HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SARA (sarkin)!

[Martha]

Dear Sara,


Happy Birthday! Sorry I missed it yesterday. It sounds like you had a wonderful day.
Panjang Umurnya! (That's happy birthday in Indonesiaa, but actually means 'long life'.)



Love,
Martha

[Martha]

I meant "Indonesian" not "Indonesiaa".

[sarkin]

Thanks, Deb!

And thanks, Martha! I love languages, so much that I dabbled in too many and never got truly proficient with any (OK, I do have a fair grip on English).

Did you learn any of the Philippine languages? Our sister-in-law speaks two fluently, but neither is Tagalog (which of course she speaks, but the longer she's here, the more it slips away). She occasionally has trouble not to offend people from her home country, because she's much more comfortable in English than Tagalog - not that I can imagine anyone taking offense with her, she's about the most gracious human on any continent ;)

Travel truly broadens the mind. Living 'elsewhere' broadens the mind and heart and things we don't have a word for. Or maybe it shrinks the planet?

Love,
Sara

[MBombardier]

Happy Birthday, Sara!! I didn't log on yesterday, but the wishes are none the less sincere for being late!!

[sarkin]

Thanks, Marliss! (At our age, a day late doesn't count as late!)

Hope your absence from here was because you had other delightful things to do, AND were feeling so great you didn't need to check in quite so much ;)

xox/S

[Gabes-Apg]

Happy Happy Happy Happy BIRTHDAY!!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Every happiness and wellness for today and the year ahead.

thank you for sharing your supportive nature and wonderful outlook with the family. i love reading your posts


take care
big big aussie koala bear hugs!

[sarkin]

Thanks, Gabes - I've missed your daily presence here, but I know it's because you've been busy feeling fabulous, enjoying life, and diligently removing all gluten from the entire continent-nation of Australia (not just for Joe - really, who needs it?).

Wishing you all goods things,

S

[nancyl]

Happy belated birthday Sara!!

Nancy

[sarkin]

Thanks, Nancy!

(And I hope you will let me know when you're heading south to visit your NJ connection...)

Love to my home state of Mass.,

S

[JoAnn]

Happy Birthday Sara! It's been so fun having you join this board. You have a positive, beautiful outlook on life and dealing with the challenges that come.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Love JoAnn

[sarkin]

Thanks, JoAnn. This has been a wonderful birthday party, I feel greatly honored and cheered!

L,
S

[MaggieRedwings]

Hope you had a great birthday Sara. Sorry I didn't respond on the day but was away celebrating my birthday and finding great birds.

Love, Maggie

[ant]

Dear Sara

I have been AWOL these last few days so missed the day! A belated...



Your posts have been a joy to read.

Best wishes,

[sarkin]

Thanks, Maggie - we were truly born at a lovely time of year! Glad you spent your day birding.

And thanks, Ant - always wonderful to hear from you.

Love,
Sara

[Martha]

Dear Sara,

No, I never did learn any Philippine languages, except for left, right, and straight ahead, to use in a taxi. We lived in Davao City, so if I had learned anything, it would have been Cebuano. We were still working in Indonesian, and didn't want to get confused by learning another language. I did edit a guy's PhD dissertation on Cebuano grammar, but you don't learn language that way! I was amazed at the high level of English knowledge in the Philippines.

How long has your SIL been in the States? She was undoubtedly fluent in English before she got here.

Love,
Martha