THE Birthday Party of the Century Part 2

Posted: December 7, 2025 | Author: dana lange | Filed under: Uncategorized |1 Comment

If your wife spends a year keeping a giant secret from you it might make you worry, but in the case of Boris and Michelle he should not spend a moment worrying. But as you discover that all your best mates also have been lying to you for a year it can be disconcerting. As all the surprises of the weekend unfurled Boris was saying, “What other lies have I been told?”

I looked at him and in my regular blunt way I said, “You have two choices, Be mad about the lying and just don’t come to the party, or accept that all that lying was for the love of you and enjoy the party.” Boris chose the party!

What a party, well weekend full of love it was. Our first night together we got a chance to meet or reacquaint ourselves with all the Friends of Boris (FOB). Some people I have known from their wedding, or other parties, but some friends were new to me.

I said to Boris today as we were waiting for out flight back to London, “All your friends are both brilliant and fun.” Then I gave one qualifier, “at least all your friends that Michelle invited are.” Good friend Nick, said it another way, “There are 1.5 personalities for every person here.” And he didn’t mean it in the Sybil sort of way.

For the purposes of memorializing this epic weekend I will go back and start from the beginning. Michelle, the consummate planner, gave us all a year’s advance notice that this party was happening. She actually had started planning this party six years ago for Boris’ 50th birthday, but Covid put an end to that plan. And when that venue was a pure asshole about not refunding her deposit she reconnoitered and came up with a new plan.

Since Boris had spent his youth living outside Aberdeen it seemed like the highlands would be a good location to celebrate this milestone. Michelle secured the whole Fife Arms inn for the entire weekend so it acted as a sort of Manor house for the assembled FOB.

Michelle and Boris arrived days before most of us and friends trickled in revealing a bigger and bigger group. It made sense when UK friends turned up, or even life-long childhood pal who now live in France, or Benjamin and his girl friend Juju coming from Houston and Elena from Durham, but when the boys from Seattle suddenly turned at he Fife Arms the scope of this surprise was growing to an unimaginable size.

Russ and I were with a group deemed “the fun bus.” Sixteen of us all took the same flight from Heathrow so Michelle arranged a luxury coach (luxury was really the operative theme of the birthday) to pick us up and drive us through the dark on the single-width country lanes to Braemar. We were supposed to be 18, but Mick and Hannah had a snafu at Heathrow, which delayed them from arriving with us, so their eventual appearance was the final surprise. (The fun bus could have been even more fun if Mick and Hannah had been on it.).

It was nice to see Boris’ rowing partner Elizabeth, but it never fails there is not enough time to talk about all this things she knows that I am so interested in. Rhonda and Kelly were also on the fun bus, but it was not until the return bus trip that I got to really catch up with Rhonda. (More about that tomorrow.) Polly made the fun bus, thankfully after almost missing the flight due to her train hitting a heard of deer on her way to Heathrow. Thankfully when the train stopped and announced it could go no further, Polly called up friends nearby and they came in a second and drove her the two hours to Heathrow. I don’t know about you, but how many of us could get stranded in a random place hours from home and have a person nearby who would do that for you?

Friday’s dinner was lovely, but since some people had literally flown overnight and had not slept in over 36 hours the party ended at a reasonable hour for most. I will not offer any comment on how many whisky’s were consumed from the whisky bar that held over 450 different offerings. I have no idea if anyone jumped at the chance to taste the one that cost over $10,000 for two fingers. (That was practically the only thing Michelle was not providing.)

Saturday morning started with the Fife Arm’s famous breakfast. Russ and I were seated at a beautiful table for four that looked out on the Clunie river that ran next to the inn. FOB Adam and Vicks joined us for breakfast. We had met them the night before as they were the appointed Masters’ of ceremonies for the whole weekend. Vicks and Boris were mates from University and she preformed a hilarious poem regaling her feelings and history with Boris Friday night. From that point on Adam did all the stand-up performances that kept the cats herded in the right directions at the right time for the rest of the weekend.

A word about the food. Breakfast was a day’s worth of food and I didn’t visit the table of pre-laid pastries, cheeses, fruits, oatmeal, yogurt, juices and the like. Being in Scotland I went for fish for breakfast. The description of a smoked haddock, spinach and eggs dish with Hollandaise and toast was not described as it turned out to be.

What arrived was a proper cooper casserole dish laden with a sea of Hollandaise, topped with Scottish Cheshire with an underpinning of fish, veg and eggs. The thick slabs of whole granary toast could feed a small nursery of wee ones. It was a meal that was meant to be enjoyed by someone venturing out for a day of hill walking with no chance of rations.

Fearing what was still to come, Russ and I donned our outdoor gear and took umbrellas and went out to explore the village. At once we encountered Mick and Hannah so we trekked the village, visiting first the site of the famous Highland Games. We were slightly under whelmed by the size of arena but loved seeing the royal box.

We walked out of the village along the River Dee, but not as far as the Linn of Dee, which means the gorge. On our way back Hannah and I felt drawn to stop in the Gallery of Braemar which was run by a delightful Scot woman. She had an exceptional display of Christmas ornaments of which I might have partaken in liberally. Russ and Mick were doing their husbandly duties holding the umbrellas outside, but Russ took glee in photographing the sheer joy Hannah and I were having inside the shop.

We returned to the Fife in time to have a too-soon next meal. Tea sandwiches, sausage rolls, pies and tarts were laid out in the snug. Well, in spite of still being full from breakfast most of us had to sample the offerings. Who can’t resist a cheddar and chutney finger? Deb asked for a box so she could get some lunch for later instead of trying to eat at that moment. Deb, was a very smart lady.

We might have delayed lunch save most of us were headed to the luxury coach for our afternoon outing. There were three options on the trip. If you were sports minded you would have chosen the two and a half hour guided hill walk to see the stone Carins above Balmoral Castle. If you were slightly less sporty, a leisurely stroll around the castle grounds and gardens might have been your lot, but if you were up for full on debauchery, you took the whisky distillery tour and the Balmoral Castle walk.

Which group did Russ and I join? Well the distillery tour of course. I may not drink normally, but I am going to go be with the bad kids every chance I get. I also love a good factory tour as I am a person who likes to know just enough about a lot of things to sound knowledgeable without actually knowing anything.

For the record I did sip the two whisky’s offered at the tours end and like the more full bodied one. Michelle did tell me something I never knew, that Whisky without an E is what is Scotch is and whiskey with an E is what is Bourbon. Michelle is an even bigger keeper of useless and useful knowledge than I am.

Since we had now consumed two unneeded meals we did need more walking and so we meandered down the lane to view Balmoral. The grounds were so lovely and the views from the castle grounds spectacular. Graham, the hired photographer for the weekend, was with us for the whole tour and walk so I am looking forward to seeing the fun shots he got of us all.

Miraculously all three different tour groups made it back on the coach at the right time and we headed back to the Fife just as the northern sun was setting at 3:30. As it was getting dark, that must mean it was time for more libations.

A piper was playing outside the Inn to greet our return. He piped us into the lobby where it was time for espresso martinis and birthday cake. How could we go another hour without putting the trough on? I had a bite of cake, but an even more needed just plain espresso as the lack of sleep from the night before was just starting to catch up with me and we had hours of partying to go.

I snuggled into a down filled sofa next the the large Christmas tree and had a lovely conversation with Marie. We shared similar points of view and I lamented with her the awful and short-sighted severing of USAID, where she had spent much of her career.

Two by two people peeled off to their suites to freshen up for the evenings festivities. I had just gotten undressed when Michelle summoned me to help tie Boris’ bow tie so off I went in my robe in slippers only to arrive after son Benjamin had, who had the job firmly in hand. I returned to my suite, only to be met by Mick, who also needed his new Campbell Tartan bow tie tied. Russ at least waited until I was showered and dressed in my fancy dress before he asked me to tie his bow tie.

A note about fancy dress. Michelle branded this party as a James Bond 007 black tie affair. One guest, in our What’sapp group, remarked upon packing at home, “As I am having to pack a tux, do you think I can wear it three days in a row?” So when the assembled masses who had all traveled from far and very far off places dressed to the nines it was quite a beautiful site.

Sandy had brought one dress from North Carolina, but found an even better one at a small designer’s shop in London two days before, where the designer personally hemmed it for her while she waited. Jamie wore her mother-in-laws wedding jewels that her Indian husband Amit inherited. Christine had a pair of long black gloves that brought her all black sleek dress into full bond mode. I was able to wear a dress I found in my closet- of-dreams from some by-gone era I thought I would never fit in again. Thanks goodness I never got rid of old fancy dress clothes.

We all assembled in the lobby for cocktails and nibbles. I instructed not just a few how to properly eat the beautiful raw oysters that were being passed. The waiter asked if I would accompany him as he made his rounds. It was time for a few more speeches about Boris. His childhood mate Phil, read an informative poem about their early years together. Russ was seated next to Phil’s wife at dinner and asked her if he wrote poetry for her. She told Russ that was the first poem in 23 years of marriage she had ever heard him read, let alone one written by him. It was both funny and heartfelt.

Before we were invited into the dining room for the reveal of the final secret to Boris of the theme of this 007 dinner we had to have two group photos taken. One of the whole party and one of just the women. I think this is why I was included as a guest for this party because my one super power is assembling people quickly and efficiently for a Photo.

Using my most bossy, (which if you know me is “very”) and my most loud (which is you know me is “very”) voice I instructed people to gather on the and around the staircase, ensuring that the Berry/Smith/Wombles were all together front and center of the adoring crowd. And I got a look at the shots in Graham’s camera before dismissing the men. My years as a magazine editor trained me well for this task. Always make sure you have the shot first before dismissing the models!

After he got one shot of just the women the dinning room was opened and we all got to see the casino set up for the post dinner fun, the gorgeously laid tables and the life sized James Bond Cutouts, including the Boris version which had been made by sweet Benjamin.

Russ and I were seated on opposite sides and ends of table six. I was between Phil and Dawn who were lovely conversation partners. Benjamin’s girl friend Juju was at our end of the table along with her Dad and Jamie. Russ was between Benjamin and Constance.

Russ and Benjamin were deep in conversation through most of the dinner with Russ announcing at the end that Benjamin was a most extraordinary young man. Something I already knew. Since he first came to hang out at our house when he and Carter were both six years old I have always adored Benjamin. It is so wonderful when a nice child, remains a nice teenager and them becomes an even better adult. Constance too wowed Russ with her stories of taking in foster teenagers in France. Again, friends of Boris are no slouches.

Dinner started with a lovely smoked salmon. Something I had been craving since arriving in Scotland. Sadly Russ had learned from one of the staff members that the Scottish salmon population has been greatly affected by global warming. Warmer rivers and lower depths of river from lack of rain is not conducive to Salomon survival. The government is trying to plant more trees on the banks of rivers to help shade the water and cool it down, but that is a long term solution to a problem which might be unfixable by the time trees grow large enough to provide shade.

After the starter we had our main course depending on what you ordered. I did what Russ and I tend to do, each order something different so we can share, but that only works if you are sitting next to each other and I like mixing it up at tables so you are not sitting with your partner. So I had the halibut and Russ had the beef Wellington. But Constance had the halibut and wanted the Wellington so Russ traded with her. It all worked out since we loved the halibut.

The pudding course was our favorite sticky toffee pudding. True to Fife Arms portion control system each dessert plate was really enough from a small Scottish family on Christmas Day. It was incredibly delicious with some crispy bits in the sponge and a caramel sauce to die for.

One cheeky table mate asked if anyone was able to finish their pudding and we all looked around at the plates and discovered that only Russ had eaten his whole family sized portion. This was shocking as Russ normally eschews sweets. He innocently Asked, “I wasn’t supposed to enjoy it so much?” You were, Honey.

After dinner it was time for gambling. I got to the black jack table late and had to wedge myself in between Nick and Raj. Nick was an exceptional gambler and he advised both Jamie and me well. At first I was getting too many 3’s, 4’s and five’s as my first card. Then as the time wore down and I still had $200 in chips to waste or multiply I made a few big bets that paid off.

In the end at our table Nick ended with $1,700 and I was second behind him with $1,100. I was sure he had won the night. I came to find out someone beat him who made a big bet late in the gaming at the roulette table and won big. It was definitely a casino Royale.

One of the things about this weekend which was most fun was getting to know people I knew peripherally much more deeply. Both Jamie and Sandy confessed to me separately that they had been afraid of me when the kids were in school, but not now. Thank god, no should be afraid of me, but I understood where they were coming from.

I really enjoy so many of Michelle’s life long friends, Suzanne, Marie and Elise who don’t live in Durham, just to name a few. Michelle and Boris both are tried and true friends who make great effort to keep up with people. And as Jamie so perfectly put it, “Believing in the transitive properties of friendship,” they also believe if I like you and I like this other person, then both of you will like each other.

As always, Nick and Amy are just a delight to get to be in their universe. There is never a question that can not be answered by one or both of them. If Michelle is planning anything fun I know that means Amy is there.

After gambling I spent some time sitting at the quiet bar talking with Sandy and Marie. It was getting late, but I still had not visited the disco with the live band singing all the hits of Boris’ youth. I was not planning on dancing long since that usually means I am dancing alone. Russ is no dancer, but I also thought he was not a dessert eater. Well one out of two ain’t bad.

I stayed and danced for five or six song then we had an Irish goodbye as the hour was almost about to strike 12 and I had yesterday’s blog to quickly post. Having a daily blog means I have to post something everyday, no matter what.

We got to our room about 11:45 and I quick threw up the photos I had pre-downloaded, promising this blog today to fill in the details. So this is where I will stop, a whole day behind in reporting. I did find out today that the party went on until 3 AM. No surprise to me, but I will never be the one to stay up that late.

Even missing the last three hours of the party, from my perspective it was the birthday party of the century. If you could not have fun yesterday you were destined to be a stick in the mud forever. I know there were people at the weekend who I did not get enough time to talk with. And I know I am missing so many details about interesting conversations I had, but at some point I need to post this blog. It would be lovely to hear other’s stories about the weekend as each one of us had a different, but equally fun, loving and poignant time celebrating the life of our friend Boris.

He is going to have a terrible time matching this level of love from Michelle and quite frankly from Tara, “Miss Moneypenny” who is the most extraordinary event planner. None of the hard work went unnoticed and all the FOB will be talking about this weekend for the rest of his life.

Thank you for the memories. Cheers!

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