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Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 11:54 am
by J.R.
70 TODAY.

Still only 6 months behind me, AND Christmas to look forward too.

Have a great day.

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 3:01 pm
by Katharine
Happy Birthday from another who turned that particular milestone this year!

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 12:46 pm
by Mid A 15
Hope you had a good one John!

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 11:48 am
by jhopgood
Thanks to all.
Not a great one for parties but arranged a get together in a local bar for friends, both Valencian and Brits from the village, and some from the Hash group I run with.
About 30 in total with beer, wine and tapas, so a good time was had by all.
You would not have thought that a lot happened to people born on December 23, except that most of us got only one present a year.
I have now met quite a few born on 23/12 and apart from the Spanish, who have presents on January 6, most have similar stories.
I spoke to David Eastburn on the 23/12 and he was waiting for news concerning the arrival of his first grandson.
My personal 23/12 bad luck stories include the facts that I spent my 4th birthday in hospital having my adenoids and tonsils out, and my 42nd, stuck in Panama during the US invasion.
This is contrasted by the fact that my Costa Rican in laws gave me 50 presents on my 50th. Nice tradition.
Anyway, Happy Christmas and New Year to all.

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:03 pm
by Katharine
Our Rector's elder daughter - now 15 - shares your birthday John. Not the best of timings for a Vicarage family!

I had a colleague in the 80s, who was born on Christmas Day, the only treat for her birthday she remembered from her childhood was that she was let off the washing up! We were told this every year so it must have rankled!

I'd never heard of the 50 present tradition, did you manage 70 presents this year? I think it may be the Netherlands where at 50 you could be given Abraham, or Sarah, cards and parties to celebrate your longevity.

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 1:22 pm
by J.R.
Do please explain the 'Hash Group', JH !!!!

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 3:22 pm
by jhopgood
Hash House Harriers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

Look up the Buenos Aires Hash!!!

jmh (aka hopeless)

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 4:13 pm
by Katharine
It shows JR has never led the expatriate life! I think I first came across such groups in Islamabad. I should check, have they reached the UK?

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 5:09 pm
by jhopgood
There are quite a few in the UK.
Some come and run with us on the Costa Blanca Hash when they are visiting and others, having run in Madrid, come back when the Madrid Hash have their annual Hash in Javea.

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 2:07 pm
by J.R.
jhopgood wrote: Tue Dec 26, 2017 5:09 pm There are quite a few in the UK.
Some come and run with us on the Costa Blanca Hash when they are visiting and others, having run in Madrid, come back when the Madrid Hash have their annual Hash in Javea.
Not from Afghanistan or Pakistan, then ??

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:20 pm
by jhopgood
Just a brief look confirms they run in Kabul, Lahore and Islamabad.
There are about 4000 groups worldwide.

Re: Happy Birthday John Hopgood.

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:46 pm
by Katharine
I remember the Islamabad one starting, however that was very definitely expatriate and started by somebody at the British Embassy*. It may have died later as the date given on John's link is long after we left Islamabad.

*Pakistan was out of the Commonwealth at the time so an Embassy not a High Commission.