessert any time!!! So, if there are any leftovers.....

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