Tim's 50th Birthday

All during the month of October, I surprised Tim with small gifts and cards as we worked up to the big day on the 22nd. Little did he know what I had in store for him!

The ODC staff threw him a surprise party on the afternoon before his birthday (they knew he was taking leave on the 22nd).

An Aston Martin was not his surprise gift (unlike our friend John Kregar who did get a car for his 50th). BUT- Tim did get a trip to London for the weekend and was able to gaze through a window at an Aston Martin.

I decided to recreate his 40th birthday which had taken place in San Antonio, Texas. We had seen Les Miserables for the first time and then had eaten dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House ( an expensive splurge for us then). For this birthday, I added some panache and did the re-creation in London. We stayed at Claridge's (saw Whoopie Goldberg), ate dinner at Scott's Bar and Restaurant (haunt of James Bond), and saw Les Miserables in its original theater. And all the remaining free time was spent doing fun "Tim" things like the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, seeing the Rosetta Stone, and eating, eating, eating (and no running, running, running).

Riding the London Eye, new since our last visit.

Viewing the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum.

The old man is tired and had to rest while I framed a shot.

In front of Buckingham Palace.

At the Greenwich Observatory.

Lots of cool astronomical history and we straddled the eastern and western hemispheres.

Another "masculine" shot for my collection. I have a global series of Tim and his "cannon."

And finally, a cake at home with the kids.