HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!!!!
To my dear friend Andy, I wish you the happiest of days with lots of love and hugs and good wishes from all the friends and family who love you. I would like to thank you for the wonderful friendship, love and support you have shown me for the past 18 months. Your good sense, good humour and amazing knowledge brightens my world!
For those of you that might be wondering about the significance of the Pineapple I shall give you a brief summary.
In the early days of our friendship I asked Andy about the history of the Pineapple in the Georgian period. He explained to me that to display Pineapples was a symbol of wealth due to the difficulties and expense one would have to go to to grow pineapples in Georgian times. I then remarked how it must have changed once the Brits made it to the colonies because we were popping them out like peas. It then led to a topic on Architecture and I mention our most stunning example...... the big Pineapple shown above. Some how after many jokes on the subject, Andy surmised that I lived in a Scandinavian Pineapple?????
So when ever I see a Pineapple I think of Andy!!!! On our last trip to Queensland we made a special trip for Andy just to take some photos. Inside is a whole diorama of Pineapple farming but I have spared you all the photos.....I did however inflict them on my dear friend!!
Below are some random photos of Pineapples I have collected......heheheh!!
So Happy Birthday my Dear Friend!!!
Can I also say a special welcome back to our other dear friend John from Merriman Park we have missed you. I am very glad to hear you will be back in the swing of things soon, after all, there is no merriment at Merrimen Park without you!!
XXX
Happy Birthday from me too, Andy! Have a great day and don't eat too many pineapples now! Do you get upside down pineapple cake in the UK, I haven't had one for years, but suddenly I see visions of one full of candles, http://tinyurl.com/ckpk2wo hope it tastes as good as it looks ;-)
ReplyDeleteElga
PS: Thank you Fi for letting us know and I love all your pineapple pictures.
Thanks Elga!!
ReplyDeleteXX
Andy, congratulations with your birthday and with having such a dear friend,named Fiona.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Fiona, for all the funny, inspiring, beautiful, surprising pictures in this post about pineapples. xxx Liduina
Hahaha, Liduina, I could never imagine being so obsessed by Pineapples!!
DeleteAww! Happy Birthday Andy xx
ReplyDeleteLovely post Fi, thanks, and all those variations of pineapple - tea cosy?!
Have a great day Guys
xx
Haha, the Tea cosy is great isn't it?? I have a feeling Andy might like the chocolate one the best.
DeleteThe mimosa cake is the dessert made from pineapple that I like the most, especially as a birthday cake. Wishes, Andy!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm, Mimosa cake sounds yummy!
DeleteXX
Happy birthday to you, Andy!!!
ReplyDeleteAw, so sweet (as a pineapple ;)) of you, dear Fi, to write this post for Andy :D! Love the pineapple story :D! Blogfriends are real friends, aren't they?
I especially love the huge one :D!
Lovingly, Ilona
Hello my lovely.....yes, how true it is, blog friends are true friends....; )
DeleteOM frigging G!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh Fi, what can I say, Your ostentatious display of pineapples has made my day!!!!!! Much better than a pair of Wedgwood urns (well almost! of which, needless to say, I did not get to unwrap at breakfast this morning!).
Funnily enough, my eye was indeed drawn to the chocolate pineapple first!!!! How well you know me! Who knew that the pineapple could be such a domestic icon! Pineapple tea cosy!? Yes please!! The pineapple drinks tupperware is perhaps going to an extreme I am not yet comfortable with, but give it time!!
I see you even found a pineapple that would suit David, Skull pineapples? i am sure he'll want one of those, he can put it with all his other weird stuff!! LOL!
How well I remember those photos (yes ALL of them!!) particularly the bats, now if your spiders are half the size of the bats, I ain't coming over to Australia!!! ;oD
What a kind and thoughtful post, just for me, and I think you for your kind words and assure you I feel the same! Not sure everyone would agree about my good sense, but meh! It is my birthday!! ;oD
Would it surprise you to know that I have a Lego pineapple, well its Sponge Bob's house, but it is still a pineapple!!!
Huge birthday bear hugs to you Fi, lots of long distance kisses XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Many thanks to everyone else for there birthday greetings too.
Hugs all round
Andy xxxxxxxxx
(apologies to anyone who doesn't understand some of the references in this comment, I think Fi will understand them!!)
The last comment wasn't enough!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you!
I really am a happy bear now!! I could kiss Ben Cohen!! (if only he would let me!!, Oh well David will have to do, as usual!! ;oD) (google him if you don't know him!) (is this too many brackets, even for me!!)
I need to get myself ready as David is taking me out for lunch, But I just wanted to thank you again Fi! Yes, I'm gushing, it's my birthday, I'm allowed!!
Yes Elga, Pineapple Upsidedown cake is one of my Favourites! (what's not to like? Pineapple, cake, huge quantities of refined sugar!!) I don't actually have a birthday cake yet, so might just pop into Waitrose while we are out!!
Thanks to every one, I agree with Ilona, blog friends are as good a friend as any other, and I send love to you all!!
Huge world wide hugs to all my friends
Andy xxxxxxxx
PS,private to Fi, I got a Wedgwood Jasperware vase, not a pair, not black, not £1000, but beautiful and it will take pride of place in my bedroom!! (Hugs to DavidXXXXXXX).
By the way, did I remember to say thank you!? ;oD
PPS in the first comment "I think you", should say "I thank you", it makes more sense that way!!!!
There is nothing left to say but you are adorable and whole heatedly welcome!!!
ReplyDeleteHUGE Koala bear Hugs to you!! ( I have to add that they are not actually biologically bears) and you can add as many brackets as you like....it's your Birthday and I thought I would throw one in there for David too!!
Your vase sounds stunning, you are a lucky bear...now i'm going to check out ben Cohen.
Enjoy your cake, Much love<3 your friend Fi XXXXXX
*Heartedly*
ReplyDeleteHello from Spain, happy birthday Andy. Happy day for you. I really like those variaciones of cute pineapple. I adore your tea cosy.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Andy! You forgot to mention how delicious pineapples are also! :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Andy! Sorry I am late.... Wrong side of the Pond and all that!!! I hope you got some pineapple-upside-down cake!!!
ReplyDeleteFi, you are such a Sweetie to give him this post!!! I thought of you this morning because on the side of the road on my way to work there was one of those paper three-dimensional pineapple decorations in bright yellow and green... off in the bushes on the side of the road!!! It is still winter here and the only thing I can think is someone had a party and one of the decorations escaped!!! LOL!
In my culture, a pineapple is also a symbol of wealth and prosperity becasue it's Chinese name sounds like "prosperous " :)
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDY! Shoot, I was at the Dole Pineapple Farms in Hawaii last year...if ONLY I had KNOWN!
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm late but I hope you had a lovely day on your Birthday - many belated happy returns!
ReplyDeleteThanks Fi for all the lovely pineapple pics - I like the cushion and the tea cosy!