Jeremy  presented Sue with a lovely bouquet 
of fresh, spring flowers. 

The night before, Sue arrived in Temecula with her daughter Samara and her son-in-law, Jonathan.  Earlier, Alana and her boyfriend, Jeremy, had arrived from San Diego to surprise Sue by festooning her Embassy Suites' room with purple and yellow crepe paper and balloons.

They painted the town of Temecula red by visiting the Pachanga Entertainment Center & Casino, where Samara won $120.  Not exactly the state lottery, but a huge win for Pachanga. 

When we arrived the following morning, Sue was draped in fresh flower lei and perfumed with the fragrance of maile.  Waiting for the limo to arrive, we sat, visited, and worked a jigsaw puzzle (long story, short: working on puzzles is a longstanding family tradition).

We were astounded by the luxurious soft throw that Alana had crocheted herself for her mother. It will be a beautiful accent for her mother's bed or sofa, and perfect for winter evening snuggling. She had also burned a CD with her mother's favorite songs.

Jeremy was due back in San Diego to meet his parents, who were arriving in the early afternoon to visit with him over the long weekend.  We vigorously bent his arm, and he joined us for the morning half of Sue's 50th birthday celebration in the Temecula wine country.

"The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune." 
~ English Proverb